With a steep hill, almost a foot of snow and a bulldozer, it's only right to make a huge sledding path.

Russell and BZ Ladner, along with friends and family, have turned their backyard into a tobogganers' dream for at least three years, inviting their friends to jet down the estimated 1,000-foot slope.

"We love having people," said BZ. "Kids out here have the time of their life."

BZ, originally from Marion, came up with the idea to carve out the hill for sledding.

"Her family used to do it at their family home," said Russell.

At the time, BZ and her siblings would use a round metal sled to slide through their yard and into the family's vegetable garden.

The Ladners, who own Marion Garage, said the tradition continued at their Rochester home. For many years, the couple's four children sledded down the hill.

"All we would hear is their laughing," said BZ.

Along with the Ladners' bulldozer, James and Stan Bradford and BZ's brother Ted Duncan shoveled the path on Saturday with Ryan Noonan periodically shuttling down the hill on a tube to test it out.

The crew said the path will get faster the more sledders travel down it. If the fluffy snow gets packed down enough, it may not only withstand the rain forecast for Monday, but it could create enough ice to make an even quicker journey from the top of the hill to the bottom.

BZ said conditions were right a few years ago to keep the path open for six weeks.

"We'll keep it up as long as it lasts," Russell said.

The Ladners said they'll have hot cocoa ready and the grill on for friends and family who stop by on Sunday. (They bring their own steak!)

So the sweat equity is definitely worth the end result, said Stan.

"It's wicked fun."