Soaring Tree Top Adventures Facts

Contact

Dionne Beggrow
www.SoaringColorado.com
970.769.2357

Soaring® Tree Top Adventures, a canopy-tour zip line activity in Durango, Colorado, is the first of its kind and scale in the United States. Soaring® first opened its course to the public in 2004.

• Soaring has been rated the #1 Attraction in the United States on TripAdvisor.com, a site for unbiased guest reviews of lodging and attractions visited.  Soaring is also rated the #1 Attraction in Colorado and #1 in Durango.
• Soaring® Tree Top Adventures is the largest and safest canopy tour course in the world. The course consists of a network of 27 spans, 39 platforms, and over 1.5 miles of zip line spans.
• There is no road access to Soaring® Canopy Tours.  Guests arrive by the historic Durango & Silverton train, which provides two unique adventures in one day.
• The course is constructed entirely of stainless steel (platforms, cables, turnbuckles, etc.) and will never rust.
• Soaring uses helicopter-grade, 19-7 reverse-wrap, stainless steel cable, unlike the galvanized 7-19 wrap cables used at other zip line courses.  The coarser wrap is how “zip line” got its name, as it emits a loud, “zipping” noise. Soaring’s® smooth cables allow guests to enjoy the serenity of the old-growth forest, and will never flake rust off the lines as galvanized steel does.  This type of cable is used in helicopter rescues and “long-lining.”
• Soaring spans range in length from 56 feet to 1,400 feet.  Guests soar in old-growth Ponderosa forest, over and through Aspen groves, through mountain glens and over the crisp waters of the Animas River.
• Soaring Canopy Tours features a patented block and cable suspension system that is completely non-invasive to the old-growth Ponderosa pines (200-350 years old) it uses to hold the lacy stainless steel platforms to the trees, making it 100% ecologically friendly.  NO hooks, bolts or screws penetrate or harm any tree in the course.
• A second patent is Soaring’s unique non-braking system, that allows guests to soar across each cable and gently arrive to the next platform without the need of gloves or devices to slow themselves down.  
• The patented non-braking system plus the skilled Sky Rangers that send and receive guests at each platform mean that the course is safe and fun for guests of all ages.  Soaring® has hosted families, groups and individuals ranging in age from 5 to 91.
• With redundancies and backups built into every aspect of the design, Soaring’s zip line course is considered to be the safest zip line course anywhere.  
• Safety is the number one priority at Soaring® Tree Top Adventures.  Sky Rangers are Wilderness First Responder and CPR certified, and trained in safety and emergency protocol for the trees.  
• All guest harnesses and personal safety hardware is manufactured by Petzl, a French company that is world renowned for the finest quality climbing and rescue gear.
• Soaring includes a full eco-tour hosted by Eco Rangers that spend the day in the trees with the guests.  Guests learn about the relationships between the trees and animals that exist in our old-growth forest and how they work together in this unique environment.  Eco Rangers also talk about how Soaring has decreased its global footprint by adapting several sustainable practices for reducing our global footprint that can be adapted at home.
• Soaring lasts 5 ½ hours, and includes a four-course gourmet lunch served on an elevated platform in the trees overlooking the Animas River as well as a full eco-tour as part of the interaction while Soaring along the course.
• Soaring is open 7 days a week, May 17 through October 20 and can accommodate up to 70 guests per day.  Advance reservations are required.
• In 2009, Soaring added private First Class Soaring train cars, the Tall Timber Legend and Legacy, so that the guests’ five star experience begins from the moment they embark on their journey to Soaring.
• June 15, 2012 marked the inaugural run of the “Knight Sky”, a brand new, custom-built First Class vista train car that Soaring built and is now owned by the D&SNGRR.  Soaring guests may ride any of the three First Class cars to Soaring (mid June-mid August).  The windowed ceiling allows for excellent viewing of the Animas river canyon.
• The 2013 price for Soaring® Canopy Tours is $459 per person, which includes round-trip train transportation in Soaring’s private first class train cars, a full day at Soaring®, lunch, eco-tour and all equipment, guides and gear.