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soaring logo in black and whiteSoaring® Tree Top Adventures Media Fact Sheet - 2009

 

  • Soaring® Tree Top Adventures, a canopy-tour zip line activity in Durango, Colorado, is the first of its kind and scale in the United States.
  • There is no road access to Soaring® Canopy Tours. Guests arrive by the historic Durango & Silverton train.
  • Soaring® Tree Top Adventures is the largest, highest and safest canopy tour course available.
  • Soaring® first opened its course to the public in 2004.
  • The course consists of a network of over 24 spans, 34 platforms, and over 1.2 miles of zip line spans.
  • The course is constructed entirely of stainless steel (platforms, cables, turnbuckles, etc.) and will never rust.
  • Soaring® uses helicopter-grade, 19-7 reverse-wrap, stainless steel cable, unlike the galvanized 7-19 wrap cables used at zip line courses. The coarser wrap is how “zip line” got its name, as it emits a loud, “zipping” noise. Soaring’s® smooth cables allow guests to enjoy the serenity of the old-growth forest, and will never flake rust off the lines as galvanized steel does.
  • Soaring® Spans range in length from 56 feet to 1,400 feet. Guests soar in old-growth Ponderosa forest, over and through Aspen groves, through mountain glens and over the crisp waters of the Animas River.
  • Soaring® Canopy Tours features a patented block and cable suspension system that is completely non-invasive to the old-growth Ponderosa pines it uses to hold the lacy stainless steel platforms to the trees, making it 100% ecologically friendly. NO hooks, bolts or screws penetrate or harm any tree in the course.
  • A second patent is Soaring’s® unique non-braking system, that allows guests to soar across each cable and gently arrive to the next platform without the need of gloves or devices to slow themselves down.
  • The patented non-braking system plus the skilled Sky Rangers that send and receive guests at each platform mean that the course is safe and fun for guests of all ages. Soaring® has hosted families, groups and individuals ranging in age from 5 to 91.
  • With redundancies and backups built into every aspect of the design, Soaring’s® zip line course is considered to be the safest zip line course anywhere.
  • Safety is the number one priority at Soaring® Tree Top Adventures. Sky Rangers are Wilderness First Responder and CPR certified, and are trained in safety and emergency protocol for the trees.
  • All guest harnesses and personal safety hardware is manufactured by Petzl, a French company that is world renowned for the finest quality climbing and rescue gear.
  • Soaring® includes a full eco-tour hosted by Eco Rangers that spend the day in the trees with the guests. Guests learn about the relationships between the trees and animals that exist in our old-growth forest and how they work together in this unique environment. Eco Rangers also talk about how Soaring® has decreased its global footprint by adapting several sustainable practices for reducing our global footprint that can be adapted at home.
  • Soaring® lasts 5 ½ hours, and includes a four-course gourmet lunch served on an elevated platform in the trees overlooking the Animas River as well as a full eco-tour as part of the interaction while Soaring® along the course.
  • Soaring® is open 7 days a week, May 15 through October 18 and can accommodate up to 60 guests per day.
  • In 2009, Soaring® has added first class Soaring train cars, the Tall Timber Legend and Legacy, so that the guests’ first class experience begins from the moment they embark on their journey to Soaring.®
  • The 2009 price for Soaring® Canopy Tours is $399 per person, which includes round-trip train transportation in Soaring’s private first class train cars, a full day at Soaring®, lunch, eco-tour and all equipment, guides and gear.