Vail Valley Sledding and Tubing

If you grew up in Vail, Minturn, Leadville or any other snowy Colorado town the chances are good that you have gone sledding on a least one occasion. You may have taken a trash can lid, a garbage bag, or you may have been lucky enough to own a store bought disk, tube, or toboggan. Chances are you and your friends had a designated hill that was yours for the exploring, and you spent days on end creating new routes to make you go faster, longer, and higher. This time honored tradition is as prevalent today among kids and adult everywhere as it has been for decades.

If you were not one of these kids of the snow hills, don't fret! It is never too late for you or your family to start enjoying the underestimated "sport" of sledding. Whether you live in the Vail Valley full time or are visiting for a weekend there is a cheap and exciting activity in the form of sledding waiting to put a smile on your face. Although the activity can be enjoyed in numerous ways and in various places there are three typical subdivisions of the sport practiced regularly: regulated-recreation, unregulated-recreation, and backcountry.

The first way to take pleasure in the sport is by far the safest and easiest way for a family or a first-timer to take part. There are two regulated sledding and tubing hills in the Vail Valley, each with its own lure and unique qualities. The first is at - Adventure Ridge on top of Vail Mountain. Almost everyday throughout the winter the multi- lane tubing hill with an easy access lift is open to the public at 2:30. This is a great place for a family outing because of all the other activities available to keep the children occupied.

The second regulated site is called the Meadow Mountain "Tubing Hill" and is located just north of Minturn off I-70. The Meadow Mountain site has been a popular "free" hill for sledding for generations, and only recently this legacy was interrupted. In 2005 the Forest Service closed the hill to sledding based on the scare of a liability suit due to the high number of sledding accidents. A local couple came to an agreement with the Forest Service that would allow sledding on the site once again, but in order to pay for liability insurance the couple would have to charge for the use of the hill. Despite the controversy among locals the hill is now open for public use once more. The cost to ride the historical Meadow Mountain hill is $16/hr and includes tube rental and lift use. They also offer hot dogs, cocoa, soup, and coffee to participants at a small shop at the top of the hill.

One of the most appealing characteristics of sledding which has laid the foundation for its popularity is the delight of playing in the snow for next to nothing. This brings us to the next and by far most popular subdivision of sledding, unregulated recreation. The mountainous nature of the Vail Valley landscape is a sanctuary for all winter activities including sledding. There are a handful of popular hills among locals and tourists, and hundreds of not so popular hills for the more adventurous. The cemetery, and a somewhat rocky hill behind Costco, and other more remote sites on Meadow Mountain. The recommended way to enjoy this type of sledding, however, is wherever and whenever you and your family or friends want and in whatever way you want!

It would be a rare day indeed when a snow sport was invented and not a single soul took it to the extreme. Snow and extreme seem to go hand in hand and sledding is no exception to the rule. The backcountry of the Rocky Mountains is famous for its steep powdery slopes, its cliff rich ridges, and expansive mountain bowls. Sledding is a cheap and accessible way for the thrill seeker to enjoy his extensive back yard. Custom sleds have been designed over the years that include bindings and pads for comfort and maneuverability when taking on untouched terrain. Extreme sledders can be seen breaking ground on mountain steeps, kickers and jumps, and even rails and other urban obstacles.

As you can see sledding is a sport that can be enjoyed by anyone no matter your age, skill, or ambition so this winter get out there and give it a try! The photos featured on our website are a collection from various people enjoying the many activities in the Vail Valley. If you would like to share photos of your fly fishing adventure, please email us. We are putting together an exciting gallery of photos for all to enjoy. Wouldn't you like to show off your photos to thousands of people?

Feel free to contact us with any questions. Have Fun!!