Sledding may not be as glamorous as snowboarding or skiing. But if you want to go downhill fast in the winter, it’s a cheap and easy, close-by thrill. Sledding even has a tiny carbon footprint—in Boulder County you won’t have to drive far to find a slope. What’s not to like?
Sigh. Boulder being Boulder, there is an environmental consideration. It seems that on our wild lands, the traffic of trudging boots and sliding sleds damages vegetation and leads to erosion. When snow is really deep and the ground is solidly frozen, sledding can be an environmentally neutral sport. Alas, our snow is too spotty and our temperatures too erratic, so the stewards of our public lands say that sledders need to watch their step—and their tracks.
What’s best, in terms of sledding with a “leave-no-trace” ethic? Tough turf, such as Kentucky bluegrass. Groomed parks are perfect. Below are popular options from around the county.
For 40 years, the hill at Scott Carpenter Park (built over the city’s erstwhile landfill at 1505 30th St.) has been pleasing children and their tag-along parents; it’s on 30th Street south of Arapahoe Avenue. Another option: the steep hills at South Boulder’s Tantra Park (46th Street and Hanover Avenue), where the run is longer than a football field—huge by Front Range standards. Beware the obstacles at the bottom of the hill; helmets are recommended here and on all slopes. The still-underdeveloped Valmont City Park (Valmont and Airport roads) has a rather precipitous run.
This historic slope deserves an entry of its own. The land west of the Chautauqua Meadow Trail is open for sledding, by virtue of the Boulder Revised Code. (Yes, the BRC regulates “sledding and sliding,” prohibiting these activities except where expressly permitted.) The area had a ski jump and rope tow from 1949 to 1952, and again in 1962 and 1963. When the snow is good, Chautauqua is the place grown-ups go to slide.
Whitetail Park, at 2550 Autumn Ridge Blvd., has a man-made hill that drops off on at least three sides. Autumn Ash Park (401 Lucerne Drive) has a short but steep run. Some people slide on the dam at Waneka Lake.
A grassy slope right outside the city’s recreation center at 900 Via Appia is the hill to sled. It’s not too long, but it has a good grade—and it ends in a flat-bottomed bowl, so there will be no accidental landings in a street.
The premier hill is right out in front of Skyline High School. Make sure you aim for the cross street—Alpine—and not for the major thoroughfare, Mountain View Avenue.
Most people in Nederland, Ward and Allenspark know their own special spots. For the rest of us, it’s not so easy to find places where the trees are far enough apart and the rocks are sufficiently buried. What’s more, Boulder County Parks and Open Space does not encourage sledding, although it is permitted. One mountain option is a slope near the parking lot for Betasso Preserve, just off Sugarloaf Road.
Outside Boulder County, sledders use the slopes of the abandoned Hidden Valley Ski Area in Rocky Mountain National Park. If that’s not enough, then try the sled enthusiasts’ website: www.sledriding.com for more Colorado options, and information on sledding equipment, history, and “how to” tips. As if anyone needs a “how to” lesson in sledding.
