The Soaring Eagle is under construction now according to Mike Bandera, Vice-President and General Manager, and will be ready for the public as early as the end of April 2012. “We can hardly wait,” said Bandera. “We found the perfect thrill ride that enhances the great experiences of the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, and it’s family-friendly.”
Sitting on the North side of the Royal Gorge Bridge, The Soaring Eagle Zip Line will be perched on a 1,000 foot granite wall. Two zip lines carrying two riders each zip 700 feet over canyon walls from 1,000 to 800 feet above the Arkansas River, and then zip back at approximately 35 miles per hour. Unlike a typical canopy type zip line tour, riders are secured into a “chair” that gives guests freedom of movement for the arms and legs.
“It’s sister attraction, the Royal Rush Skycoaster, has had tremendous success at the park and has not only been a good business decision, but an extremely popular venue with our guests, and the Soaring Eagle will be just a thrilling and popular,” said Bandera. On The Royal Rush, guests swing out from a 100 foot tower, and over the Royal Gorge, about 1,200 feet below. The Royal Rush and The Soaring Eagle are both extra pay features in the park.
Stan Checketts, Soaring Eagle attraction designer, Logan, Utah, has created many rides for the attractions industry safely thrilling over 1 billion patrons worldwide. He said, “the beauty of this ride is the fact that it’s a 1,000 feet up in the air, that in itself gives you a different perspective.” Checketts, creator of the Big Shot on top of the Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas, said “it’s the same principle as that ride, it’s a great ride on the ground, but you put it a thousand feet in the air, and you’ve got a whole new dimension.”
“The beautiful thing about the Soaring Eagle is you can ride with your date, or your grandchild side by side,” he said. Checketts has installed several Soaring Eagles, and this will be the ninth in the world. “There is no doubt in my mind that this is the world’s highest Soaring Eagle!”
The Royal Gorge Bridge & Park is a natural attraction known for it’s majestic Colorado scenery since 1929 when Canon City built the world’s highest suspension bridge. The attraction just an hour south of Colorado Springs is one of the premier attractions in Colorado according to attendance records and longevity. The park also houses one of the world’s steepest Incline Railways,and one of the world’s longest single-span Aerial Tram’s. The park adds a dozen more rides, shows, and attractions for the tourist season in this mountain setting which begins the last week in April. For more information visit http://www.royalgorgebridge.com.