I live next to a forest preserve on the southwest suburbs of Chicago. There is a hill there called Swallow Cliff where there used to be 6 toboggan slides built on the side of the hill back in the 1920's. There are 125 (we've counted them) flagstone steps to get to the top of the hill. Each toboggan "chute" had wood floors and cement walls with a metal gate at the top that was controlled by someone in the "control tower" (at the top of the hill) after everyone was loaded and ready in their toboggans. It was run by the forest preserve district and if you owned your own toboggan, it didn't cost anything to go sledding....
Then back in 2004 the slides were getting rough from weather and they tore them out. They planted trees on the upper half of the hill, and then fenced off the rest at the bottom and use it as a sledding hill now. It is not as fun as the old "chutes" used to be, but it is still one of the best hills around here. Unfortunately it is closed this year.
Here is some history on Swallow Cliff that I found on the internet:
Best known for its 100-foot bluff and demanding stair workout, Swallow Cliff also astounds with natural riches.
Swallow Cliff Woods is best known for its dramatic “front lawn,” which leads up a steep, 100-foot-tall bluff. The bluff creates one of the best sledding hills in the county and also one of its toughest and most scenic stair workouts. On top of the bluff, trails pass through this quiet 800-acre preserve. Hikers enjoy wandering the hilly, forested terrain complete with stream crossings, grand old oaks and flocks of migratory birds around the numerous wetlands.
Enjoying Swallow Cliff
Constructed in 1930 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, 125 limestone stairs lead to the top of a former toboggan run at Swallow Cliff North. Although the runs were closed in 2004, the stairs remain a popular exercise destination for fitness buffs and casual walkers. (Some stair climbers build pebble piles at the top of the stairs to keep track of their trips up and down.)
Region 7_Swallow Cliff Stairs
During the winter, the bluff still serves as an active sledding hill. Visitors provide their own sleds. (Learn more about sledding in the forest preserves.) The stairs are cleared and salted.
Hikers and trail runners can access the brown and yellow trails via a short connector trail from the top of the stairway. The full yellow loop is roughly eight miles, extending west to Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve and east to Palos Park Preserve. Hikers can cut the loop in half by using the white connector trail to cut back to Swallow Cliff North. These trails are part of the Sag Valley unpaved trail system, which is open to hiking, biking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing.
Swallow Cliff Woods South has small and large open-air shelters with picnic tables for family gatherings and special events. Groups of 25 or more must purchase a permit; otherwise, they are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Trail users can access the yellow trail at the Swallow Cliff South entrance as well. For a 4.75-mile loop, head west on the yellow trail.
Nature at Swallow Cliff
Swallow Cliff is a 100-foot-high bluff formed 12,000 years ago when glacial meltwater carved out the Sag Valley, leaving behind steep walls and a varied landscape of morainal hills and pothole lakes. As it did across the region, fire shaped the natural communities here. More frequent fires in some areas maintained prairie openings, while woodlands developed in more protected areas. Wet marshes and sedge meadows are scattered throughout the landscape.
There are a variety of migrating and breeding songbirds active in the preserve, including woodpeckers, great crested flycatchers and summer tanagers. Other birds seen in the area include red-eyed vireos and eastern wood-pewees.
from:
http://fpdcc.com/swallow-cliff/
Swallow Cliff Woods upgrades generate excitement
Memories and excitement were stirred as planned improvements to Swallow Cliff Woods in Palos Park were shared at a recent open house.
"I think the new changes are tremendous, and I am very happy to see that Swallow Cliff is going to be improved," said Jane Ryan of Oak Forest. "I used to come here to train for a backpacking trip in Colorado when I was 50 years old, and I can remember how popular it was when I was training."
Cook County Forest Preserve District has partnered with Chicago-based Ross Barney Architects to design a new 3,000-square-foot warming shelter, concessions area, conference room and indoor bathrooms. Construction of the $1 million building is expected to begin next spring.
The district also has proposed a new stainless steel slide, additional fitness stations, an observation tower and natural stone stairs.
Swallow Cliff was built in the early 1920s as a difficult ski jump that attracted elite skiers from around the country. In its heyday, the Swallow Cliff Winter Sports Recreational Facility attracted more than 35,000 people to an event in 1929.
"Actually, in the early 1900s, Swallow Cliff was used as an Olympic ski hill," said Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth Gorman, 17th District. "We are always looking for community feedback. In fact, the community feedback in the '20s was to make the stairs uneven as part of the workout."
Those stairs will remain open during construction of the new warming shelter, officials said.
So far, only the warning shelter is funded. Long-term, groups such as the Chicago Southland Convention and Visitors Bureau plan to utilize the new building, which would provide revenue for the district.
"We want to market not just the area but market the experience, and we feel that holding a business meeting in the new warming shelter with an outstanding view would really appeal to our clients," said Scott Bort of the tourism bureau. "I can see this shelter producing revenue for the district and really adding value to the area."
Representatives from the Calumet-Sag Trail shared their interest in someday connecting the 500-mile trail to the already 800-acres of trails, woods and paths surrounding Swallow Cliff.
"If they were able to connect the trail, people wouldn't have to cross the street, and I think that would be a lot safer, especially for the high school sports teams that use the stairs," Ryan said. "I think the changes that are being made are just outstanding, and it's great to see that there is enough funding to improve upon places like Swallow Cliff."
from:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...20131114_1_stairs-shelter-swallow-cliff-woods
Here is a picture from the old days that is looking down the chutes from the top of the stairs. It is copyrighted, so I can only post a link to the picture:
https://www.google.com/maps/preview...=X&ei=R17lUpvLHun72QW9xYC4Dg&ved=0CJkBEKIqMAs
Then back in 2004 the slides were getting rough from weather and they tore them out. They planted trees on the upper half of the hill, and then fenced off the rest at the bottom and use it as a sledding hill now. It is not as fun as the old "chutes" used to be, but it is still one of the best hills around here. Unfortunately it is closed this year.
Here is some history on Swallow Cliff that I found on the internet:
Best known for its 100-foot bluff and demanding stair workout, Swallow Cliff also astounds with natural riches.
Swallow Cliff Woods is best known for its dramatic “front lawn,” which leads up a steep, 100-foot-tall bluff. The bluff creates one of the best sledding hills in the county and also one of its toughest and most scenic stair workouts. On top of the bluff, trails pass through this quiet 800-acre preserve. Hikers enjoy wandering the hilly, forested terrain complete with stream crossings, grand old oaks and flocks of migratory birds around the numerous wetlands.
Enjoying Swallow Cliff
Constructed in 1930 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, 125 limestone stairs lead to the top of a former toboggan run at Swallow Cliff North. Although the runs were closed in 2004, the stairs remain a popular exercise destination for fitness buffs and casual walkers. (Some stair climbers build pebble piles at the top of the stairs to keep track of their trips up and down.)
Region 7_Swallow Cliff Stairs
During the winter, the bluff still serves as an active sledding hill. Visitors provide their own sleds. (Learn more about sledding in the forest preserves.) The stairs are cleared and salted.
Hikers and trail runners can access the brown and yellow trails via a short connector trail from the top of the stairway. The full yellow loop is roughly eight miles, extending west to Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve and east to Palos Park Preserve. Hikers can cut the loop in half by using the white connector trail to cut back to Swallow Cliff North. These trails are part of the Sag Valley unpaved trail system, which is open to hiking, biking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing.
Swallow Cliff Woods South has small and large open-air shelters with picnic tables for family gatherings and special events. Groups of 25 or more must purchase a permit; otherwise, they are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Trail users can access the yellow trail at the Swallow Cliff South entrance as well. For a 4.75-mile loop, head west on the yellow trail.
Nature at Swallow Cliff
Swallow Cliff is a 100-foot-high bluff formed 12,000 years ago when glacial meltwater carved out the Sag Valley, leaving behind steep walls and a varied landscape of morainal hills and pothole lakes. As it did across the region, fire shaped the natural communities here. More frequent fires in some areas maintained prairie openings, while woodlands developed in more protected areas. Wet marshes and sedge meadows are scattered throughout the landscape.
There are a variety of migrating and breeding songbirds active in the preserve, including woodpeckers, great crested flycatchers and summer tanagers. Other birds seen in the area include red-eyed vireos and eastern wood-pewees.
from:
http://fpdcc.com/swallow-cliff/
Swallow Cliff Woods upgrades generate excitement
Memories and excitement were stirred as planned improvements to Swallow Cliff Woods in Palos Park were shared at a recent open house.
"I think the new changes are tremendous, and I am very happy to see that Swallow Cliff is going to be improved," said Jane Ryan of Oak Forest. "I used to come here to train for a backpacking trip in Colorado when I was 50 years old, and I can remember how popular it was when I was training."
Cook County Forest Preserve District has partnered with Chicago-based Ross Barney Architects to design a new 3,000-square-foot warming shelter, concessions area, conference room and indoor bathrooms. Construction of the $1 million building is expected to begin next spring.
The district also has proposed a new stainless steel slide, additional fitness stations, an observation tower and natural stone stairs.
Swallow Cliff was built in the early 1920s as a difficult ski jump that attracted elite skiers from around the country. In its heyday, the Swallow Cliff Winter Sports Recreational Facility attracted more than 35,000 people to an event in 1929.
"Actually, in the early 1900s, Swallow Cliff was used as an Olympic ski hill," said Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth Gorman, 17th District. "We are always looking for community feedback. In fact, the community feedback in the '20s was to make the stairs uneven as part of the workout."
Those stairs will remain open during construction of the new warming shelter, officials said.
So far, only the warning shelter is funded. Long-term, groups such as the Chicago Southland Convention and Visitors Bureau plan to utilize the new building, which would provide revenue for the district.
"We want to market not just the area but market the experience, and we feel that holding a business meeting in the new warming shelter with an outstanding view would really appeal to our clients," said Scott Bort of the tourism bureau. "I can see this shelter producing revenue for the district and really adding value to the area."
Representatives from the Calumet-Sag Trail shared their interest in someday connecting the 500-mile trail to the already 800-acres of trails, woods and paths surrounding Swallow Cliff.
"If they were able to connect the trail, people wouldn't have to cross the street, and I think that would be a lot safer, especially for the high school sports teams that use the stairs," Ryan said. "I think the changes that are being made are just outstanding, and it's great to see that there is enough funding to improve upon places like Swallow Cliff."
from:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...20131114_1_stairs-shelter-swallow-cliff-woods
Here is a picture from the old days that is looking down the chutes from the top of the stairs. It is copyrighted, so I can only post a link to the picture:
https://www.google.com/maps/preview...=X&ei=R17lUpvLHun72QW9xYC4Dg&ved=0CJkBEKIqMAs
