Go flying – not in an airplane or on a trapeze – but across timbered hillsides and over a lake along thrilling zip-line rides that are offered at the new High Life Adventures. From 70 feet above the ground, it’s easy to see that the high life provides a bird’s eye view to take your breath away.
Guide Dale Larson said, “As soon as we clip you in, you are playing with gravity as you head downhill along an awesome fun ride. Folks just love it.” You will too when you ride the new zip line course at High Life Adventures in Warrenton, Oregon.
The remarkable outdoor experience is the brainchild of owner Dave Larson, who created the new adventure playground on his 30-acre timbered homestead in rural Clatsop County. The recreation mecca offers 8 distinctive zip lines with a grand total of more than a mile of steel cables anchored in the hillsides by big timbers and steel beams. Each of the eight zip lines is connected with easy to moderate hiking trails that provide a fun three-hour hiking-flying getaway that entices and challenges thrill seekers of all ages.
“The challenge is measured by the height of the starting point relative to the end,” said Larson. “That drop helps build the speed and it goes faster as you proceed.” Some zip lines are short – just a few hundred feet – while others are more than a thousand feet long, and the multiple speedy zip lines are certainly exciting to ride.
“Some people who visit us have zip-lined before, but for most it is a first-time affair,” said Shane Dean, the manager for High Life Adventures. ”Most folks come here looking for a good time and they are here for three hours or more. As they fly through our forest, they find the thrill of their lifetimes.”
It’s that thrill that enticed Crystal and Joe Neher to spend the afternoon on the zip lines – neither had done anything like it before and she enthusiastically agreed that it was special. “I’d be happy to ride one zip line, but here you get to ride eight. You fly along, listening to the sound of the zip line trolley on the cable and it’s so much fun – exhilarating!”
Feel like taking a cool dip on a warm day? You can. There’s a 7-acre lake below Zip-Line #7, named The Maple. “We can actually lengthen your lanyard out a little so you can do a hand-drag or a foot-drag in the lake,” said guide Dale Larson. He added with a chuckle, “For the more adventurous, we can even bounce the cable a bit and let you do a bottom drag into the water.”
The cable rating is for more than 26,000 pounds, noted Dave Larson. Plus, the harness and lanyard and trolley specs are all exceed 5,000 pounds. So you’re not going anywhere but safely downhill on the cable.“We want absolute safety, and the way our harness is designed and worn, it’s virtually impossible to get out of it when you’re on a zip line.”
That’s good to know when you step up on the tall tower to hook up to the twin 1200-foot cables named Spruce and Willow. It’s a side-by-side chance to race to the course’s finish on a unique adventure that will bring you back for more.
“It’s pretty tough not to smile on a zip line,” said Larson. He’s right! High Life Adventures is a fine memory maker for a special family activity day. The unique recreation destination operates zip line tours by reservation only each Friday through Tuesday at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. through the winter.
