Snowshoeing Advice

“I'm going snowshoeing this weekend and I'm looking for some advice/opinions on using a sled.

I'm going to Glacier Point in Yosemite NP via Badger Pass. The trail is the road (closed) to Glacier Point from Badger Pass.

I'm debating towing my kid's plastic tobogan instead of carrying the backpack. Figured we could ride it back down to Badger Pass!

Has anybody done something like this before? If so any advice/comments/suggestions?

Thanks!”

“No time for a good reply, search for sled and you should find a lot of info.”

“Darn newbies! Guess I should have thought about that first!”

“AmyG and Adventurist both used sleds on our Adirondacks trip in January. There are some pictures at this link. You might want to contact them for details.”

“That sounds fun.

8)

I love to snowshoe but not that much snow this year.

8(”

“Backpacker magazine had plans for a sled about three or four years ago that was almost exactly how people made their own in Fairbanks.

Also did a quick search and found these plans

Sled Plans

A heavy duty kids sled works, the key is the harness. Fiberglass tent poles can work well, attach to you with a caribiner, to the sled with rings. Good Luck!”

“I have a "store bought" sled that came with a harness, but I don't use it. I wear an overnight type backpack for things I want to get to easily and hook the sled poles to the pack belt.”

“Those are good plans. Don't attach the poles to the end of the sled, though. Attach them about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way down the sides away from the end. It's more stable that way.”

“...to all for the tips. Think I'll leave the sled at home this time. Too much work/too little time to make one suitable for use before I leave this weekend.

I'll use this info for further reference as I know this won't be the last time I hit the snow!”

“Three of us dragged sleds on a trip in January. All the sleds were different. One person simply tied a rope to hers and added a knotted drag rope - when going down hills she threw the rope under the sled - worked fine.”

“Always let someone else break trail.

We did a lot of this in the arctic infantry. There's nothing more funny than watching a group of grown men ride a sled down a steep hill. The army has another name for the sled, but I can't remember the it. They had canvas covers attached to the side and rope webbing that would hold everything in place. When these babies were loaded up with tent, Yukon Stove, food, ammo and whatever else we could manage to load they sometimes weighed over 300 pounds. We'd hook 4 or 5 guys to the front - sled dog fashion - and one or two guys behind - to keep the sled from running anyone over while going down a hill.

They were a lifesaver when moving through the snow or ice.

Does anyone else here remember the calming effect that the roar of a Yukon Stove had? There was nothing better than hearing that after a long day - or more likely a long night - in the field.”