Greg Sorenson
My love of snowmobiles and snowmobiling started in 1966 when my dad brought home a slightly used 1966
10 horse Fox Trac. After my first ride, this 10-year-old was instantly hooked. I have had many different machines over the years and figure I have ridden somewhere north of 100,000 miles, including one, 500-mile day.
In the early eighty’s I joined the Hermantown Night Riders Snowmobile Club, I soon became very involved in building a trail around Duluth. We desperately needed a connection between the Munger State Trail and the North Shore State Trail. It took us a few years but we found success. Some of the people I met during that yearslong project asked me to get involved in the Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association (Mn USA). In 1988 I became a director for Region 7, (Arrowhead Region) This was the beginning of a long career in organized snowmobiling, including:
• President and Trail Coordinator of the Hermantown Club, 12 years
• Duluth Area Association of Snowmobile Clubs Director, 10 years
• MN USA Safety Committee Chair, 20 years
• Mn USA Director, 30 plus years
• Mn USA Vice President, 1996, 1997, 2018, 2019
• Mn USA President, 1998, 1999, 2020, 2021
• American Council of Snowmobile Associations board, 10 years
• International Snowmobile Council board, 10 Years
• 2000 ACSA Midwest Snowmobiler of The Year
• 2017 Inducted into the Iron Dogs (a group of distinguished snowmobilers that have donated more than 30 years to organized snowmobiling).
In 2017 came my proudest moment in snowmobiling, I was inducted into the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame. A great reward for all of my hard work and dedication to a sport that I continue to be passionate about.
My love of long distance, multiple day riding (I call it saddle baggin) led to our first trip around Lake Superior.
In 1999, that trip around Lake Superior included four riders; Larry Bannor, Dennis Nelson, Randy Bannor, and myself. The “Original Four” had completed several saddle baggin long distance rides before we decided to take on the challenge of going around the “big lake”. On a warm June evening, Randy and I were sitting in his garage sipping an ice-cold Windsor and discussing our trip. We thought maybe this would also be a good opportunity to try and raise some money for a charity. Randy had a friend with ALS, so we felt that would be a great cause. I soon learned more about ALS and that it was a disease people did not recover from. Five days before we were to leave on the Circle Tour my dad stopped for a visit, as he often did. This time he came with devastating news; he had been diagnosed with ALS. I was very close to my dad, I was crushed! The ride took on a whole new urgency!
We were proud that we were able to raise $15,000 for ALS. Many people were interested in getting involved, so it was decided to start a shorter ride. With the help of some great sponsors the Black Woods Blizzard Tour was born. We never imagined our ride in 1999 would turn into the “World’s Largest Snowmobile Fundraising Ride for ALS”, bringing in millions of dollars to support ALS patients and support ALS research. Twenty-Five years later here we are again, this time six riders are planning an anniversary ride around Lake Superior.
My goal on this tour is to raise money for those suffering with ALS, and to have a safe and fun ride. At my age I probably don’t have a lot of long distant rides left in me, however, I hear Hudson Bay calling.