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Jeff Haugen’s enthusiasm for snowmobiles started with a Polaris Mustang one lunger in the late 60's that his family purchased from the father of Jerry Bunke who was one of Polaris’s top factory team racers. The first snowmobile that Haugen bought on his own was a 1971 Sno Jet 292 one-cylinder. He started collecting and then decided to stay with one brand—Skidoo.

Haugen, who lives in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, later sold off his extensive collection of Ski-Doo Blizzards and just rode the newer snowmobiles of the time. Soon enough, he got the itch again and decided to get a vintage or antique snowmobile, something different from what he had previously owned.

He found a couple of Raider twin tracks and restored them, then started collecting Massey Ferguson Ski Whizes. Haugen’s collection quickly grew to include more unusual sleds such as Bolens Diablo Rouges and Sprints, Sno Blazers, Sears, OMC Evinrudes, Johnsons and Motrak Allied Farms Hustlers, to name a few.

Where does Haugen find so many unique snowmobiles?

“I find snowmobiles or hear about one that is sitting in a barn, garage, or pole shed and I go and check them out and usually buy any and every sled that I run across,” said Haugen.

According to Haugen, his goals were to own at least one snowmobile from every manufacturer and to one day open a museum. And so came Cannon Classic Sleds, a hobby that turned into a business.

Here are some of the finest vintage sleds in Jeff Haugen's collection:

"Here is a very rare sled. It is a 1969 Motrak Allied Farms Hustler. It is all original except for the windshield, which had to be re-fabricated—and what a windshield it is. I am still missing the roll bar for the windshield. This sled runs and drives great. It has a JLO 372cc with electric start. If anyone knows of another one of these that is for sale please contact me at jhaugen@frontiernet.net." —photo by Jeff Haugen

"Here is another rare sled. It is a 1969 Sears Hillary 399. It is in original unrestored condition and has a Kohler 399 motor with electric start. It runs and drives excellent. This is a wide track." —photo by Jeff Haugen

"This is very rare sled. It is a 1966 Trail-A-Sled Scorpion H300 Buckskin & Brown. It has the Hirth 300cc single cylinder. This snowmobile is in original unrestored condition. It has won many awards and trophies at vintage and antique snowmobile shows. It runs and drives great. This is one of my all-time favorites." —photo by Jeff Haugen

So what is at the heart of Haugen’s passion for vintage snowmobiles?

"I decided to collect snowmobiles, I guess, because it brought back childhood memories of good old-fashioned winters when we actually got snow. I think that is why people collect vintage and antique snowmobiles. It lets us relive the past a little bit, when times were simpler and life moved at a slower pace," said Haugen.