by Greg Dunn

Created on: January 23, 2011   Last Updated: January 24, 2011

The appeal of snow tubing is its an activity for the whole family.  All ages, from the toddler to the grandparent, can jump on a tube and head on down the mountain, with very  little skill.  All you need is a snowy slope, relatively free from obstacles, and inner tube or a snow tube particularly made for tubing, and the guts to jump on the tube to ride it down the hill.  

Snow tubing is believed to have begun during the early 1800s.  It is easy to find where to go and inexpensive activity to do.  A large tube, that is easy to transport, along with warm clothing, is all the equipment that is needed.  The tubes are light and can be filled at home, tied to a roof of your car or filled with an electric air compressor at the site where you plan to tube at.  If you have snow, and live in an area that has hills, you can find a place to go tubing.   Anything with a decent slope which allows you to mount a tube and ride it down with the natural force of gravity pulling you will be suffice.  

It requires very little skill as steering and controlling the snow tube is very hard and difficult.  You may drag your feet to slow down the tube, or drag your arms to attempt to steer it one way or another, but you will find it is mostly futile to do. The snow tube's circular design will usually cause it to spin when a limb is being dragged.  Once the spinning begins the rider will become disoriented on where there are going, causing them to be at the mercy of the snow tube, the mountain and the speed they  heading down the slope.  This can be very dangerous if the environment is jutted with rocks, trees and jumps. However, it is also the appeal of snow tubing - just jumping on a tube and letting physics and some luck take its course.  

While snow tubing can be very dangerous, it is no fun to be hurt, especially to suffer a serious injury.  You need to  take the proper preparation in selecting a site to tube on.  Ski resorts will usually have an area designated for snow tubing. These are areas that offer a slope where the tube can pick up speed. and free of obstacles.  Some will even build courses for the tube to go down with banks and turns.  

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