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How to Make Snow Snakes

The snow snake game is based on an old Native American contest of strength and skill: It was a competition often held between villages, after returning from the annual hunt. The idea was to see who could slide a stick, designed to represent a snake, furthest along a trench constructed in the snow. Sticks were generally carved from hickory, maple, or walnut. The game was played with teams and employed umpires to ensure rules were followed and to judge the distance the sticks traveled.

Things You'll Need

Wooden stick
Wood saw
Wood drill
Wood rasp
Wood carving knife
Coarse file
Sand paper
Varnish
Wax
Paint
Brushes
Shovel
Snow

Instructions

- 1
  Find or cut a flat wood board or stick. Size is optional and can be based on age and skill of the player. Average guidelines suggest that it be four to nine feet long, two inches wide at the tail, and four inches at the head. The bottom should be rounded and the top flat. Each player constructs and designs his own.
- 2
  Bevel the wider end to reflect the head of a snake sloped upward, like the end of a ski. Use a rasp and sandpaper to shape. Drill a hole in the head and fill it with lead or bolts to add weight. This will increase acceleration.
- 3
  Notch the narrower end to provide a place for grasping and to aid in controlled throwing. The snake is held by the tail, head resting on the ground. It can be propelled by pushing-- as done in shuffleboard -- or you can make a running start and launch it like a spear.
- 4
  
  Use sand paper for a smooth finish.
  
  Sand the stick until smooth. The more rough-hewn the wood, the coarser the sandpaper should be. Finish with finer sandpaper to achieve a uniform and polished surface. Take special care sanding the bottom, since smoother means more aerodynamic and faster.
- 5
  Varnish and wax the stick until shiny. Apply several coats. Ski wax will work, or use auto wax for a highly polished finish.
- 6
  Paint, decorate, and design as desired. Be creative or go for merely functional. Carve designs if you want, but don't cut too deep or you'll sacrifice velocity. Add your name and team affiliation to identify the snow snake as your personal innovation.
- 7
  Construct the snow course as straight as possible, to prevent snow snakes from getting caught up in curves or turns. Length will depend on how much time you want to spend digging the trench. Pile up a row of snow approximately two feet high. Dig a ten-foot deep V-shaped trench down the center. Make it as even and flush as you can.

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