Temperatures have plummeted dramatically, snow has started to fall, the ground has started to harden and cafeteria trays have slowly started to go missing. It's winter and it's time to go sledding.
""There was a bunch of people one night, so of course we made a train,"" UW-Madison senior Kelly Knoepsel said, reflecting on the steep, icy treachery that is the hill near Elizabeth Waters Residence Hall. ""The train broke up and we lost control because it was so icy, but since I was at the end I kept going even after everyone else had stopped.
My friend was getting up and brushing snow off herself when I came barrelling toward her at full speed, completely unable to stop since I was on an ice chute. I ran right into her and she did this cartwheel thing right in the middle of the air, like in a cartoon or something. Best sledding story ever.""
UW students already know to bring their contraband cafeteria trays to the top of Observatory Hill when the weather gets snowy and icy—Bascom Hill's gradual incline does not provide enough momentum for movement—and the recent addition of a rope to aid weary students in getting back to the top is pure genius, but what is the sledder who wants something new to do? Close the books, forget about exams, grab a tray and hit the slopes, of course.
Close to campus:
Elver Park
1240 McKenna Blvd.
Madison, Wis.
Unofficially named the best sledding hill in Madison, Elver Park offers three main hills with varying degrees of difficulty. The first, the least steep, least tall and least crowded of the three. The second, a little steeper and a little higher, and the third is by far the biggest. Its width allows for many riders to fly down the hill at once, but be careful—the hill is extremely popular and therefore extremely crowded. So watch out for the snow-suited kiddies—makeshift saucers and cafeteria trays are rather hard to steer.
Just a little bit farther:
Whitnall Park
Hales Corners, Wis.
With speeds that top 40 mph, two quarter-mile iced runs and absolutely no form of protection, a ride down Whitnall Park's toboggan run is not for the faint of heart—or those who prefer the padded protection of an inflatable tube to the protection of something barely thicker than a sheet of plywood. The toboggan sits on wheels that follow two steel tracks, and in between snow is packed down, sprayed with water to form ice layers. The end result? A surface that is perfect for careening recklessly down a hill. Unlimited rides are $6 per hour. Call (414) 425-7303 for more information.
Worth the drive:
Badlands Sno-Park
Hudson, Wis.
The hills—and the snow—may be artificial, but the four tubing hills provide all-natural thrills. Each has a different skill level, there's one with moguls at the bottom and one sends sledders plummeting to the bottom. Chute and lane free, this park offers sledding the way it's supposed to be—uncontrolled. There's even a hill-top chalet with hot drinks to provide a little relief from the cold.
Visit www.badlands-snopark.com for more information.
