Wednesday, July 13, 2016

The Full Moon Zip Line Tour At Sundance Resort #BeUtahful

I am transfixed by views from above. On one hand, I am petrified, on the other, I am elated! Being up high is the only way you can experience certain sights first-hand. Whether that vantage point is on top of a very high sky-scraper, aboard a roller-coaster just before you plummet down at heart-stopping speed, atop a summit that you've just climbed, or from an airplane. All these options are at high altitude, (and of course, there are more---what about sky-diving?) yet they each provide a somewhat different perspective of what being up high really means! And then there is that ever-present gnawing at the back of my gut telling me that were I to accidentally lose control up there in the stratosphere, I would never live to tell the tale!



 Sundance Magic
....Which is why I needed to experience zip-lining at Sundance Resort in Utah! The views at Sundance are among the most amazing in the world and one way you can take it all in is by riding the lifts to the top during the summer months. It's surreal to see Mt. Timpanogos looming in front of you, so majestic and remote. You can either ride up and go back down on the same lift, which is what a lot of people like to do, or you can opt to get down other ways!!! Coming down on a mountain bike is a very awesome way to do things, or you can get down even faster by going on a zip line!!
 I chose to do a zip line at Sundance because of the incredible views and sense of excitement, and I chose to do it in the semi-darkness of a full moon experience!! Let me warn you, it is addictive!!! I absolutely loved it and want to do it again and again!
Sundance has a few different options when it comes to the zipline experience.  There are 5 different spans which, when combined, make up the 3rd longest zipline course in the U.S., almost 2 miles!  It also claims a 2,100 foot vertical drop, which makes it the most vertical zipline drop in the U.S! 

I found it particularly comforting to realize that I was in charge of the rate of speed at which I went down. The patented trolley system allows you to be in charge at all times of your speed. Knowing that, as a newbie, was very comforting, but as someone who will be repeating the experience, I'm going to try and make it as fast as I can get going!

 The Experience
I took my son with me for moral support. He thrives on adrenaline rushes, and didn't pass on any nervous energy to me--I had enough of my own.  
We were greeted by a very friendly staff, who took us through a verbal tour of what we would soon be experiencing firsthand. They helped us harness up our backpacks and zipline gear and escorted us to the lift. 

 It was a gorgeous full-moon June night when we took the lift up. It wasn't quite dark, even though the moon was shining brightly. The views going up were incredible and since the Full Moon Tour utilizes the Outlaw Span, the longest span at the resort, 3,871 ft. I couldn't help but get a few flutters in my belly before we reached the top. The lift riders going down were so friendly and wished us a fun ride down!
We got to the top and were greeted by our first guide. I was surprised because I recognized him as an administrator at the school where I worked. I'm at a different school now and so is he. But it was good to see Ford White! He told us that this is his summer moonlighting dream job. I could see why, it being up in the clouds and the moon shining down! Ford did the initial orientation with us and hooked us up for the demo ride. It was very informative, making me even less nervous.

Now we were ready for what we came to do--zip line to the bottom. Our next guide strapped us in, gave us a few more instructions, and we were off! Wheeeeeee..............!

It was over much too quickly. I started out of the gate fairly quickly and was actually loving it. But then my thought was, "hey, you're probably going at least 65 right now, do you really want to go that fast?" So I slowed down accordingly, and the rest of the ride down was rather anticlimactic. I wish my head hadn't taken over what my instincts were telling me to do, which was to go for it!!!

Next time, I'm going to GO FOR IT! 

You can get more information at the Sundance website! See you on the lines! 









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