As the snow begins to pile up, adventure seekers head outdoors for bone-chilling fun. A variety of hills around campus offer the perfect place to sled and snowboard. If you’re seeking winter thrills from locations other than the classic Crouse College hill, these slopes will fulfill all of your adventure needs.

Water tower near Thornden Park

Some users on Thornden Park’s blog think the hill near the water tower should be named “Suicide Hill,” and for good reason. Sledders start their ride near the water tower and end at the bottom of the steep hill near the pool. The bottom of the hill seems to have no end, so don’t grease your sled. It doesn’t hurt to wear a couple extra layers as well, considering the elevation makes for a windy environment. If you keep walking left of the water tower, you’ll reach another hill that leads into the trees. You might have to be even more careful, but at least you’ll get a pretty nice view.
How to get there: Make your way down University Place toward the entrance of Thornden Park. Walk past Ostrom Avenue until you reach the fork in the road, and choose the right path that winds around the E.M. Mills Memorial Rose Garden. Walk the uphill road to where the water tower is located, and when the tower is in sight, make a left and the different slopes will be right in front of you.

South Campus Farm Acre Road

For those living on South Campus, this may be one of the most easily accessible hills since it is located on Farm Acre Road, the geographical center of South Campus living. Across the road from Skybarn is a hill that connects Chinook Drive and Farm Acre Road. It’s not the biggest of hills, but it’s good enough to relieve stress or just get you out of your apartment without taking the bus to main campus. Just be careful and make sure to create a sledding path that ends before the road to avoid cars.
How to get there: Walk along Farm Acre Road from when the busses first enter South Campus. After you pass two apartment buildings, you’ll see a hill with apartment buildings at the top. Because the hill connects Chinook Drive and Farm Acre Road, you can walk either up the hill from Farm Acre, or if you’re coming from Goldstein Student Center, behind the 400 buildings on Chinook.

South Campus Winding Ridge South

For those who live on the other side of Skytop Road or Winding Ridge, there’s another hill that can be used as a good sledding spot. Located just behind another set of apartments on Winding Ridge is a short but steep hill. Because of its secluded location in the back area of Winding Ridge, this location is more likely to contain fewer people and won’t be as crowded as a location like Crouse College or Thornden Park. But the end of the hill leads to more apartments, so be careful not to make a scene in people’s backyards.
How to get there: From the bus stop “Winding Ridge South,” walk up the hill toward the 300 apartments and make a right. Toward the end of the road, you’ll come across a parking lot on the right. The hill is located just on the other side of the parking lot’s guardrail.

Mount Olympus, Flint and Day Halls

Walking anywhere from the Mount can be exhausting, but residents of Flint and Day halls don’t need to venture far for their sledding needs. Located to the right of Day Hall, this steep hill is one of the more obscure slopes around campus. If you’re looking to add some fright into your experience, this spot is perfect for you, as the hill dips down into Oakwood Cemetery.
How to get there: When you reach the top of the Mount steps, make a right as if you’re walking toward Day Hall. Just around the corner from Flint and in between the trees is a small clearing just big enough to take a few friends and have some winter fun.

Makeshift sleds

If you don’t have a real sled on hand, try these substitutions:

Lunch trays
The lunch tray is a classic, and for most people, especially those living in dorms, it is one of the most accessible. But make sure not to lose it — its small nature makes it prone to being left behind in the snow as you make your way down.

Cardboard boxes
You’d be surprised how long it takes for the cardboard to become so wet that it becomes unusable as a sled. But wrapping it in a plastic bag will help it stay dry longer before it’s affected by the snow.

Plastic storage bins or their lids
Chances are many of you own plastic storage bins. If you’re not up for emptying out the entire bin, its lid works just as well. Just be careful to not break it.

Laundry basket
Similar to the large plastic storage bins, laundry baskets are perfect if you want a sled that feels more full and contained. Do your laundry and go have some fun.

Published on January 21, 2015 at 12:01 am