Snowhaven

I arrived at Snowhaven around 2:30pm, in time to see the hill in daylight, and I went straight to business. I opted for the combo-marathon ticket, a $20 special allowing unlimited lift access for skiing and tubing. Seeking to rest a little after the drive, I suited up and headed for a few runs on the tubing hill. I was suitably impressed with the size and speed of the hill, but also surprised at the freedom and fun I found.

Unlike many tubing operations, Snowhaven fully appreciates that a waiver of liability means it is okay to let folks have a little fun. Running starts were no problem, and multi-tube flotillas were common as well. I had never seen a mass of eight tubes descend at speed in unison before - it was quite a sight. Satisfied that I would be back for more tubing (open until 9pm), I strapped in and slid over to the T-bar. Unlike the rope-retracted type at Cottonwood, Snowhaven has the traditional hard-bodied hydraulic T-bar - but the skills of riding are largely transferrable. I had no trouble riding the lift to the top, and found myself surprised at the amount of untouched powder remaining so late in the afternoon.

I cruised all the dimensions of the small hill, and satisfied that I had made the most of the boarding possibilities, made my way back to the tubing hill. It was a great relaxation after a long day of T-bar riding to simply sit back and slide up on my back, and then slide down on my front. I had a quick dinner of sausage and fries, did laps until I was ready to hit the road, and finally packed it in around 6:30. 90 minutes later I found a small roadside hotel on the way to my next destination, and checked in for the night.