Sonoma Zipline Adventures offers canopy tours between 200- and 250-feet high. [Photo courtesy Sonoma Zipline Adventures]
Ziplining involves the use of a steel cable to connect two towers or trees, usually a substantial distance from each other, with the platform at the starting point at a higher elevation than the landing at the other end. The force of gravity moves a rider along with the help of a trolley on wheels attached to the line so that the force of friction, which is greater than the force of gravity, won’t slow down the passage and risk stranding the rider. The concept is an old one. The people of the Himalayas and the Alps used primitive ziplines centuries ago, before they built bridges, to cross deep valleys and dangerous terrain and transport people and supplies from one spot to another without risking the hazards below. Before the arrival of European explorers, the Hualapai tribe in the American west used ropes made from local plants to create ziplines that carried them across parts of the Grand Canyon. Modern ziplines trace their origin to the 1970s, when Donald Perry, a graduate student at California State University, Northridge, who was studying the wildlife of Costa Rica for a doctorate in biology, designed and built a zipline to help with his research. He needed a way to observe the forest canopy without disturbing the environment or dealing with biting insects, and a zipline allowed him to travel aloft through the rainforest and get a clear view of the canopy and its denizens without climbing trees. His innovative use of an old method attracted the attention of the media, and in 1995, Darren Hreniuk, a Canadian, followed Perry’s example and built the first recreational zip course in Costa Rica. From there, ziplining for sport spread, and since then it has become increasingly popular. Today, the United States boasts more than 400 ziplines, with two operators in Sonoma County giving people of a wide range of ages the opportunity to soar either
through or over stands of giant redwood trees, sharing fresh air and open spaces with birds and other flying creatures.
Looking for adventure Terri Carrillo of Santa Rosa has visited Sonoma Zipline Adventures in Occidental three times. The first time, she wanted to try ziplining because it was something new, and she and her partner went with his daughter and her fiancé, who were in their 20s. They did Forest Flight, a canopy tour 200 feet high that goes through the redwood trees and was the only course at the time. On her second outing, she did Tree Tops, which is newer, 50 feet higher and goes above the trees. It is reputedly the longest line in Northern California. This time, the tour was a treat for her 18-year-old goddaughter so they could do something special together before she left for college. “We had a blast. It was so much fun,” says Carrillo. She did Tree Tops again in October 2022 with eight friends she’d worked with during her career in the corporate world, who had come from Wisconsin to visit and enjoy a week’s worth of activities. They were all in their 60s and 70s. “Some people in their 20s joined us, and they were impressed that we were doing this,” she reports. Next, she says, “I’d like to do the overnight. Now they have beautiful treehouses.” Sonoma Zipline Adventures is located at Alliance Redwoods Conference Grounds, a 75-year-old faith-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that operates a camp and conference center to serve the community and churches. Revenues from the zipline business allow the Conference Grounds to serve people such as refugees and foster children, and among their efforts to help others, they housed unsheltered individuals
46 NorthBaybiz
May 2024
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