Miserable traveling during last year's wild winter weather? A high-powered snowmobile would have melted your misery away. Be prepared for the next big storm — or a fun mountain trail getaway — with the best 2008 machines to blow through whatever weather mother nature brings.

Remember last year's blizzard when you sat hemmed up like a wayward stitch on a Christmas mitten wondering how you could get around in that soup? For those without Subarus or other aggressive all-wheel-drive vehicles the answer may be a snowmobile. While the farmer's Almanac and other relatively reliable weather wise men predict a mild winter, that doesn't mean you cannot head to the hills with one of this year's hot, new mountain sleds. We've got the lowdown on the 2008 models, but first a little history:

A patent for the first snowmobile as we recognize it today surfaced as early as 1916. Ford Model T's were modified by replacing the undercarriage with tracks and skis. These contraptions worked fine for the relatively dry snow conditions similar to those found in Colorado, But it didn't cut the mustard in more humid regions such as southern Quebec. It was there that Joseph-Armand Bombardier developed a more suitable track system for multiple snow conditions. Instead of a "metal" tracked vehicle, which he had already built, he developed a toothed wheel covered in rubber. Over the years this model would be used in many applications. Besides his seven-passenger, enclosed snowmobile, ambulances, Canadian postal vehicles and school buses utilized a version of his vision. Of course, with a name like Bombardier, he had to invent something cool.

The originators of Minnesota-based Polaris Industries made heavier versions of today's machines in the 1950s. Engines didn't become lighter and smaller until 1959 when Bombardier built the modern open cockpit and started selling it as the Ski-Doo.

Today there are four major players in the snowmobile arena: the Dragon MVRS 800 model from Polaris, the M-1000 from Arctic Cat, the Apex MTX SE from Yamaha and the Summit Everest from Ski-Doo. Ski-Doo's MX Z TNT became the first snowmobile to weigh less than 400 pounds. Even the Summit weighs in at a mere 439 pounds. With engines up to 150 horsepower, this translates to a power to weight ratio of 2.9 pounds per horsepower. Translation, this '08 model moves like a ferret on crack … in the snow at least. It should be noted some riders replace their runners with wheels and the cleated tracks with a flat ones to achieve dry-land acceleration superior to many cars and motorcycles.

Still adroit but slightly heavier is the Polaris Dragon RMK. This 154-horsepower bad boy has an extra long track for fjording the drifts, otherwise known as "sleitering."

The Arctic Cat M1000 will be your choice for mountain riding if this brand appeals to you. The power is on par with the Polaris but the weight of this sled is higher still. Of course, it's not as hefty as the Yamaha, which is the only four-stroke of the group. While this engine makes for a heavier sled, it has more torque and burns cleaner. In fact, Yellowstone only allows four-strokes in their park. While you will be let into the famous park, it will be with a relatively heavy sled. The Apex MTX SE tips the scales at 592 pounds.

"When you're in the snow, weight is important," says Mark Alan Ransom of Marks' Motorcycle Repair, a mechanic and long time snowmobiler. "Of course, the Ski-Doo compromises strength by being so light. Before you even hit the trail with one you have to buy tunnel braces. I guess we'll have to wait until spring to see if that's the case."

Of course, each company has close to 30 models in their repertoire. We've just shown you the models appropriate for Colorado's conditions. Others are built specifically for various conditions from utility, trail riding, all-terrain, deep snow to racing, the latter of which can reach 180 mph. Whether you choose to hit the trails on one of the mountain sleds shown here or to build a more radical supercharged sled on your own is up to you. Either way, the 120 mph top-end of many production bikes still should be enough to get you away from the cops during that next snowstorm.