Attention all Sledheads, Beater Pilots, and Vintage Snowmobile enthusiasts. The 8th annual Vankleek Hill Vintage Snowmobile Ride takes place on Sunday, February 4 as part of the Champlain Winter Carnival. The morning kicks off at the Vankleek Hill Fairgrounds where the Agricultural Society will be hosting breakfast from 9 am till noon. Breakfast is open to the public and you do not need to be a snowmobiler to attend.
Once everyone has a full belly, the action turns to the snow where participants will attempt to start their vintage snowmobiles. There will be a wide range of snowmobiles on display. Everything from Skidoos, Arctic Cats and Yamaha’s to more obscure models such as Sno-Jets, Moto-Skis and the elusive Massey Ferguson Ski-Whiz. Arctic Cat owners are especially easy to spot. Their machines are usually stopped with their hoods flipped open.
The ride leaves the fairgrounds at 11:00 am and makes its way west past Duval Road before heading south to Kenny and Janet Unsworth’s farm on Greenlane Road where the participants will have a snack and marvel at the fact that they made it this far. Not everyone will be this fortunate. A good number of sleds will fall by the wayside and require a tow back to the nearest road, only to be loaded in the back of a pick-up truck for the dreaded ride of shame. The surviving sleds should return to the fairgrounds around 2:30 pm.
The cost to ride and for breakfast is $20. Breakfast only is $10. The money raised will be going towards upgrades at the Vankleek Hill Fair Grounds.
