How did ice factor into the development of roller
coasters?
The direct ancestors of roller coasters were monumental ice slides, popular in Russia in the 16th and 17th centuries. Ice slides had a fairly simple construction -- they consisted of a long, steep wooden slide covered in ice. Riders walked up a ladder or set of stairs to the top of the slide, as high as 70 ft (21 m) up. At the top, they climbed into sleds made out of wood or blocks of ice and shot down the slope. At the base of the slide, the sleds would crash-land in a sand pile.
The direct ancestors of roller coasters were monumental ice slides, popular in Russia in the 16th and 17th centuries. Ice slides had a fairly simple construction -- they consisted of a long, steep wooden slide covered in ice. Riders walked up a ladder or set of stairs to the top of the slide, as high as 70 ft (21 m) up. At the top, they climbed into sleds made out of wood or blocks of ice and shot down the slope. At the base of the slide, the sleds would crash-land in a sand pile.
Charles Mims
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