Ketchikan Zip-Lining

Ketchikan, Alaska

Ketchikan, Alaska was our first stop on our Alaska cruise and we’d planned on spending part of the visit zip-lining across the canopy of a rain forest. Well, we got our wish. Joined by four other hardy travelers, we headed off the ship in a pouring rain with temperatures in the low 50s. Our guides welcomed us, and let us know that this was a typical day in Ketchikan as they have over 300 rainy days a year. (Good to know…)

After a 15 minute bus ride, we arrived at the Kawanti zipline site, the guides quickly whisked the six of us up the hill in a sturdy 4×4 truck. Oh, I should mention that the ‘covered truck’ had a top, but no sides? Little did we know that the dampness was simply foreshadowing for what was to come.

Buckle Up!

In a large, roughhewn wooden building, our guides briefed us and introduced us to our equipment. The harnesses and gear were in good condition and the instructors answered all our questions. Julie and I wore our rain coats, but rain jackets were available. After a final equipment check we were outside and on to the first zip.

Julie and I have zip-lined several times and thoroughly enjoy it. We’d zipped in the rain previously, but that was in Hawaii and the temperature was close to 80. Today was going to be different. By now the temperature had warmed to maybe 55, but the wind gusts had started to pick up. After the first, introductory line, we were ready to start on the “real lines”.

The towers are platforms anchored to large trees, and by necessity, it’s a long way to the ground. The views were awesome and the forest completely quiet… except for the wind surging through the trees and the rain. It was beautiful as we could see through gaps in the trees out to the channel to Ketchikan.

The canopy of the trees serve as giant umbrellas of a sort, sheltering us from the heaviest rain. The first line was about 750’ long. Once you leave the platform it takes just a moment to steady and orient yourself, then you can enjoy the view and the ride across the top of these forest of these giant trees. Then the guide gives the ‘brake, brake, brake’ signal and you find yourself on a platform near the top of a different tree. However, by the time I reached the other end of the first line, the rain had managed to soak my pants. On the other hand, it was fantastic fun.

Enjoying the Weather

By the fourth tower the rain was no longer falling down on us. The wind had picked up and was now blowing the rain nearly horizontally. That negated the protective effect of the canopy, but made the experience more memorable as the trees started to noticeably sway and we could clearly see the sheets of rain being carried across the valley by the challenging winds. It was about here that I realized the rain had soaked through my pants and my underwear had now joined in experiencing the natural wonders of Alaska.

The last three zip lines were just as exciting as the first four. We all joked about the wind and rain, but no one was really complaining. Most in our group were first time zip-liners and they were caught up in the challenge and excitement. One brave woman was in her late 70s. Like everyplace else where we’d zipped, it’s just that first step off the platform that you have to overcome, then it’s all fun and excitement.

Back on the Ground

At the last landing platform we rappelled down, one at a time. One of our guides, Heidi, came down last… head first. A short walk took us to another equipment building where we climbed out of our gear. We were a glad to be in out of the rain, but the discussions centered in the fun and the beauty of the forest. Everyone was glad we hadn’t let the weather discourage us.

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The Rest of Alaska II[Pending]