Remember when tubing and sledding ruled as winter sports? Today they’re back and better than ever. And – thanks to gravity and inexpensive equipment – they provide easy access to winter fun.
In recent years ski areas have discovered what we all knew as kids – tubing is fun. The number of winter resorts that offer snowtubing, complete with tow ropes to get you up the hill, has increased at an explosive rate. Less than five percent of the country's 500 ski areas offered tubing parks five years ago. Today, that figure is 70 percent. By converting a hill adjacent to their ski slopes into exciting tubing lanes, resorts attract more visitors, especially families.
Rates typically run $10-$16 for two hours of riding, including a rental tube. Although some areas allow you to bring your own tube, most tubing centers require you to use their tubes, which have special straps that snap onto the lift.
Contact the ski area closest to you to inquire about tubing park hours of operation and fees.
Following are some of the best snowtubing operations in the Western U.S.:
Alaska
Alyeska has built Alaska’s first tubing center, featuring a new lift system and three lanes. Located by the day lodge, the facility is night-lit and has snowmaking capabilities.
California
The Tahoe basin features more than a dozen tubing areas including those at ski areas Sierra-at-Tahoe, Squaw Valley, Northstar, Boreal and Mount Rose.
Oregon
Mount Hood Skibowl will open eight steeper and longer runs this year. Users must use the ski area's specially-designed speed tubes.
Cooper Spur on Mount Hood has expanded its tubing center this season with a second run and another rope tow.
Hoodoo Ski Area’s Autobahn tubing area – one of the largest in the country – has 20 800-foot lanes. Another tubing/sledding hill for smaller children will also open this season.
Oregon’s Willamette Pass is expanding tubing operations at its Nordic and Tubing Center.
Utah
In Utah, Soldier Hollow in Wasatch Mountain State Park offers the state’s longest tubing lanes – a whopping 1,200 vertical feet. In addition to lift service for day and night tubing, a sound system blares out tunes.
Brian Head, to the south, invites visitors to burn rubber on six lanes at its premier Snow Tube Park.
Washington
The first tubing lift in the Northwest was installed at Totally Tubular Winter Park, located east of Snoqualmie Pass. Six earth-sculpted runs offer a variety of banked turns, steep drops and screaming run-outs that guarantee fun for everyone.
Summit at Snoqualmie ski area has a large tubing facility located below the base area at Summit Central. The Snowflake Tubing Center features multiple groomed lanes and special tubing lifts.
Loup Loup Ski Area near Twisp opened its tubing run last season and is looking to expand this winter.
Hurricane Ridge on the Olympic Peninsula has two tubing slopes at its Sunrise Park snow play area, although there are no rentals or facilities for inflating tubes.
Stevens Pass’ Tube City offers tubes, tows and groomed lanes. Because of popular demand, Stevens is looking for space to double its existing snowtubing terrain.
Western Canada
Western Canada's first snow tubing park, Mount Seymour near Vancouver, offers five lanes each with a whopping 165-foot vertical drop.
At Mount Washington on Vancouver Island, the Ozone Snow Tubing Park, in addition to being lift accessed and night lit, adds ambiance with bonfires every evening.
Big White Ski Resort near Kelowna claims Canada’s largest resort tubing park. Located in Happy Valley, the mega-snow coaster offers as much fun on the ride uphill as it does on its 10 acres of lanes downhill.
Wyoming
Located at the base of Snow King Mountain in the town of Jackson, King Tubes Snow Tubing Park has opened a longer and faster hill this season. There’s also a new Toddler Tube Hill and – for those who want big thrills – an Extreme Tube Hill.
Peter Schroeder of Seattle is the editor of the
“Western Snowsports Guide,” published by
Price Media. He has skied all over the world
and writes for various snowsports publications. |
