05-07-09 - 8:50 a.m. -
Warm weather and rain have in the past brought a summer slumber to the ski trails of Catamount, but not this year.
The ski area is opening a terrain ”zip park” this summer—Catamount Adventure Park—which is billed as the first of its kind between New York City and the Adirondacks, Catamount partner Rich Edwards told ccSCOOP.
“This is something that is widely popular in Europe, not yet in the U.S., but we think the time will come,” Edwards said. Through a joint venture with Outdoor Ventures LLC, the owners of Catamount developed “the largest aerial forest adventure park in North America,” he said. |
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The park will allow adventurers to “zip,” climb, tight-rope walk, or crawl from tree top to tree top using harnesses, cables, tree stands, and other devices. As described by Catamount officials, the zip park consists of platforms that have been installed in the trees with ropes and cables connecting them to form "a bridge." The objective is to move from tree platform to tree platform, walking over the different secured bridges to complete the course. There are some small- scale zip lines throughout the eight different courses.
Construction of the park started in the cold of January, while skiers on the slopes zipped by construction workers in the trees above. The park will open on May 15, Edwards said.
Ann Cooper of the Columbia County Tourism Department heralded the news of a new attraction in the county. “It’s exciting. It will bring new visitors into the county who will hopefully see what else we have to offer,” she said.
The four-acre park will feature numerous courses for visitors of all levels. From beginner to “most difficult,” the level of difficulty for the courses will be indicated by color—green, blue, dark—as ski trails are. Anyone over the age of 8 can try their strength and skills on the courses, Edwards said.
He said the idea behind the park was “put to paper” last summer and planning began in earnest last fall. “It’s something different for the area. It’s not like going to a water park or an amusement park. You are physically doing something,” said Edwards.
He said that Catamount as a wintertime destination routinely draws from about as far as 90 miles away and he hopes that will continue with the adventure park.
“It’s a day trip for many people, and it’s something different,” Edwards said.
Besides the adventure park—which cost $250,000 to construct—a cafeteria will be open at Catamount to offer provisions.
The adventure park is approximately a five-minute hike from the main lodge, which is made through a nice “walking path through a wooded area,” Edwards said.
The Catamount Adventure Park will open on Friday, May 15, and remain open on weekends through June 12. Beginning June 15, the park will be open every day throughout the summer, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
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