March, 2005

SCORPION HOMECOMING DRAWS OVER 250 SLEDS

Story from Minnesota Snowmobiling Volume 25 - Number 7

C.J. Ramstad ~ Crosby, Minnesota was the place to be on February 5-6, 2005 if you ever wanted to see the history of the Scorpion brand all gathered in one place. The Dick Harrison family arranged an exhibition of Scorpion Snowmobiles in conjunction with the annual Cuyuna Range Chamber of Commerce ice fishing contest on Serpent Lake as a first-ever gathering of collectors, racers, and former Scorpion employees.

The sleds on display ranged from the early Trail-A-Sled air sleds of the 1950's right down to the very last Sidewinders produced in Thief River Falls in 1981. Onlookers estimated the gathering at about 150 sleds in two long lines and there were many more moving about the site making the total count 200 vintage scorpions or more.

A beautiful day marred only by near-50 degree temperatures didn't stop about 100 old Scorpions from making a lap around Serpent Lake in the afternoon.

Unless you were there, you can't image the diversity of sleds produced by this proud brand during a 20+ years span. Everyone hopes something like this will happen again someday. See more at www.trailasled.com.

Everyone remembers the black "bubblenose" but it was a surprise to see so many vintage Scorpions done up in red.
Yes Virginia Trail-A-Sled built a "Moosejaw."

The years had dimmed the memory of the vitality of this brand, but this show brought it all back. Remember the Sidewinder?     

Scorpion owners have kept their sleds in running condition, judging by the 100+ old sleds that managed the 10-mile run around Serpent Lake in the afternoon.

Editor's note:

A primary benefit of membership in the Minnesota United Snowmobile Association, Minnesota Snowmobiling magazine provides a wealth of snowmobile information and regularly provides excellent coverage of vintage events. The largest regional association of it's kind, MnUSA membership is a must for any Midwestern snowmobile enthusiast.