My snow machine finally died on the Denali Highway after 14 winters

That old 2009 Skandic carried me through countless trips between Cantwell and Paxson, and when the drive belt snapped last March about 40 miles from the truck I figured it was just another repair. Turns out the whole clutch was shot too, and the shop in Fairbanks quoted me $1,800 to bring it back. I ended up buying a used 2016 model instead, but honestly I miss how that thing would just chug through any overflow without complaining. Has anyone else had a hard time letting go of an old machine that kept going way past its prime?

1 comments

1 Comment

smith.jordan15d ago

That old Skandic sound like it earned its keep for sure. Fourteen winters on the Denali is no joke, that's a lot of frozen mornings and deep snow. I had a 2004 Tundra that finally gave out two years ago, and even though the new one starts easier and rides smoother, I still catch myself missing that dumb, reliable grumble of the old motor. Machines get a personality after that many miles, hard to just swap that out.