There's No Play Like Snowplay!

Skiing and snowboarding are but two of the many forms of winter fun across the vast American snowbelt. In addition to the familiar equipment needed for these high-profile sliding sports, an astonishing variety of new winter toys have been sneaking on to the slopes. Snowshoe sales and rentals are booming, and traditional ski resorts are now dotted with snowbike tracts, skating rinks and tubing hills for day and night thrills.

Other sliding methods are almost commonplace in the Sierra. Northstar-at-Tahoe offers snowbiking, as does Sierra-at-Tahoe. Snowbikes look much like bicycles. They have seats and handlebars, but runners instead of wheels - and no pedals. Snowbikers take a lift up the mountain and ride down, wearing mini-skis on their boots and big grins on their faces! Snowbiking is an alternative to the traditional learning curve of skiing or snowboarding. It's a chance to slide and have some fun.

Tubing is an old winter diversion that's new again. Riders sprawl on huge reinforced tubes and go for the gusto. Many areas are offering tubing as an evening activity, which is great for the nonstop energy of kids and teens. Check out Kidz n'Snow's Other Sliding for more information.