Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 6452 | Snowmobile VERMONT THE BEGINNING The news surfaced only a few miles from Lunenburg, Vermont. Just over the river in Lancaster, New Hampshire, Timberland Machines announced they received the delivery of a Bombardier snowmachine. It was welcome news for area trappers and loggers in 1959. Access to remote areas during the winter was very limited and the snowmachine could be the solution. Unfortunately the “Ski Dogs” were pricey and buyers were cautious. So a marketing change resulted in a design for both utility and recreation. Due to a brochure printing error, Ski-Dog was misspelled as Ski Doo… yet it worked. Its popularity quickly grew in the 1960s and spawned more manufacturers, racing events and snowmachine clubs like the Lancaster Sno-Drifters. Residents of nearby Lunenburg, Vermont were also excited about this snowmachine concept. The possibility of trail development seemed endless. They considered the new Portland to Montreal Pipeline, though rumors spread that a bulldozer was lost in the bog. Residents gathered at the Lunenburg Town Hall on Sunday, Oct. 16, 1966. Everyone agreed a club was needed and Scrub Benoit made a motion to call it the Lunenburg Polar Bears. Twenty members applauded, quickly followed by identifying a list of priorities. Bob Clark, Dick Jones and Tom Lewis were the first officers. Amos Colby went to work on the bylaws. A committee was busy planning refreshments for every meeting. As the popularity of this emerging sport grew, the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (VAST) was formed to coordinate efforts of local clubs and ensure statewide consistency. Polar Bear members paid $1 club dues, plus another $1 for VAST dues. Soon, newsletters were being delivered and patches were ordered. Attending the VAST Annual Meeting as a delegate was considered club royalty. As enthusiasm grew in the late 1960s, so did pockets of opposition. State representative and founding member of the Polar Bears, Amos Colby, recognized this and brought his campaign to the people. He successfully introduced legislation that allowed use of the snowmachine in Vermont, changing the course of snowmobiling history. During the 1970s, landowner permission in the area was obtained by members simply asking their neighbors and CLUB By Mike Mutascio FEATURED