The History of Snow Tubing

It’s pretty well established that snow tubing is a fun winter activity, but did you know that it’s actually been around since the 1800s? While we may never know who first invented snow tubing, we do know that it became popular in the 1800s. The earliest snow tubes were most likely made by simply removing the air-filled inner tube from a tire and using it to slide down a snowy hill. Rumor has it that Canadian Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden even gave Parliament members the day off during an Ottawa snowstorm and they all slid down Parliament Hill on tubes! But despite widespread popularity, it wasn’t until the 1990s that ski resorts realized there was a potential market for snow tubing and started offering the activity on their mountains. Today, there are many snow tubing enthusiasts, and the sport was even considered for inclusion in the 2010 Olympic Games, although it didn’t make the cut.