Out of snow but still want to rocket down a mountain at breakneck speed? Upstate New York’s Catamount Mountain Resort is on hand to scratch that itch, with what the company says is the longest zip line in the United States.
The Catamount Zip Tour transports riders from the top of a mountain via a cable suspended hundreds of feet above the trees — a 5,523-foot line, a bit more than a mile.
Thrill-seekers are assured they won’t be left be haplessly hurtling, as they’ll have braking privileges. But riders can also let their speed flags fly on a section the resort has dubbed the “Cata-monster,” the third leg of a three-part ride, when the ground drops away, leaving the rider suspended 270 feet in the air.
“Our unique braking system allows you to control your speed — race each other down our dual-spans at speeds of up to 55+ mph, or take it nice and slow while soaking in the magnificent views of the Berkshires and the Hudson Valley,” the resort’s website says.
The two-hour ride consists of three spans, the first one for training people on how to use the braking system and other safety measures. Then they take a chairlift to the top of the mountain for a 900-foot-long ride across the top of the ridge, Catamount marketing manager Ian Tomasch told the Daily News.
From there a short walk of “a few feet” takes riders to the most adventurous portion, the so-called Cata-monster, the mile-long pinnacle of the experience. The entire way, passengers sail along with views of the New York Capital Region, Massachusetts and the southern Vermont mountains, alighting next to the cable’s concrete anchors.
The journey includes safety training, harness fitting and a chairlift ride to the starting point at the top of the mountain. The ride opens for the season in mid-May and runs through mid-November, at a cost of $99 for weekdays and $109 on weekends and holidays.
All participants must be at least 10 years old, 55 inches tall and weigh between 50 and 260 pounds.
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