The Sugar Bowl off Scenic Drive is a constant attraction, particularly for youngsters during the winter, although it’s not the exclusive domain of the truly young. Full moon on a Saturday night extends the fun well past sunset for those more experienced.

Most weekends when there’s snow on the ground, you’ll find fathers and mothers watching over their children, who have infinite capacity for the downs and ups of sledding. Parents may even take at least one ride down the hill, just enough to remind them it’s as much fun to watch – and less painful.

It illustrates well the magic of the outdoors. There’s something about sliding down a hill on a sled, toboggan, piece of cardboard, inner tube, snow saucer, skis, snowboards, bike with skis . . . .

Brings smiles, laughter and the occasional aches, pains and tears.

This has been a particularly good year for snow activities – you hear we haven’t had this much snow in decades.  A purely unscientific estimate with a tape measure on a flat spot in the front yard showed a foot three days after the Chinook started. Most of us at the height of the snow could feel the impact trying to negotiate residential streets. For some it’s just part of the fun, for others a source of frustration. Windrows that extend into intersections just make the walk a little longer and more interesting.

On a recent Sunday, Pete Friesen stood at the top of the Sugar Bowl directing traffic for three of his children, Nathan, Alex, and Katherine. The baby was back in the truck with mom, not yet old enough for the mayhem, although mom couldn’t resist coming out, camera in hand, to watch, and occasionally cringe.

Although the Chinook had left grass-mud patches on the exposed north slope, the action was relentless. Down, up, down, up – the Friesens had been at it for an hour and a half. You’d lose your breath just watching the slide down and the climb back up.

On one trip down, Nathan, the youngest, doing his best impression of a bowler, smacked two other young sliders at different points along his adventure. Both bounced up, only slightly jarred. Nathan wiped his forehead looking for blood or other badge of honor to explain with pride at school next day.

To the question, “Do they have no fear?” dad Pete said, “I think they left it at home.”

The family’s been in Alberta just a couple of years. The Sugar Bowl reminds them of a slope they frequented as kids in Ontario, on which “you could slide all the way to Lake Erie.”

Every once in a while, it’s helpful to watch children at play to be reminded about what endless energy is all about.

No doubt they sleep well, particularly after the hot chocolate that awaited them after there snow fun.

As if they needed any more incentive.