Head for the Hills!

Free Sledding Borne Out of New Technology

by Mimi Wacholder

Bird and Head live for winter. They are some of the most dedicated peak-baggers around, having conquered 115 of the East Coast summits together. Heading up a High Peak made for a long, cold Adirondack day, trudging up and down one step at a time in snowshoes — until it dawned on them — sled down! Yes, I did say sled, they don’t ski or snowboard anymore describing it as “too dangerous.” A shattered elbow sidelined Bird several years back, so instead they strap themselves into sleds and navigate their way down both packed trails and trailless peaks.

Their current conquest is to sled the 46 High Peaks. After nearly ten summits and bobsled like descents, they are off to a roaring start. “We got the idea to sled down from seeing some other guys out on sleds in the backcountry, we didn’t invent it, but now we see more and more people doing it,” described Bird (Mike Mamrosh), 34. He and best friend Head (Mike Kelly), 34, nicknamed each other back in the high school days in Boonville. Now, the duo piques the curiosity of people they see on the trails in Adirondacks. In snowshoes, with black sleds strapped to their backs, they set out looking more like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles than backcountry adventurers. “People always used to ask us what we were going to do with the sleds, but now, I think you're starting to see it more and more, it just makes sense — you know, gravity,” explained Head. “You can’t really fall sledding,” added Bird, “you’re already on the ground.” They envision that this adventure sport will take off in a few years, much the way snowboarding slid into the spotlight in the last decade.

This new phenomenon has been termed free (or performance) sledding. Free sledding can loosely be defined as downhill sledding with a bit of steering, technique and finesse — making the activity just a notch above recreation and certainly not just for kids anymore. Although Head and Bird’s sledding adventures started out on a “Torpedo” — a red, plastic, hardware-store sled made for sitting in — they later upgraded to a Mad River Rocket.

The Mad River Rocket is a performance-oriented, molded plastic sled conceptualized by David Sellers, an architect from Warren, Vt. Working with whitewater canoe and kayak athletes, he came up with a design that would allow sledders to be high enough to see the oncoming terrain. This would also free the upper body and arms to lean and brace for balance and steering. The solution was a kneeling stance on foam pads supported by a nylon webbing lap belt. The base of the sled is not flat, but has what the manufacturers describe as a “negative keel.” This hollow shaft packs a rail of snow under the moving sled. This snow rail has enough strength to allow turns to be carved, but is easily broken by the weight shift of the sledder in order to change direction.

Additionally, adult models of the six-pound sled have drilled out holes for attaching ropes or a stiff-hitch pulling system accessory. This adaptation converts the sled to tow cargo for uphill hiking, climbing expeditions and more. As a result of this innovative design, the Mad River Rocket has been part of a new movement in sledding. With the advent of this sled design, what was once a game of human pinball now allows one to literally weave around trees in the backcountry. “I can free sled in terrain that I wouldn’t feel comfortable skiing or snowboarding,” described Whitney Phillips, president of Mad River Rocket.

The Mad River Rocket Killer B Sled retails for $89 and their slightly smaller Stinger Sled for children is $57. They are available at High Peaks Cyclery, Eastern Mountain Sports, Dick’s Sporting Goods and other local shops. The sleds surf through backcountry powder on wooded hill descents, enabling elegant leaning carves — or for those who want to take it to the next level, X Games style backflips, 720s and railslides. Bottom line: If you can think of it, this sled is game: hard-pack, powder, trees, jumps, ramps and rails. However, if you’re a parent who would simply like to take the kids to your local sledding hill, this sled will exceed expectations — and might even turn some heads with its flair for carving and jumps.

Another head-turning sled, conceptualized as a new technology answer to last century’s classic Flexible Flyer, is the Hammerhead put out by CherryMax sleds. CherryMax, also a Vermont-based company, has the long-range plan to bring sledding to the forefront of everyone’s thinking — not just the avid winter sports aficionados but families and young people. “When the choice on Sunday afternoon is a video game or an easy way to get fresh air and exercise, we want you to jump on the Hammerhead for a carve. So this is about more than selling a sled, it is about bringing back a winter activity in a big way,” described Steve Luhr, president of CherryMax sleds.

The Hammerhead has been hailed as a “Ferrari on skis.” With its ergonomic, luge-like design, this aluminum-framed, mesh suspended ski based vehicle is all 21st century. Although it can be used seated and supine (on your back), it is typically navigated in the prone position (face down) and can be steered manually. Because it requires the user to grasp the concept of a steering technique, this sled is not recommended for children under ten years of age.

Holly Creeks, CEO of CherryMax explained, “When we first started marketing the Hammerhead we were trying to identify what our target audience would be, but we have found it is appealing to a wide variety of age groups.” Holly corresponds with a New Hampshire group of 15 to 20 “thirtysomethings” who take sledding very seriously and groom their own mile-long run and clock their finish times. She also received a letter from a grandmother who uses the sled to tow her grandchildren. This sled will perform well on packed or groomed surfaces and there are snap-on powder ski accessories available for snow deeper than a few inches.

Some ideal settings for use are your local sledding hill, rural roads closed to traffic in the winter months, or any one of the 337 hills listed in the “Find a Hill” database on the www.hammerheadsled.com Web site. And, since Hammerhead sells attachable headlights, taillights and blinking reflectors for the after school/work crowd, you’re not just limited to the sunlight hours. Other available accessories include a rearview mirror, safety leash and of course, the recommended helmet and goggles. The nine-pound Hammerhead retails for $289 and is available at Eastern Mountain Sports, Discovery Store and other local shops.

Another location just beginning to emerge for free sledding is dedicated alternative snow sport areas at local ski resorts. Those already on board with these snow parks include Sugarbush, Vail and Mammoth to name a few. They provide lift or rope tow service areas where sledding enthusiasts can enjoy all of the new technology available for fun seekers of any age.

And the list of sledding inventions just keeps growing. The Airboard Freeride for $298 is an inflatable sled with runners for steering that the company describes as “a boogey board on a monster wave.” The Wham-O Snow Hog Deluxe Ride On for $59 with a Harley inspired design includes a low-ride seat, steerable hog-style handlebars and a foot brake.

Mimi Wacholder resides in Lake Placid where she is a freelance writer, marketing consultant, yoga instructor and figure skating choreographer. She enjoys hiking, climbing, skiing, snowboarding, triathlon and everything about the Adirondacks.

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