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Take a zip over Wallace

Kelsey Saintz | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 13 years, 1 month AGO
by Kelsey Saintz
| March 27, 2012 2:01 PM

WALLACE — By the end of May, Silver Valley residents and tourists will be able to see Wallace from a different view they’re used to — flying through the air at 55 miles per hour, wearing a harness and helmet, face-first like a super hero.

Silver Streak Zipline Tours is owned by David and Bonnie DeRoos and is being constructed on their 250-acre property north of Wallace. David DeRoos spoke at the Historic Wallace Chamber of Commerce’s luncheon Wednesday.

“We feel it’s a great project for the mountain,” he said, because it’s not intrusive — those looking at the mountain will only see a few poles.

The operation will be headquartered in The Wallace Inn, where zip-liners will be harnessed and taught safety procedures. Groups are then bussed up the mountain, and when they reach the bottom, they’ll be driven back to the hotel. The entire experience should take about two and a half hours, DeRoos said.

“The whole idea of this is not just for Bonnie and I to make some money,” he said, “but to bring more people here, and more important, take up their time when they’re here.”

Their logic is that if tourists do time-consuming activities during the day, they’ll potentially stay in town overnight.

Taking a zip line tour will cost $75. There are two courses to choose from with nine total zips ranging from 350 feet to 1,800 feet long.

“Some of you may be a little apprehensive,” DeRoos said, “ … so it’s nice to start slow.”

Around 30 guides will be hired, some of whom will be local students, and the position will require between 40 and 60 hours of training. On their first day, they’ll be sent through the tour.

“If you panic or you’re not strong enough to pull yourself back on to the platform, you won’t make it,” he said. It’s a physical job, and they have to hire the right people — applicants should be outgoing and have a good sense of humor.

DeRoos said he first had the zipline idea last May after working on his property. He had Reed Burland of Geronimo Construction, which specializes in tree-based canopy tours, see if it would be a possibility a few months later.

Now, it’s becoming a reality.

Geronimo has been working on the course for the last two weeks, installing cables on poles they installed in the fall. The poles are 35 feet tall and are 9 feet deep into the ground, held in place with compacted dirt and cement. Most poles have two anchors, which are cemented into the ground 4 feet deep. The crews had about three miles of cable to install, and they’re nearly done.

DeRoos said Geronimo management feels it’s a great course. It’s the only one on the entire stretch of Interstate 90.

The company’s next step is to calibrate the cable to get riders going at proper speeds. Then, they’ll determine how high to place platforms. One way Silver Streak will differ from most zip line tours is that it’s platform-based, not based in trees. Most platforms between runs will be just a few feet off the ground.

DeRoos said he’s interested in creating a bundle package for tourists that would include the tour as well as other fun attractions, such as riding the Hiawatha Trail, but there are no firm plans yet.

“The goal is to keep them here and that they have fun,” he said.

Silver Streak is currently in the permitting phase, and DeRoos said they haven’t had any complications yet, and aren’t expecting them to arise.

There’s already interest in the project — a couple has booked the location for their wedding in August.

“If they have a minister who’s afraid of heights,” he said laughing, “that might not work.”

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