Out of snow but still want to rocket down a mountain at breakneck speed? Catamount Mountain Resort is on hand to scratch that itch, with what will soon be the longest zip line in the United States.
Opening in May, the Catamount Zip Tour will send riders from upstate New York into Massachusetts on a cable suspended hundreds of feet above the trees — a 5,523-foot line that traverses the Berkshire/Taconic Mountains.
That’s a bit more than a mile, and the entire ride takes roughly two hours.
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,” which starts about 1,300 feet into the 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 ride first carries passengers about 15 feet above the ground, and then 1,300 feet later, the Earth drops out from under.
Passengers sail along with views of the New York Capital Region, Massachusetts and the southern Vermont mountains, alighting at the Massachusetts end 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.
