My recollection is that there are signs at the bottom of Libe Slope
prohibiting sledding--not sure if they were at the top too (one would hope).
Probably required by CU's lawyers.

I seem to recall at one point hay bales were put uphill from the hard
objects.  Probably also requested by the lawyers.

This might be mid-70's.  I too remember the horror stories about people
losing limbs or getting paralyzed riding on toboggans.

I all the first 20-odd years of my I lived in Ithaca, about half residing
just a mile or so away, I can't say I took more than a couple of passes down
Libe Slope.  We did sled in the very steep cemetery that lies not far below
Libe slope (I hope the statute of limitations has run out--if not I'll claim
"youthful indiscretion").

I also remember one or more of us standing up on a toboggan (surfing style)
going down the sidewalk on Buffalo street hill (one of the steeper hills in
town).  The snow must've been pretty slow (or more likely the toboggan
unwaxed) or it would've been a pretty short ride into a tree.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Follett [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2001 2:13 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Sled Dead


In a message dated 1/8/01 12:38:07 PM Central Standard Time,
[log in to unmask]
writes:

<< Library Slope on the Cornell campus, and in the ensuing debate in the
Ithaca Journal about whether sledding should be banned on the slope or the
sign posts removed, the campus "official" response was that snow sledding
etc. was a natural thing to do and injuries were a natural consequence so
neither prohibition nor removal was to happen. >>

Cuyler,

I'm curious if the policy has changed.

Falling, jumping or dropping off of the local bridges into the gorges, as at
least two close acquaintances did... as well as a history of stressed out
students doing same, particularly near end of winter... Is death considered
a
natural consequence as well?

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