This past June, while planning a visit to Colorado, my husband and I found ourselves perusing the internet looking for fun activities. He happened to find a Groupon for Royal Gorge Zip Line. Since I had never seen Royal Gorge previously, I thought it might be a fun day trip from Vale. He asked me if I would like to take part in the ‘Extreme Zip Line Tour,’ and I said yes. Basically these zip lines are faster and longer than most others. What he failed to tell me was that there would be a seventy foot tower at the very end, and only two ways down.

This definitely is not a mild course. As I said, it is extreme. There is some hiking involved, so if you use an inhaler I would recommend you bring it along. The hiking goes pretty fast, though the climbs are intense at times. The crew provides plenty of water along the way and a small snack after the largest jaunt. The fastest line can reach up to sixty miles per hour, and the longest line is over a third of a mile long. This course does have weight stipulations. You must be between seventy-five and two-hundred-and-fifty pounds.

The lines are an absolute blast and our guides, Michaela and Sami, were hilarious. They were knowledgeable and they kept us laughing all while maintaining our safety. Sami will cheer you on the whole way and Michaela will make jokes to lighten your hike. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for a one-of-a-kind experience.

As I said earlier, the tower at the end of the course is seventy feet tall. Upon arriving at the tower I had no idea that there were only two ways down. None of which is a ladder. You have to jump. There is no way around it. The only question is whether or not it’s a slow belay down or a free-fall and then belaying the rest of the way. I chose to jump. They told me that going backwards sometimes is easier if you are afraid of heights, which I am. I decided that backwards was my best option. I made a mistake. Instead of hopping back off the tower I let myself fall backwards. My feet did not leave the tower as I was falling, and very quickly I was upside down thinking, “Oh, F—! I don’t think I’m supposed to be upside down.” Pardon my internal monologue. I was a little panicked as my brain quickly whipped through what I knew was coming next. The strap tightened and my body was instantaneously jerked back around to an upright position. I had a nice burn on the back of my shoulder, but I didn’t break or dislocate anything, so I’ll call it a success.

After I was safely on the ground I looked up to see my husband standing on the edge of the tower. This man is a dare-devil and he stands atop mountain peaks on a regular basis. I saw him pause briefly as he took in the distance to the ground. It is definitely an adrenaline rush. No one wanted to jump off the tower immediately, but I will tell you one thing, it goes so fast you barely realize what happened. His jump was more graceful than mine. Everyone’s jump was more graceful than mine, but at least I can say I did it. I had fun and made some great memories. If you want to face your fear of heights, check out this course. You won’t be sorry… or maybe you will. Either way, you’ll be jumping off a 70 foot tower before the adventure’s end.

For more information on Royal Gorge Zip Line Tours, visit: https://royalgorgeziplinetours.com/