Snow has a way of creating lasting memories in Winston-Salem. With schools closed and roads frozen over, the weather allows us to break free from our daily routines, often revealing a slower, brighter side of the city. Sleds replace school buses, snowmen wave from front yards, and time spent idling around the fireplace becomes time well-spent.

WINTER WEATHER: BY THE NUMBERS

AVERAGE ANNUAL SNOWFALL: 5.9 inches

LARGEST SNOWFALL: 23.9 inches, Feb. 27–28, 1987

MOST SNOW IN A YEAR: 31.7 inches, 1960

COLDEST TEMPERATURE: 8 below zero, Jan. 21, 1985

*Data provided by the National Weather Service. Observations are for the entire Triad beginning in 1928.

SLIPPERY SLOPES
Just about every neighborhood has one — that big, legendary sledding hill that brings out the young and young at heart. The following is a look at five reader-recommended hot spots for dashing through the snow.

WILEY MIDDLE SCHOOL. Hanes Park features a lot of great spots to sled, but none seem as universally loved as the hill behind Wiley Middle School. The terrain features long, wide slopes with lots of different hills to test out.

HOBBY PARK. When the snow hit this past December, Coman Wall knew just where to go. He grabbed a handmade sled and headed for the soapbox derby track at Hobby Park. “There were at least 15 other people out there,” he says. “When the snow gets packed down, it gets crazy.”

“THE HILL” AT PARKLAND HIGH. Going to school on snow days was a common thing for former Parkland student Lauren Driggers. That’s because the school’s campus features a legendary sledding hill that leads down to the baseball field. “All the neighborhood kids would grab trashcan lids and head down there,” she says. “It was always a good time.”

NO. 7 AT WILSHIRE GOLF COURSE. John Johnson, a worker at Wilshire, knows people flock to his golf course when the snow starts coming down. In fact, he’s done it himself. “It’s a good ride,” he says of the course’s premier slope, Hole No. 7. “It’s supposedly the tallest point in this part of the county. As long as the people are being respectful out there, we don’t mind them.”

WEST END. Because of its sloping terrain, and because its roads are blocked off when it snows, West End is seen as the perfect site for some high-thrills sledding. To sample its fiercest run, head to St. Paul’s Episcopal and take a plunge down Pilot View Street toward Hanes Park. “The street is very steep,” Frank Johnson says, “and has some curves to it that add to the appeal.” 

FROZEN FARE
Snow days always came with a specialty dish when I was a kid. We called it snow cream, and it was basically a mix of sugar, milk, vanilla, and some top-grade snow. My brother and I would wait for the fluffy stuff to pile up on the back deck, then shovel it into a king-sized bowl. From there, Mom would mix in the ingredients until it was just right. We’d eat it until our brains froze over, take a break, then eat some more. If there was any left over, we’d throw it in the freezer and eat it for breakfast the next day. For us, it was quite literally the sweetest thing about a snow day, and a recipe I’m happy to share.

QUICK SNOW CREAM
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
large bowl of fluffy snow
In a very large pot or bowl, stir in vanilla extract and evaporated milk (regular milk works if you don’t have evaporated milk). Keep adding milk and sugar until you have the right consistency and sweetness.

CUSTARD SNOW CREAM (MOM’S SPECIALTY)
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
large bowl of fluffy snow
Beat together the sugar and eggs until light yellow in color. Heat the milk in a saucepan until almost boiling. Quickly whisk in the sugar/egg mixture and continue cooking on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool by sitting in the snow or in the refrigerator. When the custard mixture is completely cool, add fluffy snow until desired consistency. Enjoy! —MB