Where I live is considered "High Desert", and we do get snow from time to time.
Back when I lived at the coast, guys would take an old car hood, flip it upside down, and tow it behind a car or 4x4 in the sand; '50's cars tended to have a nicely rounded nose, which worked well. The considerable friction from the sand caused noticeable heat, as felt in the back-side of the rider, and the life of the hood was somewhat short.