Sports & Play
The Best Tobogganing Hills in Toronto
After a freakishly warm thaw, this weekend it appears that the snow will be back in Toronto. But don't let the inclement weather and the economy get you down - tobogganing is winter weekend fun on the cheap.
Dust off that classic sled, purchase a shiny new KrazyKarpet, or just throw a garbage bag under your tushy and hit these eight select slopes in the city.
Christie Pits + Bickford Park
Christie Pits and Bickford Park are technically two different parks, but because they straddle either side of Bloor Street West at Christie, I like to think of them as two great downhill experiences for the walking distance of one. Plus, Christie Pits really has three different hills offering three different kinds of ride. Look out for needles and old condoms.
Withrow Park
Withrow Park is where I spent my fifth through tenth birthdays, and I have a special place for it in my heart. The hill is steep and and smooth mostly, and its relative shortness is ideal for toddlers and kids at heart. Waves in the slope on the far left side can pitch you on your face if you're not careful. South of the Danforth between Pape and Chester.
A popular spot, the side of the hill gets slippery with packed snow. Luckily, a set of stairs on the far left make for an easy hike.
Riverdale Park
Riverdale Park is where you go when you've had a few too many quaaludes and you climb out of your basement to go sledding with Jack Layton. It has one of the best views of any hill in Toronto, and the slope is as straight as it is steep. If Withrow Park was the tobogganing hill of my inner child's dreams, Riverdale Park is the perfect hill for my inner young adult.
On Broadview, south of the Danforth.
Crestview Park
The hill here is wide and, sandwiched between two schools, very safe. Located at the peak of Toronto, the view of the city from this hill on Don Mills Rd just south of Finch is perfect on a crisp winter's day. Come for night sledding for extra points.
Lithuania Park
Easily one of the best hills in Toronto, Lithuania Park is a mostly undiscovered treat north of the more popular High Park, on Keele. Frequented only by local families, this taller hill offers speed and enough room at the bottom to slow down properly. The hill is slightly curved--to test your skills, try to push your starting spot as far to the left as possible without off-roading into the trees before you reach the bottom.
The top of the hill can get very icy in inclement weather. A smaller hill opposite is a good place to train a little sister or brother.
High Park
The winter sports connoisseur knows that High Park cannot be avoided. Like the Christie+Bickford tag-team High Park offers a variety of hills, but its much larger size and forestation makes the discovery of a new off-road trail as exhilarating as actually riding it. The most popular hill just south of the Grenadier Restaurant is safe for beginners, but can get crowded quickly. Follow Deer Pen Road through the zoo and to the first parking lot for a more challenging ride: but only in high snow! The hillside is mostly stairs.
Sadly, a "Winter Sports Prohibited" sign tops the main hill. Ignore it.
Trinity Bellwoods Park
This well-known park gets points for convenience and character. If you don't already live within walking distance, I'm sure you can find an exhibit opening on Queen or Dundas to pre-ride for. If morning's more your style, tobogganing Sunday + brunch at The Drake or Dakota = sublime! (I imagine: at any rate, it's been added to my to do list).
Good or bad, the hill at Trinity Bellwods Park comes with the trappings of Queen and Dundas. People are nuts.
Winston Churchill Park
This acutely artificial slope offers a fast and furious run in a neighbourhood that's rather swish. Even by Toronto standards this is not a tall hill, but its especially steep incline is not for the faint of heart. A mid-range slope, for the sledding enthusiast after a quick thrill. Located on St. Clair W, east of Bathurst.
Photos by anotherfaceinthecrowd, Dubes, Avehouse, and produzentin, from the blogTO Flickr pool.
Discussion
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New Fences; and thousands of trees, they re-forested the hill!
While in a park, no person shall:
A. Ski, toboggan, snowboard, skibob or sled in an area in a park where it is posted to prohibit it; or
B. Fasten or attach a ski, toboggan, snowboard, skibob or sled to any vehicle,
motorized vehicle or motorized recreational vehicle for the purpose of being towed, dragged or otherwise pulled.
So which parks have posted notices and which ones don't?
http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/municode/1184_608.pdf
My vote's for the East Riverdale hill.... looks pretty tame from the DVP but once you get up top with a 6 foot old-school wooden sled it's more like a cliff. Then you see 10-year-olds ripping it with crazy carpets head-first and you realize you should grow a pair and go for it.
Lots of good times had there. Centennial Hill is riduculous too... definitely broke a GT there.
if you're in mimico / west end - a couple others:
parklawn north of queensway very similar to lithuania park - small and bigger hills for junior and adult alike.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&;source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=m8v2l8&sll=43.661197,-79.48072&sspn=0.006535,0.013647&g=m6s2c2&ie=UTF8&ll=43.638785,-79.495767&spn=0.001634,0.003412&t=h&z=18
the school across from rennie park is freakishly amazing too. on the icier days a super high speed drop and a good 30 seconds of run across teh school field. like riverdale - good fun, no poles or trees -- and certainly not as busy.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&;source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=rennie+park&sll=43.639018,-79.49559&sspn=0.001634,0.003412&ie=UTF8&ll=43.643704,-79.475092&spn=0.001634,0.003412&t=h&z=18
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&;source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=dome+on+the+rink+etobicoke&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=29.358024,55.898438&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=43.640004,-79.495525&spn=0.006538,0.013647&z=16&iwloc=addr
Also Birchmont park is nice. At the bottom of Birchmount there is a path down the bluffs for the truly crazy.
And if you think it's missing a good hill in your local area, you can easily add it too. :)
Best memory is myself and 25+ friends using a spare 20 X 40 foot heavy plastic swimming pool winter cover for a massive crazy carpet (my parents never forgave me). Basically a mob of people flying down the hill out of control leaving a mass of bodies and destruction behind. It was completely reckless and unsafe and ridiculously fun. I highly recommend everyone do this once!
lol btw, is a hill where you have to look out for needles and used condoms considered one of the best hills in the city? I'll take the possibility of a broken bone from doing something stupid while I toboggan but I don't want a needle or condom in my face when I wipe out :P
I've just been to Fairbanks, Christie Pits, Riverdale, High Park, Lithuania, and Centennial (authorized hill). Christie Pits is a sizable hill, straight down, no obstacles at the end. As I recall, there are some ruts down part of the hill. Best to avoid these if you have any speed. Not a bad hill and if you go by car, parking is right there. You basically go right off the sidewalk. Riverdale has several options in hills and is preferred. The main hill is a mess with ruts and depressions all over the place. It's been beaten to death so much it's almost a mogul. There are nice slopes on the other side of the weed patch, to the south, with few ruts. There are some tree obstacles to avoid. High Park has far too many large trees and shrubs at the bottom where your speed might be the greatest. I'll never go there again in icy conditions. Lithuania is a death trap on my luge in icy conditions. A big rut in the middle. I'll never go again if it ices. Centennial park south of the ski area is like jumping off a cliff. There were injuries there this past weekend and it was closed down. The regular hills to the north nearby are large with few areas with ruts since its a newer hill. Perfect.
If Riverdale is not too busy it's possible to go down two sets of hills in one go, heading south. Avoid the metal fence baseball backstop. I've built myself a luge so speed has become a problem at some of these places.
I just saw the hill from the #401 yesterday. Looks great. What is the access point and parking for the hill?
http://bit.ly/hP5XXv
http://www.rougepark.com/
Sorry didn't come back to check. Glad you're posting all these! Re: Centennial Park, your suggestion is the hill at the south-east corner of Eglinton & Centennial Park Blvd? Not surprised that ppl got hurt on southside of the ski hill as that's just a steep drop on any kind of raised sled (like GT racer), but the slope immediately adjacent to the ski lift on the south side is usually pretty good.
Last suggestion, even though it's slightly out of town? Albion Hills has a great slope by the entrance to the park (was xc skiing there today) - fast, nice run out, but long way away.
An old timer told me he could reach the fence on the far east side of Riverdale West. I say B.S. ; the field would have to be ice for that to happen. Tip of the day: I saw somebody with two of those plastic coffin sleds packed together. Padding in between the layers would make sense. These El Cheapo sleds are manufactured to be stacked together to reduce shipping charges, but you take the cost cutting measure, in punishment on your rump. So provide your own padding. The retailers never sold you a finished product.
By the way, those orange sleds "Paris Company Expedition Sled" are darn fast. I went on the ice patch on the north side on my own home made luge and went airborne at the end. No damage. Went unexpectedly airborne at Fairbanks on the east side and bruised a rib two days ago. Taking today off. No sled is built to go airborne. They don't have enough lift and you take a whacking as they stall.
Sledding etiquette 101: when you finish your run, clear the way. Don't stand there chatting with your friends. There's no ski chalet on these hills, so move it. Most accidents are caused by collisions. Yell your lungs out as you go down. It eases the pain.
I'm going to try Snake Hill one day. Thanks, Quentin, Sean, Gabe, Nigel and Matthew Hayles. Classic sledding picture to open this blogsite off the top.
Any answers greatly appreciated!
Yep, I've made it to the fence on that hill. It was icy. We also hit a jump that we didn't see (it was at night), caught some air and compacted a few vertebrae. I agree completely, jumps are really dangerous. Love your idea about layering those thin plastic sleds with cushioning!
Thank you, not much snow in the GTA but will try Miliken park when there is a snowfall.
going to brave sanke hill this weekend hope i make it out alive
D Sledder