The following is a guest post from Kris at Everyday Tips and Thoughts. I absolutely adore her blog and humor, so check it out!
I know for many of you, the snow is falling, you have to scrape the car in the morning, and going outside is the last thing you want to do. For those of you in more temperate climates, one fantastic outdoor activity is Zip lining. However, you have to do it right.
We went on vacation this past summer down to the Smoky Mountains of Kentucky. I had heard there was great Zip lining down south, but I wasn’t real familiar with the whole concept. As we were trapped on the main road leading through Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, I saw roadside places that offered zip lining and I thought “Well this can’t be what I have heard so much about. This looks commercial and boring”. After some research on Tripadvisor though, I found the perfect place to go Zip Lining.
We used a Zip line company called Climb Works. As opposed to climbing to the top of a platform on the side of a busy road, this experience required going up a mountain in a van to where the zip line platforms were. We only had to climb up one platform, the rest of the experience was zip lining from one platform to the other- and some were a quarter mile apart. You are required to wear a helmet and a harness-contraption to ensure your safety.
I will admit, I was hesitant at first because I am terrified of heights. When they attached the clip from my harness to the zip line, I didn’t know if I could do it. Once I did finally step off that program, I just yelled “this is funnnnn!” and never worried about the heights again. I zipped over treetops, creeks, ravines, you name it. All you could see was nature, and it was amazing. At some points I was 250 feet in the air, but I didn’t even notice it.
Here are a few things to note about zip lining:
- Almost anyone can do it. My youngest son was too small to go alone, so he ‘piggybacked’ with my daughter. You could hear them laughing as they whipped along to the next platform. I believe it is recommended you be at least 100 pounds to zip line alone. I know there is an upper limit for weight, but it is dependent on the size of the zip line and the distance. Where we went, the upper limit was around 325 pounds I believe.
- It is incredibly easy. The hardest part is landing on the platform. If you pay attention to the instructions the guide provides at the beginning, and you look to the guide as you come in to the platform, you will be fine. You either squinch up into a ball if you need to go faster to reach the platform, or spread out like a starfish if you need to slow down. They will help you.
- It is expensive. We spent 80 dollars a person where we went. However, it lasted about 2.5-3 hours, and it was such a unique experience that it was worth every penny.
- If it is warm out, go in the morning or the evening. It gets hot out there in the sun wearing that harness!
So next time you are on vacation, check to see if zip lining is available. Since many zip line companies are located in remote areas, you may need to do some research to find a perfect place. I promise it is an experience you will not forget.
Crystal’s Comments and Questions: Now I totally want to go! It sounds like a blast! Have any of you ever been zip lining yourselves?
This sounds so fun! I would love to try it!
It actually reminds me of my childhood. My sister and I were pretty inventive when we were younger, and we decided to make our own zip line. We had two large trees in the backyard and decided to tie a rope to the largest tree, looping an old handlebar (from a bicycle) through it, and then tying the remaining end to the shorter tree.
I tried it first and it was a blast! Next, was my sister. She made it about half way and then the rope frayed and broke in two. She plummeted to the ground only to get hit in the head with the handlebar as well! Don’t worry, she was fine. That was the last zip line we made though.
I’m sure the professionals make their zip lines a little stronger than our aged rope!
Last January we went zip lining through the mountains of Puerto Rico – it was incredible! The day long hike through the mountains had about 5-6 ziplines and cost about $180 per person…a little pricey, but it was definitely the highlight of our trip!
Zip lining is great fun indeed. After our oldest did zip lining at a Cub Scout campout, we tried setting a line up in our backyard, from the top of the playhouse, about 12 feet up, down to the corner of the house. It worked for a while, until the playhouse started see-sawing alarmingly with every “zip”. A structural engineer friend of mine later explained about exponential load stresses and forces. I still have all the cables and hardware, which I recall didn’t cost all that much, about $50 or so for all the wire rope, pulleys and hooks.
This stuff is right up my alley. My friend Mike actually has a zip line in his yard as well as a rock climbing wall. We did a lot of rock climbing/mountaineering before kids were in the picture. I can’t wait til they get old enough to start doing it with us.
Really fun post. Way to be a cool mom Kris!
This sounds like a lot of fun. As long as I’m confident it’s safe, and the place has a perfect record in that regard, it’s something that I would surely consider. Seems like one would get such a cool perspective on the forest/terrain, and get such a rush in the process.
Sounds incredibly fun! On my todo list once the winter is over – I didn’t even know such a thing existed!
I tried a very short zip line once in my life. I loved it. But it was expensive and short and the line to get there was huge. I didn’t get enough for the money I paid. Next time if I ever do it, I hope for a longer one.
Zip line sounds like a lot of fun. I haven’t tried it yet, but someday. I guess I shouldn’t try to find the cheapest place to zip line. Probably not a good idea to cheap out at 250 feet in the air.
We have the same thing in Montreal, it’s known as TreeGo and they have several spots all over the province. After the first time I tried it I promised myself this would become a yearly activity! It’s really fun!
Zip lining is so much fun! I went in Hawaii when I was younger, and my wife and I are looking to do it in Catalina this summer!
Life and My Finances: I can totally visualize your story! I would have probably made something similar when I was younger! I am glad everyone is ok, and yes, today the zip lines are made to be a little safer!
Tim: Your story is a perfect example of how doing vacation ‘right’ pays off. I know the money can be hard to part with, but if you save enough in advance and you know what you are getting into, everything works out. The Climb Works Zip Line we did had 12 lines I think. So so fun!
101: I do know many people try to construct zip lines in their backyard. I am glad you caught the ‘flaw’ in yours before something unexpected happened!
First Gen: Not sure I am such a cool mom, but zip lining was a cool experience. My older two and husband got to go twice because my youngest was tentative and so was I. But after they got back the first time, they all told me that you don’t even notice the height and that even I could handle it! So we went back in the morning and drive home afterward.
Squirrel: It actually felt totally safe, much safer than the outfits you would see on the side of the road. Not all zip lining is so high up, but not sure that 250 feet is any riskier than 150 feet.
MoneyCone: I don’t know where you live, but you should try and take advantage of it if you ever travel. Always check Tripadvisor as they have great reviews and you can get honest assessments of what is around to do.
Aloysa: I don’t know much about ziplining as I have only gone the one time. There were 12 zip lines (I think), and the longest I think was 1/4 mile long. (You couldn’t even see the next platform.) It is just so fun!
RB40: Zip lining is one area you don’t want to cheap out on. You go so fast that you need to have more than a few ‘lines’ to go on, and you want to see something that you wouldn’t ordinarily see if you want to get your money’s worth. Zip lining is expensive even at the cruddy places, so you might as well get the biggest bang for your buck.
Beating the Index: Is it very expensive where you go? What is great is even younger ones can do it. They may just have to ride attached to you. Have you been going every year?
Robert: I cannot imagine zip lining in Hawaii. That would be a dream come true. I bet Catalina will be gorgeous too!!
Thanks for commenting everyone!!
I’ve done it at camp with my middle school girls and loved it. It was great to see them helping one another, encouraging those who were shared and problem solving to get through certain obstacles. (The place we went to had a team building component where you have to do ropes courses between certain platforms).
My wife threw me a surprise birthday party where we all did zip lining. It was a total blast. They threw in there some challenges and some jokes; it was great. Highly suggest doing it for something different.
Sounds like you had fun! I tried ziplining in Costa Rica. Can’t remember the price, but it was raining a little. I decided to go anyway. Quite liberating as I screamed through the rainforest. Rain drops whipping by kind of added another dimension to it all. Good times!
Jenna: What a fun thing for the girls, ropes courses plus zip lining. My son went to a ‘ropes course’ this past summer and it was the biggest rip off ever! Glad yours was good.
Darwin: What a great idea for a party. It is one thing you would never want to do while under the influence though!
Buck: That must have been unbelievable to zip line through Costa Rica. Did the rain make it even faster I wonder?
Aktar: I am so excited to see how javascript codings relate so closely to zip lining! I had no idea that people could disable Javascript. I am heading to my browser cache files right now! (BFS, make sure you don’t go deleting Aktar!)
I didn’t know zip lining was available in the U.S. Thanks for sharing this story, I’ll need to see if there’s a zip lining tour near me. It sounds really fun.
Little House- It depends on where you live. I live outside Detroit, so there is absolutely no zip lining around me. (If there was, I certainly wouldn’t want to do it…)
If you find it, give it a try. Or wait until you go on vacation somewhere!
Thank you Kris for providing such an awesome guest post!
Not sure if it made it zip faster, but it did make the whole experience that much more memorable!
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