Hitch a ride from tree to tree with the help of our flittered friend. (Photo by Nick Geroux.)
The number of features makes this park one of the world’s biggest; its mix of features makes it unique. One trail might offer a wooden dolphin that flies on cables from one tree to the next, while another might present a Tarzan-style rope with a disc base to ride on. On trails above, one person might be walking on stirrup-equipped ropes, while another is riding a modified skateboard attached to pulleys.
Trails are color-coded, ranging from kid-friendly purple (10-12 feet off the ground) up to double black (55 feet). Once users choose a trail, they stay on it until it ends, then can opt for an easier or more difficult color if they’d like.
One of the benefits of Swiss-style design is its ability to create opportunities for interaction. Because of the layout—assorted trails crisscrossing at different heights—people stay within eyesight of each other from various vantage points.
“You may have family members who want to climb together, but want to take on varying degrees of challenge,” says Geroux. “This provides them a way to be near each other and talk to each other, so there are a lot of opportunities to be together, even if they’re not on the same trail.”
Technical Details
Guests are fitted with a full-body harness and provided with a Bornack SSB Smart Belay. The system is designed so that users are always locked onto life-rated safety cables while climbing. The Bornack system connects to a guest’s harness and includes two lanyards with carabiner-like clips attached to each. Guests learn how to lock and unlock the clips to make transfers between cables. A special device, called a Tweezle, is affixed at the start of each safety cable and assures that both clips cannot be unlocked simultaneously.
The park uses an Outdoor Venture training program—currently a 32-hour annual training session, with monthly skills verification to test assist-related technical skills. Guides are available, but they’re rarely requested, says Geroux. “The park is designed so you don’t need a guide. There’s a lot of empowerment that happens when you’re in charge of yourself. I think people really enjoy it, because they get to be independent.”
Our zip line over nearby Owls Creek provides a great view of the Park’s landscape. (Photo by David Williamson.)
The park layout lends itself not only to families—thanks its Labyrinth, a product created for kid parties that accommodates younger climbers in group situations—but also to adult group business, which is actively targeted. Special packages have been developed for Boy and Girl Scouts, school PE groups, church youth groups, and similar community organizations.
“We want to make sure we’re responding to the needs of the local market,” says Geroux. “We’ve made real efforts to let different pockets of the community know about us.”
