Icy Conditions Create Dangerous Sledding In The Twin Ports

Beware when taking out the sleds, toboggans, and saucers. The recent warm weather combined with cold bitter weather is creating some challenging hills.

Duluth City Officials are telling WDIO that there is a sudden spike in sledding accidents, with one recently in Lester. Last month there were some reports but with the weather getting chilly, there is some ice hidden beneath the light snow we have been getting. With the weather constantly getting warm and cold it will create hard ice under the snow.

What it is doing is creating really slippery conditions that make it hard to stop when approaching trees, structures, decks, or streets. Some children and adults are sledding and hitting hard ice patches and injuring themselves because they could not' steer clear of the area.

Perfect Duluth Day had an article a few years ago mentioning some of the "off the beaten path" places to go sledding that are now very dangerous, like a UMD hill by St. Marie St, Chester Bowl, Lincoln Park, Hartley, Bagley, Northland Golf Course, and Central up on the hill.

These may be great hills, but all of them get more dangerous because of the conditions. Capt. Brian Black, of the Duluth City Fire Department, told WDIO that going sledding requires more responsibility. He says you can't just pick a hill anymore you have to exercise caution. Look over the hill, be aware of the places that are ice, or hidden rocks underneath. Check for hidden dips that create jumps and make it hard to avoid hitting anything like fences or trees.

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