Ski the Sea, Camden, Maine

Jack Williams Toboggan Chute

Closed for the Season.

 

US Toboggan Nationals, Camden

Be a kid again, with your kids!

The Jack Williams Toboggan Chute is a handmade wooden trough, flooded with ice, with an outrun at the end onto Hosmer Pond. The toboggan chute is open for the season when there is adequate ice in the chute and on Hosmer Pond.

It is closed to the public during the annual U.S. National Toboggan Championships, held the first weekend in February.

Ice conditions must be safe to open the chute, so if you are planning a trip it is wise to call or check the Conditions Report first to ensure it is operating. The chute is typically open to the public on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is also open during school vacation week in February.

Children must be at least 42 inches tall to ride a toboggan down the chute. Toboggans are provided and included in the $10/hour/person fee.

TIPS & HINTS FOR TOBOGGAN RIDERS

  • Wear old clothes that are not too bulky. The toboggans move quickly and clothing can be damaged by contact with the sides of the chute.
  • Consider wearing goggles and/or a helmet.
  • No exposed skin is allowed-gloves or mittens a must. Keeping your face covered is recommended. Elbow and knee pads can also be worn for extra protection.
  • All body parts must stay on and in the toboggan - no waving.
  • Nothing may hang off the toboggan (long hats, scarves and loose clothing must be tucked in.)
  • All riders (max. of four) must fit safely on the sled and be seated facing forward.
  • All riders gripping toboggan rope must have thumbs back toward the body or in a manner approved by operators.
  • Toboggan rope must not pass over heads or wrap around bodies or necks.
  • Must be 42” or taller to ride a toboggan.

The Jack Williams Toboggan Chute
at the Camden Snow Bowl was built in 1936
and is the only one of its kind in the country.

Read: The History of the Chute