Beyond the pull of Tahoe’s ski resorts, the region’s “snow play” areas and sledding hills attract tens of thousands of people this time of year. But visitors are leaving behind more than tracks in the snow: They’re abandoning large numbers of broken plastic sleds.
These aren’t classic wooden toboggans or metal saucers. They are distinctly flimsy candy-colored polyethylene that sell for about $5 to $15 at grocery stores and outdoorsy shops around the basin — convenient and affordable enough to function as single-use disposables.
“You’d be shocked to know how those cheap sleds break apart,” said OngKar Khalsa, a resident of the Glenbrook area on Tahoe’s east side. “They just explode with these tiny pieces of plastic everywhere. Once that happens, people just leave them all over the place.”