Antique Snowmobile Show

A Look Back in Time at a Popular Northland Sport

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“I guess for me it’s hard to explain why the history is so important, but it just is,” said life-long snowmobiler, Jeff Kubat.

Snowmobiling has been a part of Kubat’s life for as long as he can remember.

“Who can live without 20 degree below Saturday mornings, that’s just the best,” Kubat joked.

But over the course of his time, these sleds have changed quite drastically.

“It’s a different sport,” Kubat said. “Trail riding the vintage sleds, that’s what snowmobiling is to me.”

Former racer Steve Pierce knows heritage is something to cherish.

“You always like to look at your roots because that’s where you come from. There are a lot of machines here that bring back a lot of memories,” said Pierce.

For 2 weeks each year, Pierce invites riders from all over The Northland to the mall in Grand Rapids to display their vintage sleds, suits, helmets and more.

“Every collector has a fancy,” Pierce said. “Some have historical value. We have racing sleds here that have actually won championships. I have a 1966 Scorpion Series that Governor Pawlenty rode on the Governor’s Ride in 2005 here in Grand Rapids.”

Those who know Arctic Cats as black, and Ski–doos as yellow, may be shocked to see just how far the technology has come.

“If you told somebody that you just went out and rode 100 miles during the day, they might be like, ‘Yeah right, you didn’t ride 100 miles,’” laughed Kubat.

But newer isn’t always better.

“I mean there’s that great big wow factor about the brand new sleds,” Kubat admitted. “But this is where it all came from. This is where it all started.”

For 12 years now, thousands gather at the display to unite generations of riders…

“Every person that has ridden a snowmobile always rode their grandfather’s sled or their uncle’s sled,” said Pierce. “Everyone had a first ride on something, and a lot of these sleds were the ones that they took their first ride on.”

…To teach young snowmobile lovers about the sports earlier years…

 “There’s a lot of people that have no idea some of these machines even existed,” Pierce added.

…And to reminisce for old times’ sake.

“We’re just celebrating the old machines and bringing back some memories.”