Officials warn of sledding dangers at unofficial sled hills at Lake Tahoe

Snow, a good slope and a sled in hand are the ingredients needed for a fun day around Lake Tahoe, but first responders are warning the public to only use official sledding locations or that fun can turn to a bad day very quickly.

Sledding is not as harmless as it looks, just ask the roughly 20,000 kids under age of 19 in the United States involved in sledding accidents annually.

The Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District (TDFPD) and USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) are urging locals to help warn our families, friends, and visitors that are choosing to sled on the the unofficial hill at Spooner Summit and other general forest locations. It is risky, and potentially dangerous, to choose an unofficial spot to sled, no matter how appealing it looks.

Sledding comes with high risks for personal injury because hills can become icy very quickly, creating fast movement along a steep and crowded. Sleds have no brakes, no steering wheel, and, most of the time, helmets are not worn.

The unofficial sledding hill on Spooner at the intersection of highways 28 and 50 is frequently over-crowded and never professionally supervised which can result in extremely hazardous conditions. Paramedics are routinely responding to this location for concussions and broken limbs. In 2019, a young adult suffered a serious sledding injury, resulting in permanent paralysis, said TDFPD.

"Your first responders hope you choose and promote safe and responsible winter play activities," said the TDFPD and LTBMU.

Safe, managed sledding opportunities are offered in several locations around the Tahoe Basin:

Tube Tahoe in Meyers
Adventure Mountain Lake Tahoe at Echo Summit
Tahoe Snowmobiles Tubing Hill next to MontBleu at Stateline
Hansen's Snow Tube and Saucer Hill on Ski Run Blvd.
Granlibakken Ski & Sled Hill on West Shore