September 15, 2005 - St. Paul, MN - Together with the Minnesota Historical Society Press, authors Kathryn Strand Koutsky and Linda Koutsky release Minnesota Vacation Days: An Illustrated History. This lavishly illustrated hardback volume features Trail-A-Sled, Inc. and Scorpion snowmobiles on page 105.
Bull Whip - Snow Goer Canada - Sep 2005
September, 2005 - Barrie, ON - Snow Goer Canada contributor Hal Armstrong penned an exhaustive technical review of Scorpion's innovative Bull Whip (circa 1977). Featuring several photos and extensive behind-the-scenes insights, this month's Snow Goer Canada magazine's Time Machines segment is a must-have for any Scorpion collector.
Outlaw Grass Drags - 2005
August 27-28, 2005 - Princeton, MN - Scorpion Trails attended the Outlaw Grass Drags this year. This rapidly growing and professionally conducted event drew nearly 18,000 persons for a beautiful, late-summer weekend in central Minnesota. Dick Harrison and family were also present.
July 4th Parade - 2005
July 4, 2005 - Crosby-Ironton, MN - For the second year in a row, a large showing of Scorpion Snowmobiles graced Crosby-Ironton's long-standing July 4th parade. Eleven units presented a full history of the Cuyuna Range's snowmobile heritage, from the 1960 all-fiberglass air-sled to the TK and Sidewinder. Former Scorpion dealer and racer Les Pinz, along with Nunny Vukelich (long-time plant manager) awed the crowd with repeated (and extremely noisy) on-road demonstrations of Les' actual racing machines - circa 1970 [see related photograph]. Several former employees of the firm were also featured.
Minnesota Bound - March, 2005
March 13, 2005 - Twin Cities, MN - Scorpion snowmobiles and Crosby-Ironton's recent Scorpion Homecoming were the subject of a fascinating television feature from the famed outdoor production studios of Minnesota Bound. The story, which featured both Scorpion and Cuyuna Range history, was first broadcast on Sunday evening, March 13th (KARE 11). Additional showings in Fargo, North Dakota (KVLY) and Duluth, Minnesota (KBJR) quickly followed. Minnesota Bound described the story as follows, "Our Man About the Woods, Bill Related streaming videoSherck, profiles one of the early brands of snowmobiles, the Scorpion. Bill goes for a snowy ride down memory lane with fans of this classic snow machine." Video clips are available on the Media page.
MnUSA - Mar 10, 2005
March 10, 2005 - Brooklyn Park, MN - Titled "Scorpion Homecoming Draws over 250 Sleds," the March issue of Minnesota Snowmobiling (official publication of Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association – MnUSA) included an excellent first-hand account of the recent Scorpion-only event. Featuring several color photographs, the breadth and sheer number of attendees was enthusiastically praised. The author also noted that "unless you were there, you can't imagine the diversity of sleds produced by this proud brand during a 20+ years span." The article further entrenched Scorpion enthusiasts as one of the most active groups among any now-defunct snowmobile brand. Extensive coverage of MnUSA's recent Rendezvous was also provided, including a color photograph of Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty aboard a 1966 Trail-A-Sled model.
Homecoming 2005
February 5-6, 2005 - Crosby- Ironton, MN - The Cuyuna Range Chamber of Commerce expanded their long-standing Annual Ice Fishing Contest to also include a very special snowmobile event ... Scorpion Homecoming - Exhibition & Trail Ride. Commemorating the Cuyuna Range's central role in the development of the snowmobile, this first-ever gathering brought together collectors, racers and former Scorpion employees for a weekend of memories among a wonderful display of these marvelous homegrown machines. Ranging from the early air-sleds of 1960 to the firm's final production run in 1981, a wide variety of locally-built snowmobiles was presented adjacent to the ice fishing contest on picturesque Serpent Lake. Click here for a media recap of this exciting event. External sites which covered this event include: Big Johnson Jeeps; Solberg's Vintage Snowmobiles; MnUSA, ASCOA.
KKIN - 2005
January 31, 2005 - Aitkin, MN - The Scorpion Homecoming and related topics were discussed live on KKIN Radio's The Morning Show (94.3 FM) from 8:30 - 9:00 AM. Covering both Trail-A-Sled and Scorpion history, host Dallas Kurt Smith conducted a detailed and lively interview with Randy Harrison, son and grandson of Trail-A-Sled, Inc. co-founders Dick and Stub Harrison. The upcoming Homecoming was also reviewed. The early air-sled creations of Trail-A-Sled, Inc. president Glen Gutzman were also discussed in some detail.
TK - The shape of things ...
November 2, 2004 - Waukesha, WI - In it's Back Tracks section, the December issue of American Snowmobiler includes an excellent article featuring the merits of the 1979 Scorpion TK/TKX. The article was penned by the magazine's legendary founding editor, Jerry Bassett. Titled Scorpion TK - The shape of things that didn't get very far (a lighthearted play on the firm's marketing slogan), Jerry's article extols the virtues of what would become one of Scorpion's final home-grown designs (subsequent models generally incorporated Arctic Cat features). Jerry also choose to highlight the TK's Para-Rail suspension as "one of the most innovative rear suspensions ever seen." Pick-up a copy at your local newsstand or visit the American Snowmobiler site today!
Cuyuna Country - A People's History
October 22, 2004 - Crosby, MN - Featured fascinating recaps of area history, the Cuyuna Country Historical Preservation Society has just released it's third and final installment of Cuyuna Country - A People's History. A must-have for serious collectors, this third volume also contains an original and extensive history of Trail-A-Sled, Inc. and Scorpion, Inc. along with several rare images.