Ski Resort Mountain Coasters

Mountain coasters — alpine slides on rails — can be found at ski resorts across North America more and more. Coasters have become a popular activity as ski resorts cater to non-skiing guests all year long. Mountain travelers who opt out of skiing will no longer have to stick to the tubing hill, the shopping strip or all-day après-ski fun. And skiers and snowboarders enjoy them, too.

For those travelers who don’t ski or don’t want to ski every day, mountain coasters are a great activity to complement their vacations. Plus, even for skiers and snowboarders, it’s a great way to experience the mountain in another way. Come summer, ski resort coasters are a main attraction at many ski areas.

History of Mountain Coasters

It all began when Stig Albertson came to the U.S. from Sweden in 1954 and rose to become the CEO of Bromley Mountain in Southern Vermont, a perennial family favorite. He introduced the first triple-tracked Alpine Slide in 1976. Albertson helped develop many of the safety innovations that made modern day mountain coasters commercially viable.

The original alpine slide from the 1970s is attached to rails and wends it way along the slope, usually on a closed 360-degree closed track. Later on, with the advent of the “mountain coaster,” riders didn’t have to be quite so careful because of guard rails and better braking. The coaster, sometimes called a summer toboggan, is actually a roller coaster and cannot leave the tracks.

A few resorts have what are called “pipe coasters.” This is essentially a single metal track rolling down the slopes. Riders jump into a go-kart-like contraption, and gravity takes care of the rest of the ride. You brake with something similar to a joy stick.

Wisp Mountain in Maryland takes it to a different level with a gravitational hybrid alpine slide and mountain coaster experience. Speed is regulated with handbrakes on the side of the cart and you’re pulled  from the cable at the top of the hill. Then, you’re on your own with gravity taking over.

Ski Resort Mountain Coasters in the U.S. & Canada

Here are some of the alpine coasters across North America, many of which are set up to thrill year-round, come snow or shine.

Editor’s Note: Prices continually change, so it’s best to check directly with the resort.  Some have different prices for the driver and the passenger, as well. Remember, new coasters are added most years, so follow your favorite resort.

Mountain Coasters in Colorado

Rocky Mountain Coaster at Copper, Colorado

• Ride Length: 5,800, descending 430 vertical feet
• Location: Next to the American Flyer Lift
• Operates: Year-round
• Fun Fact: Average grade for the Rocky Mountain Coaster at Copper is 10.9 percent

GoldRunner, Breckenridge, Colorado

• Ride Length: 2,500 feet
• Location: Base of Peak 8 between Rip’s Ride chairlift and Kids Castle
• Operates: Year-round
• Fun Fact: Breckenridge was the first Colorado ski resort to build an alpine coaster (opened in the winter 2010/2011 season). Start your ride at an elevation of 10,230 feet, before racing down the mountain, hitting speeds of up to 27mph on 2,500 feet of elevated roller coaster track as you enjoy a thrilling journey around and through the forest.

Timber Ripper Mountain Coaster, Okemo, Vermont

• Ride Length: 3,100 feet, 375 vertical descent
• Location: Jackson Gore base area, near the bottom of the Coleman Brook Express lift
• Operates: Year-round
• Fun Fact: The coaster’s 3,100 feet of track follows the contours of the mountain with added waves, camelbacks, banking loops and a twister section. At optimal efficiency, the mountain coaster will accommodate nearly 500 riders per hour and operate year-round in most weather conditions.

Mountain coasters in New York

Sky Flyer Mountain Coaster, Holiday Valley, New York 

• Ride Length: 2,940 feet
• Location: Near the Tannenbaum Lodge
• Operates: Summer and during the winter on weekends
• Fun Fact: The ride features 15 curves of varying length, 12 waves, one jump, plus a huge circle/spiral, descending a max grade of 23.6 percent.

Nor’easter Mountain Coaster, Greek Peak Mountain Resort, New York

• Ride Length: 4,300 feet
• Location: Adventure Center Base Lodge
• Operates: Year-round

Cliffside Mountain Coaster, Mt. Van Hoevenberg, Lake Placid, New York

• Ride Length: 1.4 mile
• Location: Alongside the 1932 and 1980 Olympic bobsledding track
• Operates: Summer
• Fun Fact: The longest mountain coaster in North America

Mountain coasters in New Hampshire

Nor’Easter Mountain Coaster, Attitash, New Hampshire

• Ride Length: 2,880 feet
• Location: Base of the mountain
• Operates: Year round
• Fun Fact: The longest North American slide located at Attitash.

Cranmore Mountain Coaster, New Hampshire

• Ride Length: 2,390 feet
• Location: Cranmore Mountain Adventure Park
• Operates: Year round
• Fun Fact: Thousands of feet of twisting, turning fun flying through the woods. You control the speed for a leisurely ride or a screaming fast run through to the end.

Gunstock Mountain Resort Mountain Coaster, New Hampshire

• Ride Length: Nearly 4,100 feet
• Location: Discover Zone
• Operates: Summer only
• Fun Fact: The downhill track is designed with swooping turns, banked corners, rolling drops and 360° turns.

Mountain coaster in Pennsylvania

Mountain coasters in Canada 

 Viking, Sommet Saint-Sauveur, Quebec

• Ride Length: 1.5 km (3,281 feet)
• Location: On reliefs of mountain
• Operates: Year round
• Fun Fact: An investment of $ 2.5 million, Viking took its first voyage in 2009 and was designed by the German company Wiegand. It’s a hybrid of a roller coaster and summer sledging.

The Pipe Mountain Coaster, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, British Columbia

• Ride Length: 1.4 km (4,593 feet)
• Location: Revelation Lodge
• Operates: May through Oct.
• Fun Fact: Riders travel across ski runs, between glades and through a tunnel (“pipe”) up to 42km/hour (26 mph).

Ridge Runner Mountain Coaster, Blue Mountain Ski Area, Ontario

• Ride Length: 1 km (3,281 feet)
• Operates: Year round
• Fun Fact: First and only mountain coaster in Ontario

Mountain coasters in California

Ridge Rider Mountain Coaster, Heavenly, Lake Tahoe

• Ride Length: 3,400 feet over a 300-foot vertical drop
• Location: Epic Discovery
• Operates: Year round
• Fun Fact: Coast through forest, natural rock formations and two lateral loops with panoramic views of Lake Tahoe.

Mountain coaster in Minnesota

Timber Twister, Spirit Mountain, Minnesota

• Ride Length: 3,200 feet
• Location: Adventure Park
• Operates: Year round
• Fun Fact: Speed through the Minnesota forest with views of the St. Louis River on the only ride of its kind in the region.

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