Slip Sliding Winter Fun

By Miss Birdie on February 23, 2012 in Family Friendly, Outdoor Activities, Things to Do with Kids, Uncategorized, Winter Fun

Leland High Sierra Snowplay is just a short drive from the Central Valley, with an expansive and well-groomed snow area for sledding. The park opens as soon as snow hits the foothills (the park is at an elevation of 6,300 feet) and typically remains open until April. It was with great anticipation that we woke on a February Saturday morning, packed up our vehicle and headed 85 miles east of Modesto to Leland High Sierra Snowplay.

After pulling off of Highway 108, we easily found the park and a large dirt parking lot. Inside the lodge — where tickets, food, and snacks are sold — we received our lift tickets, attached them to our snow pants, and went out to play as quickly as we could.

Kiddie hill at Leland High Sierra Snowplay

Sledding and tubing equipment is provided by the park, but we had brought up a few sleds of our own to try, too. My California-native kids haven’t had very much snow-play experience, so we went first to the kiddie hills. The area was slightly groomed, easy to walk up, and very casual when it came to how and where to slide back down. Children and adults of many ages were on the kiddie hills; everyone was polite and considerate, watching out for the youngest visitors. After several runs down, our oldest child began to pressure us to move onto the larger hills.

Hoofing it up the hill can be tiring!

One run is set aside for groups of people to slide down together. Only the appropriate tube is allowed on this hill, and the only way up is to hoof it. Any which way you and your cohorts want to go down is allowed: lying on your stomach, in a head-to-toe fashion; sitting in your tube, interlocking hands or feet and sliding down in a star-like configuration; a combination of the two methods. The slope is significant — one of our children began to get very apprehensive at the top — but very fun once en route.

The Conga Line of tubing. Multiple riders allowed only on this run.

The joy of the tow-up pass!

After the long and slick hike up the tubing hill, we were all very glad for the tow-up pass for the remainder of the runs. With four tubing routes to choose from, there are slightly varying degrees of thrill, but what made this ride unforgettable was the condition of the snow: because it had not recently snowed, the runs were hard-packed and slick. At one point on a large hill, I hit a bump, went airborne, and came back down hard. I’m sure that fresh powder would have made this ride much more enjoyable.

Not open at our visit was the oval course on-site, specifically for mini-snowmobile rides. Children ages five to 12, weighing under 110 pounds (and for an additional fee) can jump on a mini-snowmobile and zip around the track. This attraction operates only on weekends and holidays under particular weather conditions.

The Sundeck — located at the rear of the lodge — is where those without passes can sit and enjoy the view.

Things to know before you go:

PRO: The snow park had a special offer on this particular weekend: visitors could purchase an all-day play pass (usually $30/person) for the 2-hour play pass price ($22). Our family of five, all over the height of 44″ — at which the adult price kicks in — checked in at just over $100. CON: While for an all-day pass this seems reasonable, the idea that it would cost us $100 for just two hours of play on any other weekend day seemed a bit steep. Click here to see the currents rates.

PRO: I had asked the manager if this particular day was busy or not… the parking area wasn’t completely full, there wasn’t a long wait for anything at all. He informed me that, no, this particular day was actually quite slow. CON: As a result, I would think that on weekends after which snow had just fallen would be quite a different experience. Parking may be a challenge. Finding a seat in the lodge or on the sundeck may be near-impossible. The wait at the top of the large hills may be up to 10 minutes.

For more information and season hours, visit the Leland High Sierra Snowplay site.

Until next time!

About Miss Birdie

Miss Birdie is comprised of two moms, who have five kids between them, ranging in age from 7 to 13; who endeavor to track down the best and most fun things to do with their families; and have a serious caffeine dependency.

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