When Lacy and Jim Schneider of Kalispell wanted a unique way to celebrate their third anniversary, they took their love to a higher ground — 70 feet above the ground to be precise — on Whitefish Mountain Resort’s Walk in the Treetops.

The Walk in the Treetops, opened in 2002, is a half-mile guided nature hike on a bridge suspended by aircraft carrier cable through sub-alpine forest. Wearing safety harnesses, the couple began hiking to their destination. Guide Jenny Johnson stopped a couple of times to point out plants such as huckleberry, thimbleberry and bear grass.

Then, in a single-file line the Schneider’s took tentative steps across a bridge just two boards wide. After a while, they stopped at a platform with the rest of the group to take in the birds-eye view of the treetops surrounding them.

The Walk in the Treetops is just one feature of the resort, which transforms from a winter wonderland for skiers and snowboarders to a summer playground for all ages.

Guide Lisa Nichols said they lead two to three Walk in the Treetops tours a day.

“I love it, every tour is a different mix of people. There are no set scripts and each guide points out different things,” Nichols said.

Indeed, fun is a year-round mantra for staff at Whitefish Mountain Resort.

This summer, the resort went to great lengths to increase that fun, adding a seventh zip line. Named Inspiration, it is the resort’s second 1,900-foot long zip line. The first zip lines opened in 2009.

“We had feedback that people wanted more and wanted higher zip lines,” said Riley Polumbus, public relations manager.

The seven zip lines vary in length, adding up to 1.7 miles of line for careening around Big Mountain at about 30 miles per hour. Adding to the distance are several moderate hikes between zip lines.

Zip liners have the option of getting an adrenaline rush on either a five- or seven-zip line tour, rain or shine. The seven-zip tour is about two and a half hours long. Hikes for the seven-zip tour add up to roughly three quarters of a mile.

After slipping into safety harnesses, participants are briefed on what to expect.

Guide Chris Thompson held up a “trolley,” which attaches to participants’ harnesses and the zip line. The trolley weighs about 15 pounds and participants are expected to carry them from line to line. Thompson assured his anxious audience that neither tree branches nor birds would hit their face on the way down.

“Our job is to make sure you’re safe and have a lot of fun,” Thompson said.

Cecilia Krebs, 56, and her son Oliver Price, 15, of Santa Cruz, Calif., made sure to add the zip line tours to their vacation itinerary. While Krebs had been on a zip line before, she was still nervous. After a couple of zip lines, however, Krebs couldn’t stop smiling.

“It’s a rush, just thrilling, like flying. It’s gorgeous,” Krebs said.

Price said the zip lines are great for people who don’t like jolting roller coasters, but want the experience of careening through the air.

“It’s better than a roller coaster there is all this nature around you,” Price said, looking around.

Jamie Moon, 59, of Missoula, came with her stepdaughter Emily Wurm and brother Kelly Carberry, 55, of Stevensville. Moon was tentative when she reserved the zip line tour the previous day.

“I thought it was a good idea reading about it, on paper, at my desk,” Moon said. She went on all seven zip lines nonetheless. Wurm chimed in “I think it’s awesome.”

The zip lines have some of the best 360-degree views of the valley, with visibility all the way to Blacktail Mountain in Lakeside.

“There are some things you have to do to get the Montana experience,” Carberry said.

Betsy Szulewski, 45, took the seven-zip tour with her 13-year-old twins Jacob and Allison, all of Germantown, Tenn. At the first zip line, “Easy Come Easy Go,” Allison Szulewski raised her hand to go first and grabbed her brother.

 The zip line is short, 100 feet, but possibly the scariest because it is the first zip line on the tour. It is meant to review different positions, and like sailors get their sea legs this zip line gives people their “zip” legs and prepares them for the ride ahead.

Allison Szulewski placed her hands at her side, legs together in the fast “pencil” position and let out a yell while her brother assumed the slower “starfish” position with arms and legs pointed out. As participants tackled each line, the zip lines got longer, the views more expansive and the smiles bigger.

For resort-goers who want to see the extreme views without the extreme rush, there are scenic chair lifts to the Summit. If less altitude is desired, there are plenty of activities available on the ground such as hiking and mountain biking.

Chair six has a new added feature for children called “Monkey Mountain,” a 24-foot tall inflated climbing feature and slide. Back at the Base Lodge is the Alpine Slide, which is 1,605 feet long and allows the rider to control their speed.

A new Aerial Adventure Park is slated to be completed August 1. The adventure park is similar to the Walk in the Treetops, but is set up like an obstacle course with elements such as ladders, trapezes, zip lines and barrels.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at [email protected].