There's not much to say to improve upon sledding as activity, but if you don't know where to look in this town you'll rarely see it performed. There are a number of satisfactory elevations dispersed throughout Chicago's neighborhood parks— mostly man-made amenities and registering as little more than mole hills beyond the Prairie. But we make the most of it. Favorites include the Soldier Field (North Burnham Park) hill, a feature of whimsical landscape design; Horner Park's delightfully random slope; Evanston's Mt. Trashmore (complete with sled graveyard); and the more naturalistic gradients of Caldwell and Schiller Woods— they of the treasured ring of forest preserve. Because some will simply make for the 'burbs and better, more rugged slopes, we're calling this our map of passable city sledding sites. If it ever snows again, you'll be ready!

—Researched by Arabella Watters