Blog for Zipline Attraction in the Smoky Mountains
Located in Pigeon Forge, TN and near Gatlinburg and Sevierville.
5 Things Only Zipliners Are Wondering Today
By Ross Bodhi Ogle
Posted on July 9, 2019
You have to admit it; ziplining is a unique way to spend a morning or afternoon when you're on vacation. There's nothing else quite like it – especially in the Smokies – because it combines so many great elements. You get to spend time outdoors, you're treated to some fantastic mountain views, you get an adrenaline rush unlike any other you're likely to experience in this area, you get to spend time with family/friends, and you may very well be doing something that pushes you outside your comfort zone or possibly even gets you to confront a fear or two.
With so much going on in one outing, it may come as no surprise that visitors to Smoky Mountain Ziplines experience thoughts and feelings that most other area vacationers are probably NOT going through. Here are just a few examples:
1. “That safety harness sure is snug around my crotch.”
It's true that our safety harnesses do fit snugly, but remember that this is probably the most important piece of gear you'll wear during your canopy tour. It's what keeps you securely attached to the zipline trolley as it zooms along the cable. Our guides have lots of practice picking out just the right size harness for each guest and making sure that it fits snugly without being uncomfortably tight. We want you to be secure, not blue in the face.
2. “Is everyone else as nervous as I am?”
Probably. When you're waiting at our outpost for your tour to start, or when you're riding up the mountain to the first zipline in our transport vehicle, just take a look around at your fellow guests. Chances are they're feeling whatever your feeling, even if they're wearing a brave smile to carry them through the moment. It's natural and normal to feel some jitters right before taking off on that first zipline of the day. Even if you've ziplined several times in the past, butterflies are to be expected. But once you get that first line under you belt, we're willing to bet that you'll be stoked for more!
3. “Why am I facing in the wrong direction?”
If you execute proper zipline form, you have a good chance of facing forward for the complete length of your zipline ride. But sometimes, things happen, and that's OK. Maybe it's a little windy, or maybe you just get turned around somehow. Physics is weird like that. Don't worry about it; you're still perfectly safe. The views are just as good traveling backward as they are traveling forward.
4. “What if I'm going too fast at the end?”
There are safety mechanisms in place at the end of each zipline to ensure that even if you're still zooming along at a good clip as the landing platform approaches, you'll slow down enough to safely touch down on the landing platform. There's a piece of hardware mounted near the end of the cable that acts as a braking device and slows you down just before you reach the deck. That makes it easy for you to just set your feet down and come to a stop.
5. “What if I come to a stop before I reach the end of the zipline?”
That same piece of braking gear will come to the rescue. If you stop before your legs can touch down on the landing deck, the hardware is rigged so that it can be slid out to your location, where it will snag your zipline trolley and allow the guides to reel you back in. Just like a fish!
The bottom line is that from safety gear to course design to professional, experienced guides, you have nothing to worry about when you come out to play with us. And after you've become king or queen of the zipline, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg have even more fun in store, making our attraction a part of an overall great Smoky Mountains vacation.
