Watch CBS News

Contestants Fly Down A Snowy Hill In Shovel Races

ANGEL FIRE, New Mexico (CBS) - Who needs skis or a snowboard when you can fly down a snowy hill on a shovel?

Angel Fire Resort
(credit: Angel Fire Resort)

The 39th annual Angel Fire World Championship Shovel Races were held last weekend in Angel Fire, New Mexico. Approximately 100 contestants reached speeds of over 60 miles per hour with only a thin sheet of aluminum between themselves and the snow.

Angel Fire Resort
(credit: Angel Fire Resort)

"Shovel racing began as a simple contest here in the 1970s when our lift operators would ride their shovels down the mountain at the end of their shifts," said Spencer Weimar, the resort's director of marketing.

"Competitors always try and out do each other every season."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.