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KRISTI Challenge!

Lyndon

Lyndon

Bronze Member
Kristi's are unique being perhaps the only Snow Cat to have leveling tracks, and one of only a couple makes to be VW powered. They may be as rare as 1909 VDB pennies, though perhaps not as valuable(most valuable 'Collector Coin'). Among our ranks their member are certainly the most avid defenders of there machines. Having been a Kristi owner myself I have a special place in my hart for them. >
There are only a handfull of operational Kristi's and with this in mind I will donate the following prizes : 2 'Mint' editions of the 1959 National Geographic magazine with the "Ends of the Earth" Antarctic Expedition, A set of 1966 Commerative Alaska License plates, still new in package, A set of used Yukon territory plates, (they look GOOD on any make of machine!), and a Cast Tucker Snow Cat Belt Buckel.
The Prizes will go for the Best Kristi Picture, of a Kristi operating in the snow.
The competition ends at the end of this snow cat season, probably somewhere around June, 2009. Members will vote on 1st thru 5th place, unless I can dig up some more prizes.( I might have an extra Tucker Key chain or ST4 Matchbox around) Feel free put in your story or pictures or "2 Cents" I have to leave right now, but I'll start out with a longer version of the Kristi Rescue at Hogback Mountain as soon as I get back.
 
hogback1.jpg
This is where I encountered the first Kristi I ever saw around 1965. Hogback has ceased operting as a Ski Area. Somewhere someone probably has a picture of a Kristi operating at this ski area.
 
I accept the challenge! :slap: Pictures and videos of my latest excursion in my new KT-2 will be posted in about a week. This was already in the works, but now there's more incentive. :thumb: However, after Lyndons comment of 'go read the article' in another thread, I already have 2 copies of the Jan '59 NatGeo on the way to me from eBay. :rolf2:



Hey, Bulldog...pull my finger.
 
Hey Lyndon, I will throw in a "6th Place" prize of 2 insulated Snowcat Forums mugs (If I can find the box that has my extras). These are the same thermal coffee mugs we sold here at the Forums last season. They have a snowflake design and list the makes of several snowcat brands, including Kristi, around the logo.
 
Hogback had a phone line that ran off the ski area that was only 8 feet wide, with phone poles at 250 ft intervals that really wasn't a part of the ski area intended for skiers.
hogback2.jpg
 
It was difficult skiing at best and had a streem crossing it. I once broke a ski trying to get across the streem. Didn't get hurt, but I had to rent skiis to use for the rest of the day.
hogback3.jpg
 
They had a series of accidents and eventually roped it off. One day some other skiiers intentionally knocked down the rope and imediately a stream of skiiers, including myself and my buddies took advantage of the "Open" trail status. This was back before they pulled your ski ticket for skiing out of bounds.
history1.jpg
 
We made it thru without a scratch, rode back up the lift, and were heading down a second time. When we got to the ditch/stream where I had broken a ski the year before, the ski patrol was there rescuing a guy that had injured his back, a fairly serious injury.
alpenglow.jpg
 
The Ski patrol were on their radios giving instructions to:"Get that Rope Back up closing off the trail" but paid little attention to us skiiers that were already there. We were glad just to get away with out being repremanded.
hogback40s.jpg
 
The trail wasn't really a trail as previously mentioned, being 8' wide with phone poles right in the middle. This meant that no wide track groomer was going in there. Usually in places like this they take you out in the bobsled with hopefully experienced ski patrols manning the rescue toboggen.
hogback398a.jpg
 
There is a special significance to the Garage in the picture above. This used to be the home of both an ST4 and a Kristi!
hogbackdec98a.jpg
What Hogback looks like today.
 
"And now for the rest of the story": 2 of the ski patrols were discussing how to get the injured skiier out. One says: "We can't get the Snow Cat in here". which was true, what with the phone poles blocking the access. This was the kind of gulley that might be tough on a snowmobile. I distinctly remember hearing the other Ski Patrol saying:"The Kristi could get in here". And that was my first introduction to Kristi's.
hogbackdec98b.jpg
Back of the Lodge Today.
 
You would be surprised where the best picture of a Kristi in the Snow I've ever seen was. In Grey Maine Kossborher of North America has their headquarters. Every Piston Buly coming into North America goes thru this facility. I made arraingements with the president, from my home in Washington State to meet with and tour their facility when I started collecting snow cats in 93. It was a neat facility! My buddy and I drove there in his pristene 1966 912 Porsche. And they gave us quite the tour. The facility looked more like an aircraft plant, had that "Neat German Machineshop" look about the buildings and perhaps 45 New Groomers including a dozen Winch Cats. the machines were sent over from Germany only partially assembled, and the final assembly was done there, as well as adding grooming attachments and custom features. In the office halls on the second floor of the office building across from a big conference room is a beautiful picture of a brand new Kristi in light new fluffy powder.
 
The story doesn't end here: I had just flow from Prudhoe Bay Alaska to Anchorage, 700 Miles, flown from there(Anchorage) to Seattle, another 1500 miles, Flow from Seattle to Boston another 2800 miles then driven from Mass to Vermont to New Hampshire to Maine in Neils Porsche to meet these guys at Piston Bully. I told them that I collected older, all mechanical, non hydrolic, small snow cats. They informed me that Kossborher only made groomers, no access machines, and only started producing in 1967. So it looked like it was going to be a "BUST". After our meeting and tour of the facilities we asked if we could wander around the 'Yard' and take some photos, which they didn't have a problem with. Behind one of the shops sat a really trashed bombardiere J5. So I went back in located the president, who said;"I forgot we even had that, you can have it for 500$" I was so excited, I always wanted a J5! I didn't even haggel with him. I pulled out my checkbook and was shaking while I wrote the check! Then as I was handing him the check it occured to me; How Was I going to get it home to Washington from Maine? As if he read my mind he volunteers: Don't worry about shipping we have a 370,000 $ winch-cat going to Alaska Via Seattle, we'll ship it to you when we ship the new winch cat. Couldn't beat that!>
A couple of weeks later I was back up at work in Alaska and I get this call from Kossborher of North America. They forgot to put it on the truck would I mind waiting until they ship this other New Groomer to Stevens Pass Washington? Sure, No Problem, I'll be happy to get it when ever it comes! When I got home on my next R & R there it sat in my yard under a big oak tree. Free Shipping Coast to Coast? Not Bad! This is what it looks like today sitting down in Idaho at Bill and Mary's place.
Bombardier_J5_2.jpg
 
That's not just what it looks like, That IS the actual machine! So now back to the Kristi Challenge, not to be confused with the "Stop-Light-Challenge" on CASH CAB!(Do you suppose Muggers or IRS guys in disguise follow around the CASH CAB waiting to pounce on unsuspecting New Yorkers?) How Many Operational Kristi's do we have in the Forum? Let's see those postings! Where's Big Al?
 
I have a running KT-3 and a running KT-2. Another KT-2 is... shall we say... indisposed?

Three more on the way, but no pictures yet and not sure of condition.
 
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Bobcat said:
I have a running KT-3 and a KT-2. Another KT-2 is... shall we say... indisposed?

Three more on the way, but no pictures yet and not sure of condition.
Click to expand...

Shhhhh! Just humor him and try not to make eye contact..

He really believes his own stories. Don't say anything about the tinfoil hat..He's very sensitive....:whistling:
 
Looks like I'm a little 'Behind the times', I see we had a previous Thread, KRISTI KARMA, that had a similar challenge and some good U-TUBE Video of Kristi's in action!
 
Yup, but the Kristi Karmas were just a fun way to pique interest in Kristis from the general populace. Your contest might get some Kristi owners into the snow. :thumb:
 
Lyndon said:
Kristi's are unique being perhaps the only Snow Cat to have leveling tracks, and one of only a couple makes to be VW powered. They may be as rare as 1909 VDB pennies, though perhaps not as valuable(most valuable 'Collector Coin'). Among our ranks their member are certainly the most avid defenders of there machines. Having been a Kristi owner myself I have a special place in my hart for them. >
There are only a handfull of operational Kristi's and with this in mind I will donate the following prizes : 2 'Mint' editions of the 1959 National Geographic magazine with the "Ends of the Earth" Antarctic Expedition, A set of 1966 Commerative Alaska License plates, still new in package, A set of used Yukon territory plates, (they look GOOD on any make of machine!), and a Cast Tucker Snow Cat Belt Buckel.
The Prizes will go for the Best Kristi Picture, of a Kristi operating in the snow.
The competition ends at the end of this snow cat season, probably somewhere around June, 2009. Members will vote on 1st thru 5th place, unless I can dig up some more prizes.( I might have an extra Tucker Key chain or ST4 Matchbox around) Feel free put in your story or pictures or "2 Cents" I have to leave right now, but I'll start out with a longer version of the Kristi Rescue at Hogback Mountain as soon as I get back.
Click to expand...

........couldn't resist :yum:
 

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I have spent weeks looking thru "Lost Ski Area" Websites over the last 4 years and have not been able to find a picture of either a Kristi or an ST4 operating at a Ski Area. For whatever reason people just didn't take pictures of them. They WERE there, I saw them, but No Pictures?
 
Wolf Creek should have a picture or two. The owner of the ski area still owns one or two KT-3s.
 
I could steal a bunch of kristi pictures off of a web site I found and maybe someone else has already posted it- As a snowtrac owner I am not proud of the fact I am suggesting to others to look at this site but here it is

www. kristi snow cat .com
I am not sure why but when type kristi snow cat as together without spaces it turns it to all asterisks
so I could put it in as a link I guess you'll have to type it in as all one word between www. and .com

This is where I found the kristi with the groomer I posted on the other thread
 
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Tsk, tsk. Bad blood between that site and this. That's why you can't post the unaltered domain name. Also, any pictures you post here will that you got from there will be deleted at the insistence of the owner of the other site. Welcome to the wonderful world of Kristi Snowcats!!! :thumb:
 
Per previously mentioned suggestion I reviewed the Kristi Site: It has some good stuff, of course Tucker is Still "KING"! If the owner of that site is so touchy, he may well go the way of the DO-DO, and the Inca's and numerous other 'civilizations' that became extinct. :whistling: Grow up! Tucker doesn't get all 'Bent' if you post copies off their Website!, and their still in business too!O.K reality check time here: A snow cat manufacturer that didn't make it, with really limited production, with even fewer surviving examples, that practally none of them run, that it's difficult to even find a picture of one? Sounds like someone hanging on to a sinking ship to me!
 
Well tin foil hat or not he really does have three Kristis! Two are currently at my house (yes Im a really really good friend). Bob has even scored the absolute oldest Kristi snowcat ever! EVER! It even looks like a plane without wings! Its even OLDER than the current oldest Kristi known (until now that is). Not sure what the other two are though.
 
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