Do you know anyone who has been hurt snow tubing?

[Iforgetmypassword]

Oh, and as far as the being monitored idea? The second time, when we slammed into the cushioned wall, WAS at a monitored place.

Basically, we both just plopped our butts in the tube and went down. Which meant we were helpless to do anything to control the tube.

When we made it back to the top, the teenagers in charge said, "yeah, you're supposed to lie on your stomachs. That way you can drag your toes and brake it a little." Well, why didn't you tell us that the first time?? We watched as new groups came and NOT ONCE did the operators tell anyone to lie down on their stomachs. They seemed to take a sadistic pleasure in watching the adults-who were the only ones heavy enough to slam into the cushions-actually hit. The kids all were so light that the tube stopped before hitting the wall. We tried to warn people ourselves. We actually went inside and tried to get them to make the operators do something! Nobody cared.

 

[badblackpug]

http://ussa.edu/publications/news/2...g-ranks-first-in-catastrophic-sport-injuries/

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Never been tubing at a big resort like hidden valley. I live about an hour from there.

We used to go tubing at a little place called sno zone. It used to be only 5 minutes away. We'd go a few times a winter. We always had a great time and none of us were ever hurt. I double rode with my kids as young as 2. We're all bummed it closed down.
The woman they rented the space from is a real winner. When the tubing place took off , she doubled the rent so it wasn't as profitable and they ended up closing.

 

[Friend of a Mouse]

Hidden Valley maybe?

I live right near it and have never gone, I am a chicken....

OP, I would do a trial run first with just your dd, family, etc...

I go to Weston.

 

[englishteacha]

The school where I teach takes the entire school to our local ski mountain for skiing, snowboarding, and tubing one day in winter. Everyone signs a waiver, and parents sometimes come along. I usually tube (though I was pregnant last year, so I hung out in the lodge and attempted to grade papers as I fought off morning sickness!). We've had a few accidents, but nothing hugely serious. I figure it's not much more dangerous than sledding...maybe safer since it's a groomed run instead of a backyard hill.

 

[Hrhpd]

My dd11 wants to have a birthday snow tubing party. I got hurt there going down the hill 2 years ago and hurt my back. I'm worried about someone getting hurt during the party and also my daughter does competition cheerleading in the winter and I don't want her to be out for the season due to an injury. I know you are laughing b/c cheer is probably more dangerous than snow tubing but she loves cheer so much!

Yes. A girl we know was snow tubing without a helmet. Bumped off and her head hit a rock or clump of ice, can't remember. Serious, serious, serious brain injury that left her with a severe mental disability -we are talking a 10 year old functioning at an infant level. She died of the injury this year, 10 years later.

My best friend, an insurance bigwig, says brain injuries due to sledding and tubing without helmets are unfortunately not uncommon.

If you do have the party, enforce helmets!

Tubing/sledding accidents are more common than skiing and snowboarding accidents according to the local ER.

Yup, same insurance friend and family are huge skiers, have a ski condo and ski weekly. They do not tube or sled due to the dangers.

 

[Hrhpd]

I have not known anybody injured on a professionally run slope. I love tubing. We have a place near here that does skiing, snowboarding, and tubing. They have employees at the top who tell you when it is safe to go down, and they also have their own "mountain" emergency personnel. Since they make sure people are seated correctly and are spaced appropriately I have not seen any accidents.

Now, I did know somebody who died tubing, but it was not at a monitored place. Our college was built on a large hill and our field hockey field was in a giant bowl. It was a popular place to tube, but we weren't supposed to after dark. Nobody followed that rule and security looked the other way. A girl in my class was tubing with some friends. Their tube rotated and she ended up hitting her head on a goal post and died. Now, this was a freak accident. If you are going someplace that is monitored or does not have large obstacles, this will not be a problem.

I think it sounds like a fun party, as long as you use some common sense you will probably be okay.

The girl I knew who had a serious, life ending head injury was on a monitored hill.

My insurance friend said that there are actually more claims for injuries on monitored hills than kids just sledding or tubing on their backyard hills.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Just last year I bruised my lung while sledding. I am still suffering. My niece injured her knee the same day from sledding and just had surgery a couple of days ago. My Aunt was partially paralized for a short time years ago. I am done with sledding.

 

[Lovin' Disney]

Freak accidents do happen. Here is a news clip of a man whose wife I went to college with. He was just sledding on a smallish hill and has been in critical condition for over a week now.


http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/video...l-condition-after-terrible-sledding-accident/

 

[anniemck]

Jeepers, my daughter is getting married Feb 15 and we were all going to go tubing on the 16th. This will be in Gatlinburg, TN. Now I am rethinking it. UGH. However, this is why were were going AFTER the wedding and not BEFORE.

 

[Iforgetmypassword]

The school where I teach takes the entire school to our local ski mountain for skiing, snowboarding, and tubing one day in winter. Everyone signs a waiver, and parents sometimes come along. I usually tube (though I was pregnant last year, so I hung out in the lodge and attempted to grade papers as I fought off morning sickness!). We've had a few accidents, but nothing hugely serious. I figure it's not much more dangerous than sledding...maybe safer since it's a groomed run instead of a backyard hill.

Sledding is dangerous! And a "groomed run" is NOT any safer. If anything, it makes the run faster, thus more dangerous.

Even though I've had 2 accidents snow tubing, on a groomed run that was monitored, I still may go again. But, I'll ask the operators for tips first, and watch to see how icy the conditions are.

 

[McKelly]

Not "know", but an 8 year old boy was just flighted last week from a tubing accident at a hill not more than a quarter mile from my house. He apparently hit his head on an ice chunk and he was unconscious when rescue crews got there.

 

[snykymom]

ThI figure it's not much more dangerous than sledding...maybe safer since it's a groomed run instead of a backyard hill.

Actually, it is. At least the round inner-tube type tubes or saucers. The problem is not the grooming or lack of it, or the depth of the snow. The problem is the round nature of the tube - it has no center of gravity. Stick your butt in it and down you go. But if you hit anything, or go off course, you go flying - there's nothing to keep you on the ground. You can't put your arms or legs down to stop yourself. And there's no possible way to steer as there is on a sled.

If it's not round, then it's the same as sledding - my dd had a long blow-up sled that was fine. It could be steered by shifting body weight and it had a center of gravity in the middle.