Bootleg Canyon Flightlines

I think this was our favorite part of our vacation.

We went on Flightlines, they are similar to a zipline, but safer, faster, and more fun! They describe them as "A ZipLine on steroids!"

I can't get our video from line #4 to upload because it's too large, so you'll have to go to their website to see their videos: Bootleg Canyon Flightlines.

We headed to the top of Red Mountain and had an awesome ride on a series of lines that are 1150 - 2550 feet in length. Depending on the wind, you can hit about 65 mph while sitting in a 2 point harness; it's like sitting in a swing.

It's owned by Greenheart LLC, the owner travels the world looking for parks that are struggling to stay open and when he finds an appropriate area he builds flightlines to help bring revenue back to the park. They just finished building flightlines over the Wild Animal Park in San Diego. He is looking into a park in Africa right now. He has locations in Canada, Nevada, California, Haiti.

We were told that Red Mountain was the biggest and baddest he's build so far. YEAH HOO for us!!

Also, these flightlines were built at the top of a mountain that is #8 in the world for extreme downhill mountain biking, so some of the photos are of the trails around the mountain.

We were given 2 instructions. When you left the platform you were in Starfish position, meaning you pulled yourself up as tall as you can to cause the wind friction to slow you down. Then you watch the instructions from the guys at the bottom platform. When they put their hands together above their heads you went into breaking position: lean far back, locking your elbows and legs spread apart. They were extremely clear about spreading our legs out because if you come in too fast and your body whips upward you don't want to hit your feet or legs on the metal A frames. Also, for the two lines that had an incline at the end - if you get close enough they will reach a pole out to you to grab onto so they won't have to come rescue you.

Here are our rules:

WHEN IN DOUBT SPREAD 'EM OUT!

IF SOMEONE STICKS A POLE IN YOUR FACE: GRAB IT AND DON'T LET GO!

Sounds bad huh?! It made for some great laughs though.

The arrow is where we will end this flightline.

The Las Vegas Strip from where we were.

More bike trails.

Harness on, ready to go!

The arrow is where we will end up on line #2.

This is where we are going on line #3.

There is an incline at the end of #2 and #3. If you can't get enough speed or there is a big head-wind, which we had, you may not make it to the end and slide back a few hundred feet.

We got stuck. These are our shadows a few hundred feet above the ground.

Yep, still stuck.

We both almost made it to the platform, but this is how far was slid back.

Here comes our rescue guy (in red).

My free lap dance in Las Vegas! Poor Doug had to watch. He said, "As long as you tip him."

They drag people back in by hand. I couldn't imagine doing this!! You can see the rope leading off to the left, he was dragging Doug in too.

We're almost there! Okay, not really, but we were trying to encourage him.

This is the other couple that was stranded with us. They had to be rescued too.

The instructor shared a story about the net off the end of the platform: Our instructor was catching a woman at this end of the line and she began to slide back out and grabbed him on her way and pulled him off the end of the platform. You can see there is NO ground under the platform; well he fell about 10 feet or so, luckily unhurt, and had to climb back up and then go get her out on the line. After he pulled her all the way back in she said, "Oh, by the way I'm from OSHA and will shut this company down if a net isn't built there." What a JERK!! She pulls him off the platform which could have killed him and then threatens them!

This is where we came from on line #4.

The fabulous rash I got from the ankle brace I was wearing. Hiking up to the platforms was fun without it. Can you sense the sarcasm??
The dust storms whipping up from the wind. We had sustained winds of over 20 mph. They usually shut the tour down when the winds are at 20 mph, but they said we were having a good wind that wouldn't cause anyone to get hurt. We were actually supposed to do the flightlines the day before, but it was cancelled due to wind, so they let us come the next day.

Hanging out waiting for others to come down the line. Enjoying the 107 degrees.

Time to go. Bummer. It's a good photo to show the break system they have on these lines. The red pads are pushed back out for the next person, so you hit one red pad and then another, which will usually stop you, but if you've got some speed behind you the springs will stop you.

Waiting for our van back. Doug carrying his pulley; those things are not light! We had to hike them up to a couple platforms.

Man! Do we need a shower and a nap!! Nope, sorry, it's time to drive home. We stopped in the hotel bathroom on the way to the car and had a little sink bath and off for home we went. Driving home 5 hours later was SO worth it, this trip was awesome!!