The day I parked a snowmobile in a tree
Early Days in Kontiovaara
Back when Veronika and I were just getting started with the kennel in Kontiovaara, Lieksa, we had about 250 km of trails to keep in shape. Money was tight, so when it came to equipment, we had to make do with what we could find.
My machine at the time was a used Lynx 5900 – a real workhorse. It had already served the Finnish Border Guard, hauled tourists up a fjell to see the northern lights, and finally, landed in my hands. I was the third owner, and let’s just say the first two weren’t exactly gentle with it.
Still, the Lynx was built like a tank. Sturdy, simple, and just about within the reach of my limited mechanical skills.
Trouble on Mäntyjärvi
One day after a fresh snowfall, I headed out for a reconnaissance run across Mäntyjärvi lake. The weather had been doing its usual Finnish dance – freezing, then thawing, then freezing again. Perfect conditions for something to go wrong.
And it did. The snowmobile began sputtering, losing revs, and finally coughed its last breath right there in the middle of the lake.
With no other options, I phoned my friend Jarkko. A local legend and mechanical wizard. He diagnosed it straight away: condensation in the carburettor. The warm weather had left moisture inside, which then froze into ice crystals once the temperature dropped.
Confidence, Mistakes, and One Missing Step
The moment he explained it, I remembered. “Ah, yes, I know what to do!” I said, and hung up before he could finish.
I got to work, opened the carburettor, cleaned it out, blew out the ice, and reassembled everything. Feeling proud, I yanked the starter cord and the Lynx roared back to life.
Except … I hadn’t clipped on the dead man’s switch. And worse, I’d reinstalled the carburettor backwards. Which meant the default setting was now: full throttle.
A Perfect Flight Path
The snowmobile launched forward like it had been waiting all winter for its moment. I just stood there on the lake, watching it accelerate in a perfect straight line toward the far shoreline.
It hit the bank at full speed, flew into the air, and disappeared into the trees. A few trunks shook. Snow drifted down. Then silence.
I was in shock. I called Veronika: “I need help.”
Then I called Jarkko: “You’re not going to believe this.”
He sighed. “I was just about to tell you… if you put the carburettor in the wrong way, the default is full gas.”
Lesson learned.
Trading Up
Eventually, I found the Lynx. It had smashed into a tree at least 1.5 meters off the ground – and I’m 1.8 meters tall. The front end was completely destroyed.
While I waited for help, I rang a snowmobile dealer in Joensuu. “I parked my machine in a tree. Want to trade?” I asked. To my surprise, they said yes.
And that’s how I swapped my old Lynx 5900 for a brand-new Yamaha Viking. A machine that served me faithfully for years.
The Moral of the Story
Don’t hang up the phone on your mechanically inclined friends too soon. And never, ever forget to clip on the dead man’s switch.
— Valentijn Beets
Bearhill Husky
