I bought 2 large plastic gas cans at Wally World. (Red was cheaper than the yellow and blue ones and they are the exact same shape, etc.) Total cost 10 to 12 I think.

Then we filled each jug with pea gravel (one bag of rock filled the 2 cans).

We next tried putting them in like that but the jugs floated. So, we then filled the jugs with water too. That worked great. Steps have been holding in place just fine. Should be easy to grasp and take out again in the fall.

I actually think I read a suggestion to use these jugs on the board last year. Don't recall from who.