Sledding is truly one of the winter’s most fun activities. It has been around for as long as anyone can remember and it never gets old, no matter how many times the sled crashes or a hill must be walked up. Sledding brings joy into everyone’s lives, no matter their age, background, or wealth. It is common knowledge that when there is a sled and snow, fun is right around the corner. But while this is true, the place where one decides to race down a hill is very important, because not all sledding hills were created equally. This article will go over the best areas in Highland territory to grab a sled and have a blast.

The first hill that makes it on our list is a classic. Sugarhouse Park has some of the best hills near Highland Highschool for multiple reasons. The first is that it is so close and easy to access, as it is right next to Highland. It also has a steep slant and has a possibility of high amounts of snow, especially if you go right after a large snowstorm. When there is enough snow, this hill is great for creating jumps to go off of. The best places to place the jump is at around halfway down the hill or lower, in order to build up enough speed  While it is a great hill, there are some poor qualities about it as well. This hill is very popular, so that means that many eager sledders will be there crowding up the slope. Also, one of the hills in the park has hay barrels at the bottom of the slope in order to protect sledders from sliding into the road. While this may seem like a good thing, it means that there may be too much speed gained on the downhill descent, and hitting the hay is not fun. Other than that, this is an obvious choice for someone looking for a great time, with a rating of 8 out of 10.

Junior Mark Whisenant, an avid sledder and skier, loves to hit up Sugarhouse Park on a snowy day. 

“ If Sugarhouse isn’t too packed, I’m definitely heading there,” Whisenant said. 

The next hill that made the list is Bonneville Golf Course. The rating for this hill 7 out of 10. This is a great area for a sledder looking for a hill that is not super crowded and can have space set apart for themselves. This is because there are so many hills in the Bonnyville area that are available. The hills are also pretty long, which means a longer sledding time each ride. While the large space is an advantage at times, it also can be a pain because it is tiring to walk between hills and up and down. Another disadvantage is that the snow can get icy and hard proving to make the sledding scary and painful. Especially when going off jumps to land on what feels like cement at times. But if you have a lot of time on your hands, and are ready for some exhausting fun, Bonneville is the place for you. 

Whisenant is also an expert at creating the perfect sledding jump to hit. He recommends for days when the snow is hard to get together in order to build a jump to go off of, bring a snow shovel to more efficiently collect snow to pack together. And make sure to place the jump in an area that “funnels” towards your launching zone, in order to more easily direct yourself off the jump.

Whisenant also loves to sled at Bonneville.

He said, “ If its a crowded day, I’m going to Bonneville because Sugarhouse can get really packed.”

Another hill on our list is Hillside Middle School. This has a rating of 5 out of 10. Hillside is a great option for people looking for a super steep slope to go down and a fast ride. This hill is one of the more dangerous on the list because of its extreme slant and obstacles in the area. This hill is a good option for getting big air on jumps because of the high speeds. Although the speed is fun, it causes a problem because of the cement at the bottom of the hill and the large metal backstop on the field under the hill.  This area is also not great because when so many people converge on one hill, the sledding becomes annoying and not as fun. But if the day is right and the number of people is low, this hill can be very adventurous. 

“Hillside’s hill is super steep, but it is just too short for massive sends,” Whisenant remarked on Hillside’s quality. 

For people all over the world, but especially in Utah, sledding is a way for people to connect and get away from their other problems. The calm scene of the snowy hill provides a place to relax while also enjoying the highly adrenaline-pumping activity. For those looking to just have fun and happy day to the extreme thrill-seekers, sledding is a sport that fits the requirements of everyone.