There's really no feeling that can compare to getting on your favorite rollercoaster at an amusement park and feeling your stomach drop into your toes. A new adrenaline-fueled attraction recently made its debut on the East Coast. This mountain coaster in North Carolina is finally up and ready to take you on an alpine ride! Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster is located in Banner Elk, North Carolina, right down the road from Sugar Mountain Ski Resort. The coaster is still in its first phase of opening, so only visitors who live within 45 minutes of the location will be able to make a reservation to ride. They'll also be offering a $3 discount on reservations during the initial phase. But don't lose hope just yet out-of-towners. For those of you who live a bit further away, the business announced on Facebook that they're hoping for a full opening to all riders after May 22. The mountainside ride was first announced in January with an original opening date expected for sometime in mid-February. Due to inspections and COVID-19 setbacks, that date was pushed back, but soon everyone will be able to enjoy this downhill jam. The coaster's track is more than 2,000 feet long and works with gravity. You control your speed using a lever on the cart, so even those who hate rollercoasters can enjoy this attraction at their own pace. View this post on Instagram It’s a beautiful day here at the coaster. We know everyone is eager for us to open. We currently are waiting on county and state inspections. Till those are completed we can’t open. We hope this happen in the next couple weeks. A post shared by Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster (@wildernessrunalpinecoaster) on Mar 21, 2020 at 1:18pm PDT Not only will riders get a thrill while zipping down the mountain, but they'll also get some pretty spectacular views of Sugar Mountain. After deciding whether to ride in a single- or two-seater, the cart will slowly take you up to the very top of the mountain and then let her rip down the tracks' twists and turns. View this post on Instagram @_on_deck_ killed our massive deck installation. We are thrilled to have worked with this group and love it. It’s definitely a show stopper! A post shared by Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster (@wildernessrunalpinecoaster) on Feb 19, 2020 at 8:28am PST A three-story clubhouse is also located at this attraction where guests can sit and watch people go down the mountain. You can relax here and even grab some cool merch to prove you survived the adrenaline-filled adventure. View this post on Instagram We’re one of the first people to ride the new @wildernessrunalpinecoaster in Banner Elk North Carolina!!! We’ll be on Spectrum news tonight at 5pm! Channel 14!! Check it out!!! #AlpineCoaster #BannerElkNC A post shared by Brittni McCann (@brittni_mccann) on May 13, 2020 at 8:14am PDT YouTuber Brittni McCann claims she was one of the first people to catch a ride on the state's only mountain coaster on May 14, documenting her entire experience from the drive over with her family to her rush down the track. If you don't think you'll be brave enough to hit the slopes, McCann's video gives you a first-person view of the whole ride. She enjoyed it so much that she rode it three times. This is the only alpine coaster in all of North Carolina, so plan for potentially long lines when it fully opens to the public. It's one of only 30 mountain coasters still left in the country, and one of 270 left in the world per Spectrum News.
