LEAVENWORTH, Wash. — The Leavenworth Adventure Park celebrated its grand opening on Thursday.
The park features Washington state's first Alpine Coaster. There are also giant trampolines, a climbing wall, a mining sluice and an impressive Alpine Slide.
Dave Moffett is the lead developer of the action park. His family owned and operated The Summit at Snoqualmie. His Alpine Coaster vision began in the 1990s when he started researching the possibility of adding one at his family's previous park.
“The Alpine Coaster is a bit of a rare bird,” Moffett said.
Invented in Germany, the Alpine Coaster is different from an Alpine Slide in that riders aren't sledding or sliding down a hill, but instead are attached to a track with rails. Riders control their own speed with hand levers.
Super Lou’s Tumwater Twister Alpine Coaster gives riders the flexibility to create their own experience; use the brakes on the sled to enjoy a scenic tour and gorgeous views of Tumwater Canyon, Icicle Ridge, the Wenatchee River rapids, and the town of Leavenworth, or cruise at full speed of up to 27 mph for a fast, thrilling ride along the track’s three-helix circles, drops and curves.
“What makes this coaster so thrilling is definitely the three 360-degree helix circle turns and the incredible views," Moffet said. "People from all over are going to brag about this exciting ride!”
Each German-engineered sled holds one to two people and contains numerous safety features including tamper-proof lockable safety belts.
Much like a traditional ski mountain rope tow, the Alpine Coaster uses a cable to pull riders up the side of Tumwater Canyon more than 230 feet before gravity takes over for the descent. With no power propelling the coaster, the ride is relatively quiet and the views are stunning. From start to finish the coaster experience lasts about four minutes.
Rides on the coaster are $20 for one ride or $48 for three rides.
Moffet suggested people who want to ride the coaster book online ahead of time. For reservations, restrictions and hours visit the Alpine Adventure Park website.
The German coaster fits right in with Leavenworth's Bavarian style. The town features Alpine-style buildings with restaurants serving German-themed menus. The relatively tiny town relies on tourism dollars and after an uncertain stretch of pandemic closures, the city is anxious for a busy summer.
Mayor Carl Florea says despite having a population of just over 2,000 residents, Leavenworth welcomes more than two million visitors a year. Having something to offer for everyone is a part of their mission.
“We aren’t focused on tourism recovery, we are focused on sustainable tourism,” said Florea.