With the snow apparently here to stay, plenty of kids will be looking to pull their toboggans and crazy carpets out of storage and head to their favourite sledding destination this weekend.
From Nov. 9 to Nov. 14, Prince George Citizen readers voted in an online poll to identify residents’ favourite sledding hills in the city. A total of 294 readers cast their vote, and three local hills emerged as clear favourites.
From hidden gems to sledding hotspots, Prince George has something for everyone. The City of Prince George has a downloadable map showing some of the top sledding locations in the city.
So why not check out all five of the city’s top sledding hills this winter?
#5 HART HIGHLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Tucked in behind Hart Highlands Elementary School, the sledding hill on the school grounds is literal hidden gem. Hart Highlands only drew 13 votes (4.42 per cent), showing that this hill isn’t well known outside of the Hart.
But with a gentle slope, suitable for smaller kids, and all the amenities of a school playground to add to the winter fun, this hill deserves to better known.
#4 HARRY LODER PARK
Harry Loder Park, located on the south side of Rainbow Drive near Rainbow Park, is another sledding location great for younger kids.
The park has a smaller hill, which is less daunting for little ones and less tiring to climb. The park is also less popular, and thus less crowded, than nearby Rainbow Park. Drawing only 15 votes (5.1 per cent of the vote), the park is another hidden sledding gem in Prince George.
#3 COLLEGE HEIGHTS SECONDARY SCHOOL
College Heights Secondary School is the first of the “big three” sledding hills in Prince George.
The sledding hills are on the south side of the school grounds, near Gladstone Drive. The school’s athletic fields offer a wide, curved hill with lots of room for sledders and plenty of space for slowing down (or making snowmen and having snowball fights) at the bottom.
College Heights Secondary School picked up 60 votes (20.41 per cent), to rank as Prince George’s third-favourite sledding spot.
#2 RAINBOW PARK
In the number two spot came Rainbow Park, with 84 votes (28.57 per cent of the vote).
The south side of Rainbow Park, accessed by Rainbow Drive, offers some of the fastest sledding slopes in the city. The hill’s grade ranges from fast on the western side to white-knuckle rides on the east side of the hill.
With easy car access, plenty of nearby parking, benches and other amenities, it’s easy to see why this hill is a popular place for sledding.
#1 CARNEY HILL
Coming in at number one, by a single vote, was Carney Hill.
The sledding hill, located near the intersection of Carney Street and Massey Drive, picked up 85 votes earning 28.91 per cent of the vote.
The hill is long and straight, offering the most bang for each ride down the slope. A BC Hydro construction project across the street means road access is a little congested, but well worth it to ride the city’s most popular toboggan destination.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Moore's Meadow drew 11 votes, picking up 3.74 per cent of the vote. The popular off-leash dog park is one of the city’s most scenic parks in winter and summer, and has a number of sledding hills both in the upper part of the park near First Avenue and down in the main valley.
However, the potential for conflicts with off-leash dogs could have reduced this park’s popularity as a sledding locale.
If you don’t feel like sledding, bring the family dog and hike, snowshoe or cross-country ski the park instead. If you’re lucky, on a quiet day you might see foxes hunting for mice in the snow.
Twenty-six voters (8.84 per cent) said their favourite sledding spot was “someplace else” suggesting that there are more sledding destinations waiting to be discovered in Prince George.
