Fly through the forest on a mountain roller coaster

UPSTATE | ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS

USATODAYSPECIALEDITION

OLYMPIC REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

On a Roll New York debuts mountain coaster near Lake Placid

By Joseph Spector

NE OF THE NATION’S

Olongest mountain coasters opened in October near the Lake Placid Olympic sites.

At 7,650 feet long , the new Cliffside Coaster at Mount Van Hoevenberg rivals those in the Smoky Mountains and Colorado, according to New York officials.

The 1.4-mile mountain coaster travels alongside the 1980 Olympic bobsled track and is the newest year-round attraction at the Olympic park, according to the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) , which owns the facility.

“The Cliff side Coaster is one of our latest and most thrilling additions to the (ORDA) venues and part of our ongoing effort to modernize the entire Mount Van Hoevenberg complex,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement.

“This revitalization is transforming the complex into a year-round provider of excitement and entertainment for both athletes and families, which will attract more summer visitors and provide a critical boost to local businesses as we work to build back better,” Cuomo said.

The coaster will be open on weekends only, weather permitting. Tickets are $55 for a driver or $65 for a driver and passenger. Guests must prepurchase tickets online. As part of its COVID-19 safety protocols, coaster carts are sanitized between each use, and face coverings are required.

The coaster travels 2,250 feet uphill and 5,400 feet downhill, with an elevation change of 495 feet, according to the state authority. It is equipped with a timing and audio system that “allows visitors to experience the thrill of what it was like to be an Olympic bobsledder during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid,” the state’s announcement read. There is “informative and exciting commentary for riders as they glide through twists and turns that replicate the historic track.”

“The views are amazing, and the curves get your heart pounding,” ORDA president Mike Pratt said in a statement. “Everyone will feel like they deserve a medal.”

Joseph Spector writes for the (Rochester, N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle.