Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
The zipline trend is really taking off in Western North Carolina. Press release here from loyal reader Lydia:
BARNARDSVILLE, N.C. – Imagine exploring a century-old forest from high among the treetops, watching a bird fly below as you traverse a sky-bridge, or gliding across a wide valley floor – all against the backdrop of western North Carolina’s beautiful mountains.
NAVITAT CANOPY ADVENTURES is combining the exhilaration of a zip line tour with the educational experience of a Costa Rican rainforest-style canopy excursion to create a new outdoor adventure just 20 minutes north of downtown Asheville, N.C. Tours begin in mid-April.
“This is going to be an experience unlike anything you’ll find in this part of the country,” said Ken Stamps, Managing Partner of NAVITAT CANOPY ADVENTURES. “It will be thrilling and enlightening, and will give our guests a new perspective on their natural surroundings and, hopefully, on themselves.”
Designed by Bonsai Design Inc., the leading canopy tour installer in the country, the course will be comprised of artfully constructed platforms nestled in the trees and connected by a series of sky-bridges, zip lines and rappels. Guests will be escorted at all times by experienced guides as they move through the course. The design is entirely tree-based and uses no poles or other structures to support the platforms and course features. Upon completion, the course will vary in height from 2 feet to more than 200 feet off the ground, and zip lines range from 50 feet to 1,100 feet in length.
The course is situated in Moody Cove, a 240-acre tract of forestland just north of Barnardsville. The site is home to forests of hardwoods — some more than 100 years old — native and rare plant species, streams and mountain wildlife.
“This course site is just awesome — its size and topography, the views it provides, and just how pristine and peaceful it is,” said John Walker, NAVITAT partner and president of Bonsai Design Inc. “We’re taking great care in designing all the course elements so that we’re not only highlighting the land’s natural beauty, but also protecting it.”
