The ski club has purchased two slightly used snow machines to augment our aging Alpine snowmobiles, and they have kind of a neat story.

The D900. (Photo courtesy DEW Engineering)

The DEW D900 snowmobile was custom designed for the military as part of an experimental program to develop a heavy pulling vehicle for Arctic operations. Weighing in at just under 1,000 pounds with fuel, these new machines can pull 2,000 pounds and are powered by a three-cylinder turbo-charged diesel engine.

Although not great for military purposes (they sank in softer snow and were hard to start at -40), it turns out they’re great for pulling grooming equipment and love life in a heated garage.

The ski club picked these babies up for $6,000 a piece, in pretty great condition. One started at -20 after having sat for two years on a surplus lot, and the two machines had been used for only 50 and 70 hours, respectively, both on an operation in Resolute Bay, Nunavut, with the Canadian Rangers. 

So far, the machines have been tested on all of the grooming equipment but the largest grader and have functioned perfectly. If you happen to see one of these beasts on the trail, please know your tax dollars are hard at work, right here at the club. 

Thanks to trails director Chris Hotson for spotting this deal and making it happen!