Extreme Sledding in Minnesota

Most of us also love the traditional snow sledding
found in Minnesota.

Attention, thrill seekers: if you think sledding downhill on a flying saucer is a thrill, there are sleds that add a whole new experience to winter sports. Maneuverable adventure sleds help you feel like you've become Superman (or Superwoman). Flipping, dipping and darting between trees, up embankments and down snow covered sliding hills, has turned the thrill of childhood sledding into a sport that can send an adults hearts' racing.

Adventure sledding is one of the latest trends in Minnesota outdoor winter activities. The sport started with a few dare devils who took sledding to a new level with tricks, flips, and long treks up steep and long hills just for the thrill of a crazy ride down. The carving and tight turns required to do this are more than you would achieve on a snowboard. As you can imagine, a regular sled doesn’t cut it when hitting the hills.

Here's a video to show just what extreme sledders can do:

ABC News ran an article on extreme sledding a few years ago. Here is a quote: "On mountains across the country, thrill seekers are flying off cliffs, traversing through trees and doing flips in the air. All with a piece of plastic strapped to their legs. It's not your father's snow sled. It's called the Mad River Rocket and some users are taking this sled to the extremes. "What they do is totally amazing. It might be the most proud I am of inventing this," said Dave Sellers, who has never done a flip on his Rocket. Twenty-five years ago Sellers and some of his architect buddies wanted to have some control as they slid down the snowy hills of Northern Vermont. They also didn't like the idea of sledding face first, downhill, toward trees. Years of prototypes followed."

You can read the entire article here: How Sledding Became an Extreme Sport

Though the Mad River Rocket Sled mentioned in the article seems to no longer be available, there are many other "slick and fast" sleds on the market that will serve the same purpose including the Kwik Tek Airhead Plastic Rocket Sled.

More Winter Sports Links:

Minnesota Cross-Country Skiing

Cross-Country Skiing Basics

Minnesota Ski Resorts

How to Ice Skate

More About Learning to Ice Skate

Ice Fishing in Minnesota

Snowmobiling in Minnesota

Skijoring in Minnesota

Dogsledding Tours in Minnesota

Snow Sledding

Minnesota Winter Activities

List of Winter Sports

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