FP Design and Construction of Rossland, B.C., has broken ground on what is reportedly the first commercial zip line in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia. The Kokanee Mountain Zip Line, located 12 miles north of Nelson near Kokanee Creek Provincial Park, will sit on 44 acres of land owned by brothers Jay and Todd Manton.
Jay Manton is a construction engineer, while Todd has built zip lines in New Zealand. Jay said the Nelson area is ideal for zip lining because of its adventurous atmosphere and lack of family activities. He said the closest competitor is four hours away.
The park will feature a series of six zip lines suspended at heights of up to 300 feet. The first two will be short, while the longest will span 2,300 feet and propel riders up to 60 miles an hour. The course will cross Kokanee Creek and afford views of the canyon and valley to Kootenay Lake. Riders will take a short hike to each zip line.
The park will feature six zip lines.
According to Jay, Kokanee Creek draws more than 38,000 overnight visitors and 225,000 daytime users annually. Guided tours of the zip line park are set to begin in July, and it will remain open seven days a week until October.
