A = F/m

So acceleration equals force divided by mass. In order for an object to be classified as accelerating it must be increasing in velocity.

As far as I can tell, snow sledding is a constant acceleration right up to the point where you crash.

First of all there is snow. Snow as you normally think about it is described as puffy and light. You imagine the flakes lightly covering your body as it descends like a winter blanket.

Sledding snow is not this. Sledding snow is firm, packed down by the sea of children who descended the hill prior to your arrival. If fresh snow is a winter blanket, then mid-day sledding snow is your wet bathroom tile. Ready to causes you to slip at any moment.

Acceleration takes into account mass. Now something horrible happens when you combine a 38 pound child, with a 205 pound daddy; the mass, once it has reached maximum velocity, then to want to remain in motion. That same mass also decides to kick up snow all over the place, and by all over the place I mean directly on your young unexpected face.

You see, upon reaching the bottom of the hill your face will be indistinguishable from a Snoppy snow cone. In essence a jet engine blasts snow into your face as it is forcefully ejected from the ground by all the mass on the sled.

This is no way to spend an afternoon.

After three runs, I informed my father that I do not enjoy sledding and would prefer to go indoors. If you look closely at the rim of my hood you will notice the remains of the snow that was previously on the mountain, but which had decided to relocate to my face.

Perhaps I will try this extreme sport again, after I master less dangerous activities such as base jumping and sky diving.