The Ski-Doo Alpine is a classic snowmobile model renowned for its utility and reliability. Few sleds ever built in the industry can claim to have bared witness to as much as the Ski-Doo Alpine model name has. This article explores the history of the Ski-Doo Alpine, its key features, and its impact on snowmobile enthusiasts and professionals alike.
Ski-Doo Alpine 640
The Origins of Ski-Doo
The first ever Ski-Doo was launched in 1959 as a new invention created by Joseph-Armand Bombardier. The first Ski-Doos found customers with missionaries, trappers, prospectors, land surveyors and others who need to travel in snowy, remote areas.
Ski Doo Alpine 2. BRP Canada 1989.
The Ski-Doo Alpine: A Workhorse on Snow
As we have written before, the single-ski, double-track Ski-Doo Alpine is somewhat of a classic among old sled enthusiasts. Purportedly the double-tracked Alpine was the “world’s slowest” moving snowmobile but extremely reliable and dependable, so it’s little wonder that backwoodsmen, hunters and workmen loved the machines. Ski-Doo Alpines were built to do just about any job on snow you can think of.
Its ability to haul heavy loads, sturdy steel-frame construction, and an abundance of towable accessories made Alpine snowmobiles the ideal workhorse sled. From linemen, to lumberjacks, to law enforcement, the Alpine met their needs to transport both man and equipment from A to B, and then some.
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“Alpine is no ordinary snowmobile. We designed it to do a job. Almost any job you can think of. And because it has to work for a living, we built it tough.”
Towable accessories included groomer drags, Nordic ski trail drags, and rescue sleighs.
Ski-Doo Alpine with grooming accessories
Key Features of the Alpine Model Line
Perhaps what made the Alpine the ultimate utility sled of its day was its versatility. With an optional wheel kit to replace the ski, you could turn your Alpine into a year-round workhorse. New for 1975, the wheel kit was the perfect way to build and maintain the emerging network of snowmobile trail systems.
Here are some noteworthy features on some Alpine models. Note that not all features appeared on every Alpine model:
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- 15-inch wide twin rubber tracks reinforced with fiberglass rods
- Bogie wheel rear suspension (4-in. travel)
- Cigarette lighter standard (1970)
- All-steel chassis construction
- 1564 cubic inches of under seat storage (1975 - battery moved from under seat to front)
- Torque-sensing variable speed transmission with forward and reverse
- Single ski with carbide runner
- Front double-action ski shock
- 23.5x31-inch heavy gauge steel cargo deck (250-Lb.)
Technical Specifications and Design
The Alpine’s utility use can be traced back to the 1964 Winter Olympic Games held in Innsbruck, Austria. That’s awfully fitting given the Austrian-based Rotax engines that powered the Alpine sleds.
One notable feature was the motor-driven ski-doo (skidoo) Bombardier Alpine sledge hauler on caterpillar tracks. It has a red-painted wooden front. Inscribed: 'Bombadier Rotax GMBH Gunskirchen Mot. Nr. 2905623 Bore 2 x 76 mm Stroke 70 mm Capac. 635cc Type 640 Made in Austria.', 'Model - Alpine. Engine type - 640 Gas - Regular. Carb. Initial adjust HRM 7A, High speed 1(+1/4/-0), Low speed 1(+ 1/4 -0) RPM, idle speed 1500/1800 Idle speed screw 1- 1 1/4 Ignition timing - Direct 146-166, Indirect 155-172, Point gap 014-018, Spark plug type - Bosche Spark plug gap-020, Severe use -M 225. Moderate use M175 Gas-oil ratio Ski-do oil 50/1 12 oz oil - 5 US Gal gas 16 oz oil - 5 Imp. Gal.
The design included tracks, and only one lightly-weighted ski up front. The Alpine’s design allowed it to groom cross-country ski trails without dragging around a heavy trailing implement, making it a vast improvement in difficult conditions.
Evolution and Modernization
In early 2016, Ski-Doo announced that they were releasing an all-new line of engine/chassis fusion snowmobiles, most of which would be sporting two-stroke engines with 800cc motors that were specifically designed for the newer snowmobiles. The company then announced that their new line of model year 2017 snowmobiles would feature an 850cc motor known as the Rotax 850 E-Tec. The motor was redesigned with a new chassis, making the snowmobile both more agile and more responsive.
Key Features of the Alpine Model Line
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| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Twin Tracks | 15-inch wide, reinforced with fiberglass rods |
| Rear Suspension | Bogie wheel with 4-inch travel |
| Chassis | All-steel construction |
| Cargo Deck | 23.5x31-inch, heavy gauge steel, 250-lb capacity |
| Engine | Rotax engines |