New York is chock full of super cool things to experience, either by yourself or with friends and family. We recently brought you a story about a zipline that will have you and your friends flying over Niagara Falls, and while that is incredibly cool, it may not be your thing. If you would rather cruise down a mountain side in a tiny car affixed to a track, than maybe the following is a better option for you.
New York is home to America’s longest ‘mountain coaster’. A 7,000 foot roller coaster that offers thrilling rides down a massive mountain! The 7,000-foot-long track that runs along the Adirondacks and is parallel to the former Olympic bobsled course.
The coaster has been open and operating on the weekends all year long, showing off some very stunning views of the surrounding countryside, including Mt. Van Hovenberg. The mountain coaster, known as The Cliffside Mountain Coaster, isn’t just full of beautiful scenery, it also offers a very detailed bit of Olympic history.
The mountain coaster cars have audio inside that narrates the history of the Lake Placid Olympic Site. John Morgan lends his voice to the narration. He also voiced the 1993 Disney movie “Cool Runnings.”
The Cliffside Mountain Coaster is part of a bigger reactivation of the Mt. Van Hoevenberg complex, which is a site striving to preserve the Olympic legacy surrounding Lake Placid. It is an area that offers visitors a chance to go cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or hiking. There is also a half-mile bobsled course for those who are more adventurous and crave an adrenaline rush.
Lake Placid has played host to the Winter Olympic Games twice before, once in 1932 and 1980. The new mountain coaster traces the same route as the Olympic Bobsled track that was used during those Olympic Games.
The Olympic Regional Development Authority President and CEO, Mike Pratt, said in a statement, “The views are amazing, and the curves get your heart pounding. Everyone will feel like they deserve a medal.”
Mountain coasters come with their own handbrakes in order for the rider to be able to control the speed. Thus, mountain coasters are becoming more popular at ski resorts and other mountain towns. There have been several built in Colorado already, where people like to enjoy them as well as the ski lifts.
How fun!