Larry Jorgensen

LARRY JORGENSEN first became addicted to the sport and business of snowmobiling after buying his first sled, an Arctic Cat, in 1967. He purchased that Cat from the first Arctic Cat dealer in Green Bay, a local shoe repair shop which had a total available inventory of two machines. Jorgensen was fortunate to become a riding member of the pioneer cross-country snowmobile group, the Peninsula Pathfinders of Upper Michigan. He participated in the club's first three long-distance rides, including...See more

LARRY JORGENSEN first became addicted to the sport and business of snowmobiling after buying his first sled, an Arctic Cat, in 1967. He purchased that Cat from the first Arctic Cat dealer in Green Bay, a local shoe repair shop which had a total available inventory of two machines. Jorgensen was fortunate to become a riding member of the pioneer cross-country snowmobile group, the Peninsula Pathfinders of Upper Michigan. He participated in the club's first three long-distance rides, including the 1970 trip across the giant Mackinac Bridge which connects lower Michigan to the Upper Peninsula. Although he owned the Arctic Cat, he had been convinced to ride an Eskimo snowmobileand it may have been the only time an Eskimo sled crossed the Big Mac.He was a news reporter for a TV station in Green Bay, and in 1969 he and a fellow station employee named John Ireland produced the first consumer snowmobile exposition at the Brown County Arena. In the years which followed, the two snowmobilers produced additional expositions in Fargo, North Dakota; Duluth, Minnesota; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Chicago, Illinois; Des Moines, Iowa; and Lansing, Michigan.Jorgensen was one of three snowmobilers who participated in the 1970 Allsport Alaskan Expedition. It was an endurance test for the new Allsport Tracker snowmobile which went from Fairbanks to Seattle, Washington.The Pabst Brewing Company of Milwaukee contracted with Jorgensen to help introduce Pabst to the new world of snowmobiling. He worked with the brewer to create programs for recreational and snowmobile racing. He organized and participated on the original Pabst Racing Team, which raced Polaris and Ski-Doo sleds. The team also raced for three years on the Winnipeg to St. Paul cross-country event, and during one of those years Jorgensen drove a new John Deere LC.Jorgensen served on the board of directors for the United States Snowmobile Association Central Division, including one year as President. He also was President of his local snowmobile club in Green Bay. He published a monthly snowmobile magazine Midwest Sno-Trails for six years and also wrote a weekly snowmobile column for United Press International.In looking back at over a decade of snowmobiling, it might best be summarized by his oldest daughter...when as a first grade student she was asked what does your father do? The answer: "He snowmobiles." See less