Round Plastic Butt Sled (Google Image Search Results Link) - The yellow sleds seen on the link are called Airhead Plastic Spoon Sleds. Pretty much round plastic butt-sleds. These are the type with the loop as a handle, with only enough plastic for just your butt cheeks. However, as you can see from the search result, there are tons of varieties to choose from in the "round plastic butt sled category", and you can find many of these at a wide range of stores (discount stores, pharmacies, hardware stores, and up to big name stores).
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| Wham-O Snow Boogie GT42 and Mt. Piece Summit |
Wham-O Snow Boogie GT42 - You can buy these online at Dick's Sporting Goods, Walmart, and Kittery Trading Post. I bought mine from EMS, but have seem them less often than when I bought this one. It's 42" long, with small grooves that allow you to grip the side, by your hips. I've had a lot of fun on this as you'll see in my videos. As of this post, this sled has been retired, and I have picked up a similar one, but with handles.
Mad River Rocket - (Picture / Video) I came across this sled while searching. It's like a water-sport knee-board but for sledding. WOW! This looks fun on the open terrain they show it used on (In VT I think), but I would never use this in the White Mountains or on trails. Although going on the knees can be good for steering purposes, but in my opinion, I'd rather have my legs available.
Merikan Missile - (Product Link) Sold by eurosled.com for $40, but made in the USA, the missile sled is like a chair with handles that acts similar to the round plastic butt-sleds. These seem like they would work well on the trails, but I have not tried one. My other concern that it is more of a hard object, that could hit someone if you need to bail, whereas a Styrofoam sled like my Wham-O Snow Boogie won't potentially hurt someone unless it crashes into a person's face or something, which wouldn't happen.
Now lets get into some other nitty gritty tips about sledding on the 4000 footers. People have done a heck of a lot more sledding, butt-sliding, butt-sledding than I have in my 3 years of hiking, I'm sure. My list of sled descents from 4000-footers include Tecumseh (3x), Pierce, Field, and Waumbek (Starr King). I've also sledded the John Shurburne Ski Trail (AKA The Sherbie) on Mt. Washington. Not every 4000 footer is made for sledding, and even on the peaks I've sledded, the trails are not sled-able 100% of the way, although Tecumseh and Field are pretty darn close! On the 4000 footers, there are two options for descent on sled...1) the trails or 2) back country or off-piste where possible. So unless you're heading off to Tuckerman Ravine, Gulf of Slides, or some other wide open area (such as shown in the MadRiverRocket video), the rest of this post pertains to sledding on the hiking trails of the 4000 footers.
As they say, its all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Sledding, butt-sliding, glissading, or even walking down a snowy icy trail with trees off to the side can get you seriously hurt. So just as much as any other hiker using the trail is doing, you need to look out for yourself and other fellow hikers using the trail at all times. Some may say that sledding ruins the trails for whatever reason. At least it doesn't cause post-holes, and microspikes should be carried almost always in winter. Everyone has the same right to enjoy the trail in whatever way they please, including me and me sled. Like me, if you choose to descend on sled, then it should only be done in a way that does not adversely affect anyone else's right to enjoy the trail.
This means that if I'm heading down the trail, the immediate moment I see another person in front of me, I'll hop off the sled, say hi, and make sure I pass them on my feet, just like I would at any other time. If I should be raging down a steep slope with limited control, just know that I am going to dive off and do everything in my power, risking myself, to make sure that no one else's enjoyment is affected or that in the worst case scenario of no control, I've aborted, and my Styrofoam sled bounces off a shin or something. In the last couple of years, most hikers I've passed whilst my sled strapped to my back have embraced the fact that I appear to be having fun. It was either that, or I got a strange silent look as if I was some type of mountain maniac.
Here are a few other points that I consider when I bring my sled to a 4000-footer:
Helmet - while its not always easy to carry a helmet, I would certainly recommend it on Tecumseh and Field as these trails are fast and pretty dangerous. If you're bringing your round plastic butt-sled to use on short sections, you probably don't need one, but why wouldn't you at least consider it?
Traction - If there is ice on the trail, or the trail is packed hard, it should be OK to wear micro spikes on the descent, as they are useful to help slow you down on hard surfaces. On softer snow pack, it not really necessary. Just know that if you choose to leave your traction on, you need to consider the safety of others and be more ready to abort.
Time of Day - The time of day and the frequency of use on the trail which you are sledding must be considered before you plan to set out for a raging sled ride down the trails. The were two times I've sledded Tecumseh, where I was up and down by the time the first lift opened. A third time, most recently, I descended after sunrise, in the dark. On Crawford Path from Pierce, I came down in the late afternoon, after doing a hike of Jackson separately a few hours earlier. Waumbek, this winter, was also done at night. The only sled descent I did during a high-use time was Field several weeks ago. I passed about five groups on the way down, all on my feet, and I seemingly had no adverse affect on anyone, in fact I conversed with each group. Everyone seemed to be having a great day, and was probably jealous, as I hopped on and took off in front! If at all possible though, a sled descent should be done when you think there is the least activity on the trail. Yes, this means the early morning, late afternoon, or evening is the best time to sled, but still thinking safety, you should put your headlamp at twilight, and before darkness approaches if you want to sled at night.
Merikan Missile - (Product Link) Sold by eurosled.com for $40, but made in the USA, the missile sled is like a chair with handles that acts similar to the round plastic butt-sleds. These seem like they would work well on the trails, but I have not tried one. My other concern that it is more of a hard object, that could hit someone if you need to bail, whereas a Styrofoam sled like my Wham-O Snow Boogie won't potentially hurt someone unless it crashes into a person's face or something, which wouldn't happen.
Now lets get into some other nitty gritty tips about sledding on the 4000 footers. People have done a heck of a lot more sledding, butt-sliding, butt-sledding than I have in my 3 years of hiking, I'm sure. My list of sled descents from 4000-footers include Tecumseh (3x), Pierce, Field, and Waumbek (Starr King). I've also sledded the John Shurburne Ski Trail (AKA The Sherbie) on Mt. Washington. Not every 4000 footer is made for sledding, and even on the peaks I've sledded, the trails are not sled-able 100% of the way, although Tecumseh and Field are pretty darn close! On the 4000 footers, there are two options for descent on sled...1) the trails or 2) back country or off-piste where possible. So unless you're heading off to Tuckerman Ravine, Gulf of Slides, or some other wide open area (such as shown in the MadRiverRocket video), the rest of this post pertains to sledding on the hiking trails of the 4000 footers.
As they say, its all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Sledding, butt-sliding, glissading, or even walking down a snowy icy trail with trees off to the side can get you seriously hurt. So just as much as any other hiker using the trail is doing, you need to look out for yourself and other fellow hikers using the trail at all times. Some may say that sledding ruins the trails for whatever reason. At least it doesn't cause post-holes, and microspikes should be carried almost always in winter. Everyone has the same right to enjoy the trail in whatever way they please, including me and me sled. Like me, if you choose to descend on sled, then it should only be done in a way that does not adversely affect anyone else's right to enjoy the trail.
This means that if I'm heading down the trail, the immediate moment I see another person in front of me, I'll hop off the sled, say hi, and make sure I pass them on my feet, just like I would at any other time. If I should be raging down a steep slope with limited control, just know that I am going to dive off and do everything in my power, risking myself, to make sure that no one else's enjoyment is affected or that in the worst case scenario of no control, I've aborted, and my Styrofoam sled bounces off a shin or something. In the last couple of years, most hikers I've passed whilst my sled strapped to my back have embraced the fact that I appear to be having fun. It was either that, or I got a strange silent look as if I was some type of mountain maniac.
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| Mt. Tecumseh summit, my first time sledding down from the summit |
Helmet - while its not always easy to carry a helmet, I would certainly recommend it on Tecumseh and Field as these trails are fast and pretty dangerous. If you're bringing your round plastic butt-sled to use on short sections, you probably don't need one, but why wouldn't you at least consider it?
Traction - If there is ice on the trail, or the trail is packed hard, it should be OK to wear micro spikes on the descent, as they are useful to help slow you down on hard surfaces. On softer snow pack, it not really necessary. Just know that if you choose to leave your traction on, you need to consider the safety of others and be more ready to abort.
Time of Day - The time of day and the frequency of use on the trail which you are sledding must be considered before you plan to set out for a raging sled ride down the trails. The were two times I've sledded Tecumseh, where I was up and down by the time the first lift opened. A third time, most recently, I descended after sunrise, in the dark. On Crawford Path from Pierce, I came down in the late afternoon, after doing a hike of Jackson separately a few hours earlier. Waumbek, this winter, was also done at night. The only sled descent I did during a high-use time was Field several weeks ago. I passed about five groups on the way down, all on my feet, and I seemingly had no adverse affect on anyone, in fact I conversed with each group. Everyone seemed to be having a great day, and was probably jealous, as I hopped on and took off in front! If at all possible though, a sled descent should be done when you think there is the least activity on the trail. Yes, this means the early morning, late afternoon, or evening is the best time to sled, but still thinking safety, you should put your headlamp at twilight, and before darkness approaches if you want to sled at night.
So just remember, safety first, and safety of the others on the trail and most importantly live it up and have fun whenever you can. Sledding is also a great way to help make it possible to do more than one winter hike in a day =)
Except for Waumbek, for which I have no video, here are all of my sledding videos 2012-2014!
And....don't forget to read my many other Inside the Moment's Episodes HERE.
Disclaimer: Anyone choosing to partake in the activities shown and described in this post should understand that any mountain activity, including sledding, can result in significant personal injury or death, and you are always on the mountain at your own risk. Happy Sledding!
