Meet the OPP’s first-ever ‘Snow Crusher’: A 1960s sled built for winter patrols

Two provincial police officers are pictured taking a ride on the 'Snow Crusher' in the Minden and Bracebridge areas in 1969. (OPP)

Before high-powered sleds became the norm, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers in cottage country relied on a winter beast nicknamed the “Snow Crusher” to patrol terrain.

Captured in January 1969 in the Minden and Bracebridge areas, police say the OPP’s first official snowmobiles were mid-1960s models built by Outboard Marine Corporation in Peterborough, Ont.

These machines marked a turning point in how officers covered remote communities and responded to calls during the tense winter months.

Police say the “Snow Crusher” was considered a beast for its time and notably the first snowmobile equipped with reverse gear.

But, its size and weight came at a cost.

“Heavy-duty? Absolutely. If you got one stuck, you didn’t just need muscle; you needed a team,” shared OPP over social media.

In a throwback photo posted by police, two officers are shown taking a stroll through the deep snow up north.