-- The ‘Squirrel’ takes flight
for Summer 2010 --
Wisp Resort in Deep Creek Lake,
Maryland, continues to expand on their already long list of
recreational adventure activities offered through the Wisp
Outdoors program. Wisp Resort
is proud to announce the opening
of the new Flying Squirrel Canopy Tour, located above the Wisp
Outdoors Adventure Park. The new guided canopy tour is $39 per
person and reservations are recommended. The Flying Squirrel
Canopy Tour is open daily during summer season from 10:00am –
7:00pm. This new participatory guided tour is a combination of
a challenge course and zip line.
Phoenix Experiential Designs of
Linville, NC was contracted to engineer and construct the guided
canopy tour. Construction began on April 26, 2010 and after two
months of construction, testing and training, on June 28, 2010,
the Flying Squirrel Canopy Tour was passed by the Maryland
Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulations, who work closely
with Wisp Resort on the Chairlift and Mountain Coaster
operations. Wisp Resort’s General Manager, Tim Prather, was
among the first to try the newly constructed guided tour, “I
thought it was going to be fairly tame but, oh man, it is NOT!
I felt like an eagle landing on a postage stamp.”
The Flying Squirrel Canopy Tour
begins with gear preparation at the Wisp Outdoors Adventure
Building. Two Wisp Outdoors Adventure Guides will outfit up to
eight guests per tour each with a climbing harness, two safety
tethers, a micro-trolley, safety helmet and gloves. The
Adventure Guides will escort participants up the Bear Claw
Conveyor Carpet to the practice area where guests will learn how
to brake, steer and zip along the cables. The canopy tour
starts with a scurry up the cargo net feature to the first
platform. Once secured onto the 12-ft high platform, a 160-ft
zip will transport guests to the next challenge – a Burma
Bridge. Participants will navigate the 3-point rope bridge
carefully to the next platform and prepare for the second zip
over 150-ft of cable. A Plank Bridge, with a few strategically
missing planks, must be crossed carefully to set up for the
third zip of 180-ft to the ‘Eagle’s Nest’ platform. The
‘Eagle’s Nest’ is the highest point of the canopy tour, towering
at over 40-ft high with a view of McHenry Cove on Deep Creek
Lake. Guests will then face the tour’s longest zip of 400-ft
across the Bear Claw Tubing Hill onto the seventh
platform, known as ‘Mallard’s Landing’. A final zip of 400-ft
back across the tubing hill will place guests onto the ‘Leap of
Faith’ platform where the only place to go is down. After a
deep breath, guests will ease themselves off the 30-ft high
platform back down to solid ground to complete the Flying
Squirrel Canopy Tour!
Tips for Canopy Touring:
-
Close-toed shoes are required along with
comfortable attire
-
Maximum weight of 250 lbs., Minimum weight of
70 lbs.
-
No maximum age, Minimum 10 years of age
-
A liability waiver must be
signed prior to touring. Anyone under the age of 18 needs a
parent or guardian signature.