Snowmobile

Human beings have devised many an ingenious method for traversing snowpack, and some truly age-old technologies—the snowshoe, the cross-country ski, the dogsled—remain both efficient and beloved.

No question about it: An afternoon spent quietly skiing the birch woods or weaving through the spruces with a Husky team invigorates the spirit. Sometimes, though, you want real speed—and the electrifying thrill of a revved-up engine. That’s where the snowmobile—also called the snowmachine and, especially in Canada, the skidoo—comes into play. If you’ve never climbed aboard one of these rigs, which power across the snow via steering skis and a continuous track, you’re missing out on some serious snowtime fun. If you remember how enjoyable sledding was as a kid, think of that times ten. And now you can ride down AND up all the hills. Wooooo

People in the (mighty snowy) American Upper Midwest and Northeast were fiddling with motorized snow-travel vehicles, including specially modified cars and trucks, throughout the early 1900s. One of the best-known of the early inventors was Carl J. Eliason, a Wisconsin native who obtained a patent in 1927 for his “snow machine”: a jury-rigged contraption cobbled from a Model-T and cross-country skis. By the mid-1900s, commercial models by Polaris, Bombardier, and other American and Canadian companies were establishing the form and function of the modern snowmobile.

Snowmobiles have always partly been about having a blast in the frigid, frozen days of winter, but they also revolutionized life in remote northern communities. They’re workhorses, for example, in the far flung bush of Alaska and northern Canada, essential for hunting, running traplines, and delivering supplies.

Organized tours, which can be found across northern Eurasia and North America, provide an excellent opportunity to try your hand at snowmobiling while also taking in epic scenery. From the Rocky Mountain backcountry to the boreal forests of Quebec, there are fast-paced thrills and some stunning snowbound vistas to be had.

And to truly get inside the Northwoods culture of the snowmobile’s true homeland—northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula—why hop a snowmachine (or join a guided outing) for a little ice-fishing? Rentals can be found the world over, anywhere winter sports are enjoyed, and almost always come with a guide and beginner instruction.