We’ve been dying to try some of the Winter Activities in the American Boy’s Handy Book, and three months of waiting is an eternity, but the left coast still hasn’t seen any snow. In fact, we never see snow. Every once in a while a passing storm will douse the redwoods on the Santa Cruz ridge with a two inch layer, but to really get down and play in the stuff you have to drive to the Sierras. We sledded there recently and released the ya yas on a couple of saucer sleds but we’re itching for more powder and exhilaration and a chance to get our snowball war on.
When you hit the hills, it’s all about the squeak of snow and sled, the swoosh of skis and toboggans and bubbles of laughter and snot. Everyone participates, spectator or sledder. Children drag their sleds uphill, and trains of teenagers slide down, flanked by small children going solo. Parents pour wine and coffee and take hundreds of snapshots. Dogs pull on leashes, anxious to chase the fun.
Like a pilot, Ford assesses the risks and controls his descent with careful planning and execution, a hard task on a saucer sled, the purpose of which is uncontrollably fun freeslide. Without a steering mechanism, he gets managerial with his balance and keeps his legs outstretched forward, using clodhopper snowboots like rudders and emergency brakes.
Chas tries to snowboard with the sled, not an easy feat either.
He spends an hour trying, though, and he will get there one day very soon.
Probably all of the other children are actually sailing down the hill, taking whatever comes. Planned carefully around traffic, it’s more fun going down this way.
Seti agrees!
We learned a few tips that you seasoned snowballs probably already know:
- return up the hill alongside the main sledding area. Seriously.
know how to bail out safely! One girl broadsided a minivan in her tube and broke an arm–NO FUN!
Always try to wait until people are out of the way when you start your descent. We watched a helicopter take another spectator off the slope when a train of sledding teenagers took her completely OUT and on her back.
FEET FORWARD is safer. Which would you rather absorb the impact of a tree?
Who wants to leave? Bring a picnic lunch in recyclable containers or bag your trash
–leave no trace 
Thermoses are your FRIEND! Coffee, tea, cocoa, cider, miso, whatever.
Sunscreen! Water!
Finally, a bag for wet outer layers and a blanket for the car ride home.
You cold-climate friends are probably rolling your eyes at this post, having spent hours on the sled this winter, already. We, for our part, are JEALOUS! Are we the only ones who have to take a trip to see snow? What does your winter look like this year, where you live?
UPDATE++
Have you checked out Green Hour’s latest post on sledding, as well? A few different tips, PLUS more fun activities to do with your kids that involve SNOW. Check it out!
and follow the adventure:
Fun! We have been wanting to do fun winter stuff too - but the cold has been dangerously freaky cold, and the snow stopped once the below zero’s hit. I can’t wait for some NICE winter weather with some fresh snow to get out and do some ice fishing, sledding, and go see the ice sailing in town. Until then, we are watching winter from in here!
oh! what awesome fun! the boys have been begging to go sledding this season, but as we have had no snow yet we’d have a take the shinkansen clear to nagano and that’s not really an option for us now:(
we’ve had loads of rain, a little sleet and the occassional snow flurry. weather like this is what brings on the BLAHS! you can’t do anything with cold and wet except watch form inside, but cold and white!! now that’s a different story.
happy sledding!
Here in Portland, we usually don’t get enough snow to mention, and we usually have to go somewhere else for that kind of “winter fun.”
This year has been different though, with a record amount of snowfall (technically mostly before the official start of winter) and many days of snow-induced cabin fever. You may not believe me, but we have had over twenty inches of snow!!!
By the time the snow melted my kids were actually wishing to go back to school!!! How crazy is that? I was just as ready to get them out of the house, with all of their complaining and arguing!
Truth be told, I am really glad that they got to experience a record-breaking snow storm. It may be the only time it happens…