We had a fun family outing at High Trek Adventures in Everett. The facility offers a full 4 story / 4 level ropes course and 3 short zip lines. The ropes course includes a wide range of challenges that accommodate many different capability levels. Most importantly, it is fun for people interested in a little adrenaline plus not afraid of heights (or working to push through any fear of heights!).
The process starts with a gear up and instruction on how the unique safety clip-on system works: Each person has two lines that end in specialized carabiners attached to a rock climbing style harness. When one carabiner line is released, it locks the other carabiner line in place. When the other line is released then the first line is locked. So, at any time one of the two carabiners must be locked into a cable line for safety, and it is mechanically controlled so that both carabiners cannot be unlocked at the same time. This system allows for people to always stay attached while also eliminating the need for guides to hover around and check on everything at every platform throughout the course. There are many places where the lines need to be attached and detached, and yet it is all under your own control. Nifty system.
You can go up, down, and all around the ropes course in any direction that you like for as long a period as you have purchased a ticket. The ropes course also directly leads to a zip line, which then connects to two other zip lines that take you back to the ground after a rappel off an end platform.
It is a quite well designed setup, both for flow of people and for safety. And the variety is impressive. Good times!
Looking up into the ropes course
All geared up and ready to go
Climbing across vertical rope net
On swinging platform
Platform between elements
Straddling rope loops
Walking across parallel wire cables
Hanging between small wobbly platforms
Moving across swinging rock climbing walls
Third zip line