January 16, 2005
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McKenzie Van Ess, 4, and her brother, Drew, 8, of Grants Pass, slide down a hill just off the Mount Ashland
access road, although Drew had a bit more success.
Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell
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The best sledding spots: It’s all downhill from here ... and there
By BUFFY POLLOCK
for the Mail Tribune
Having had plenty of moisture in recent weeks — and with more on the way — sledding sites around the Rogue Valley
are well-covered with a layer of fluffy snow, ready to offer a fun-packed afternoon of freezing, screaming and speeding.
What better time to head out in the great outdoors for an afternoon of play?
A selection of sledding sites around the valley include a number of short runs close to home and bigger hills with facilities
nearby to help sledding enthusiasts survive an entire afternoon outdoors.
Eagle Point residents Brent and Denise Goddard packed up their two daughters, ages 4 and 6, for an afternoon at
Prospect’s Farewell Bend on Saturday.
Near Beckie’s Café tucked inside the Rogue River National Forest, Farewell Bend offers a trio of sledding hills ranging
from small to gigantic. Restroom facilities are nearby and warming fires are permitted (bring your own wood).
The site, at around 3,200 feet altitude, is along Highway 62, just seconds past Beckie’s on the right.
"We like this spot because it has a big hill if you’re brave, but a smaller one for families with small
children," said the mother. "We stay until we’re all frozen, then we grab some coffee and hot chocolate and
make the drive back home. The kids sure sleep when we spend a few hours here."
With only a few hours to kill, or an entire afternoon, load up the sledding gear and set out to find your favorite spot. In
addition to Farewell Bend, a local favorite, the following all have their own unique appeal:
Diamond Lake
Just up the road from Farewell Bend, forest roads surrounding Diamond Lake resort offer space to play and, for a little
something different, a designated tubing hill with tube rentals and a tow rope for rides downhill minus the exhaustion.
Diamond Lake is 90 miles from Medford near the north entrance to Crater Lake National Park and about a half-hour past Farewell
Bend. An $8 entry fee includes an inner tube, use of tow rope and cable clip. For more information call 1-800-733-7593.
Mount Ashland
Two snow play areas along the Mt. Ashland main access road, halfway up the mountain, offer plenty of places to plunge
downhill. The sites are marked by snow play area signs and are without restroom or other facilities. Sledders are urged to
watch for private property signs as not all open space along the access road is public right of way.
Hyatt Lake
The Table Mountain sledding area, managed by the Bureau of Land Management near Hyatt Lake, offers a hill for snow tubing and
sleds without metal runners. Restrooms are located nearby in addition to an area designated for building a warming fire
(again, bring your own wood).
A sign pointing to the site, at around 6100 feet altitude is located six miles past the Green Springs Inn along Hyatt Lake
Road.
For more information, log on www.or.blm.gov/medford and click on winter recreation or contact BLM, 618-2200.
If You Go — Pay to Park
While sledding is virtually free — or at least low-cost — state-managed Sno-Park areas require vehicle parking permits to pay for access maintenance, as well as other facilities
such as restrooms.
Areas posted by the state as "Winter Recreation Area" are maintained by the Oregon Department of Transportation and, between Nov. 15 and April 30, require all vehicles to
display a valid permit in their windshield.
Failure to display a permit can result in a $30 fine, twice the cost of an annual permit, available for $15. Daily permits cost $3 or three-day permits can be obtained for
$7.
Parking permits are available at any Department of Motor Vehicles location or through permit agents at area resorts, sporting goods stores and other retail outlets. For more information,
call 888-ASK-ODOT (275-6368) or visit tripcheck.com on the Web.
Buffy Pollock is a free-lance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at buffypollock@juno.com
