Snow is Coming -- Head for the Hills

With snow in the forecast, it's time to turn our attention to some very important matters:  sledding.

Meteorologists are predicting six inches in our area, beginning after midnight tonight and accumulating through most of Saturday.  One of the popular sledding hills -- Mountainside Park, on Upper Mountain Avenue next to the Iris Gardens -- should be ready by Sunday at noon.

"We won't barricade the streets until after the county comes through to plow the streets," said Pat Brechka, director of the Department of Recreation.  The township places street barricades on Upper Mountain Avenue at Laurel Place and at Mt. Hebron Road to ensure the saftety of the sledders.

That section of the street is closed to drivers from noon to 4 p.m. on weekends and school holidays (including days that school is cancelled due to snow).  "We can't close off the street while it's snowing," said Brechka, adding that the town also assigns people to minitor the area, making sure sledding can take place safely.

If you don't have your gear yet, there are plenty of places in town that can set you up.

(251 Park St/Watchung Plaza) carries over 10 variety of sleds from $10 to $40 including tubes, and singe- and double-person plastic flyers.

(627 Valley Road/Upper Montclair) has various styles starting at $10 or $15.  They also carry the EKO Snow Comet, retailing for $189, which has a steering wheel and brakes (although no seat warmers or stereo).

(596 Valley Road/Upper Montclair) carries only one sled, but it sounds like a fun one: The Zipfy Freestyle Mini Luge ($39.99) for ages five and up holds up to 250 lbs.

(321 Orange Road) leaves most of the sledding sales to Saunders, their sister store, but they do have a couple of Radio Flyers in stock.