Juneau zipline

We are booked for this in July 2006. Just wondering how it was . I don't think I have ever seen a review for this year yet.

Hi Teammom,

We are booked for this in August. I posted a couple of weeks ago and Case posted that it was still under construction. Hope it will be up and running by the time you get there. Please come back and post about your adventure. I've never done anything like this, can't decide if I'm more nervous or excited

Have a great time,

Karen

I booked this excursion for 4 people in July as well. I originally booked it in Ketchikan, but when they added the Juneau one I changed because we want to do Misty Fjords in Ketchikan. I hope someone puts a review also. PLEASE!!

I just got back from the Zipline in Ketchikan so I can't review Juneau but I can review the operators as they are the same. We found the zipline to be top-notch. We had a wonderful time - our family group was 16- 45 but the other group with us had 2 older gentleman with them. The equipment was easy to manuever and very safe. I appreciated also that they had a nice gift shop but wasn't forced on you. They take you in small groups as the octagonal platforms have only so much room on them. We had 8 total plus 2 guides - just right. The group before us had 6. It made it a more intimate experience. I don't know if Juneau will the wonderful views of the bay, the picturesque lumber mill and the creek below where bear feed on salmon but my husband & son rock-climb and they were very impressed with the operation & the experience we had. We also had a long enough experience we didn't feel cheated. We had 7 ziplines & 3 suspension bridges. Hope this helps!

Pam

thanks pam

I can't wait

Hi Teammom,

 

We are booked for this in August. I posted a couple of weeks ago and Case posted that it was still under construction. Hope it will be up and running by the time you get there. Please come back and post about your adventure. I've never done anything like this, can't decide if I'm more nervous or excited

 

Have a great time,

Karen

They've hired boat captains (one is a former Orca Enterprises employee!) and I've seen the shuttle ferry running across Gastineau Channel a few times now... should be any day that I'll get to go use my tickets, of course I've got to make time in the family and fishing schedule first! ;-)

-Case

Case,

Thanks so much for the update - please come back and post when you've turned in your tickets for the "real thing". This is so out of character for me to want to do something like this, but I am a HUGE fan of Amazing Race, and I just picture this as being my own race - the reward will be self-satisfaction that I have stepped WAY out of my comfort zone.

How physically fit do you have to be to do this? I play tennis (not great) and ride bikes (leisurely). I have some weight that I need to take off, but I definitely fall into the range they have posted. (I'm not overweight, just undertall - by quite a few inches):rolleyes: I think the thing I am most concerned about is making myself go so slow that I will get stopped in the middle - Pam did you have any fears heading into this venture?

You will be fine. When you first get there you have to climb 70 steps (they stop in the middle for a short rest) If you do not make it all the way to the platform on your zip, then you have to pull yourself in, but no one had to pull much. I just did the zip line in Ketchikan on Wednesday. It was a lot of fun. I was scared to dealth on the first platform, but I got over it pretty quick. It is a blast actually zipping.

Thanks for the reassurance DLTcard. I'm feeling a little better. I climbed the Leaning Tower of Pisa last year which has several hundred steps so I should be able to do the 70. Sounds like there were some people that stopped in the middle of the zipline though:eek: . How about the suspension bridges? Are you harnessed when you go over them - or is there really not a need? I've been across the bridge at Grand Father Mountain in North Carolina. There is a bridge/walkway over in Sarasota that I believe is made by the same company that did the building in Juneau/Ketchikan so I am hoping to make it across the state and check it out before I head northwest.

I get a silly little smile on my face everytime I read another post about this adventure - if anybody walked by while I was reading this - they'd think I was up to no good. Thanks so much for the info.

...How physically fit do you have to be to do this? I play tennis (not great) and ride bikes (leisurely). I have some weight that I need to take off, but I definitely fall into the range they have posted. (I'm not overweight, just undertall - by quite a few inches):rolleyes: I think the thing I am most concerned about is making myself go so slow that I will get stopped in the middle - Pam did you have any fears heading into this venture?

I wouldn't worry. Go with the wisdom of others who have gone before and have fun! I know this is one of the tours that has the "some strenuous activity required" icon in the tour books, but it's got to be intended for the masses, or else they wouldn't do too well in the sales department!

-Case

Thanks to eveyone for all the info. I fill a little better about it now. I was also wondering if I was fit enough but I glad to here that it is stairs and not a ladder that you climb.

. How about the suspension bridges? Are you harnessed when you go over them - or is there really not a need?

Yes, you are harnessed on the suspension bridges.

I'm wondering if, by any chance, anyone that has tried (or will soon try) this zipline excursion can compare them to any others? I did one in Puerto Vallarta, and again in St. Maarten ... and I guess I'm wondering if the different type of scenery makes for a much different experience? They were both an absolute hoot, but there may be other things that I want to do in Alaska... (my teen boys may beg to differ though!)

Karen: if it's anything like the one's I've done, there's not too much pulling needed - you control how fast you go, so if you don't get all the way across, you'll know for the next line and adjust accordingly. I saw more people crashing a bit harder at the end than they should have, versus stopping half way across (but they didn't get hurt - just slightly jostled!)

Karen

ps Loved the Leaning Tower of Pisa (although it's been 18 years), especially the part with the staircase where you are actually going down AS you are going up!:rolleyes:

This is a great thread since people have actually done this excursion.

DLTcard-What about taking cameras up on the zipline (disposable of course)? Did you see anyone with them?

I took a disposable camera, but almost everyone else had there nice camera's with them. One guy even had a video recorder. They give you windbreakers to wear (to protect your clothes from the tree sap) and the jackets had zipper pockets that you could put your camera in.

how deathly afraid of heights do you need to be, before you opt out of doing this excursion?

When I asked about someone who might be too afraid to go they said that everyone is a little apprehensive at first but they have never had anyone not go. If you consider yourself dealthly afraid I wouldn't do it because they will not refund you money if you are too afraid to do it.

My brother and I did this tour in Juneau a few weeks ago (5/24), it was great. We had originally booked the one in Ketchikan, but switched to Juneau when we found out about it on board the cruise ship. It costs a little bit more than Ketchikan, I think it was $10-$20 more per person, probably because this is their first year in operation. We are glad we switched because the weather was perfect in Juneau, and it rained the next day in Ketchikan.

We are in our mid to late-20's, but everyone else in our group was late 30's to 50's. In total we had 8 people and 2 guides. You do not have to be very physically fit to do this excursion, there is hardly any walking involved.

The site of the Juneau zipline is at an old abandoned gold mine, there are 9 zips (10 if you count the practice one) and 2 suspension bridges. The guides said the Juneau zips are faster than the ones in Ketchikan (which means "better" in my book :) ). Overall the tour was very well done, the guides were very knowledgeable, and we had a great time. I would recommend this tour to anyone!

Thanks for the review miffy I have been waiting for someone to have actually done this one. Sounds like what we are looking for. I can't wait.

We just finished ziplining in Juneau (May 31). We evidently went to a different location that someone else--no suspension bridge. We went with Alaska Zipline Adventures and the course was set up at a ski area in Eaglecrest. We were picked up by a van at the base of the Mt. Roberts tram. There were 10 of us who went, all ages from 17 through about 65. My husband and I have NEVER done this before and we took our two kids ages 19 and 17. We are difinitely not in great shape but LOVED it! There were three guides. One took pictures, but several of us carried our own cameras. The girl guides were wonderful! The walk to the lines was not strenuous. We climbed stairs with a railing to get to the first platform. We had a wonderful time! The forest was beautiful! We zipped over a river. My husband is a little afraid of heights. The first step off the platform to go the first time is the scariest--after that, it is a piece of cake and very enjoyable. We zipped 7 platforms and on the 6th, had hot tea and cake. I definitely would recommend it to anyone!

CAN ANYONE TELL ME IF THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ZIP LINE IN JUNEAU AND KETCHIKAN? WE HAVE MORE TIME IN KETCHIKAN BUT WANT TO GO WHERE IT WILL BE THE MOST FUN. :p

Sorry, just to clarify, the zipline tour we went on was run by Alaska Canopy Adventures (www.alaskacanopyadventures.com), and we booked it through our cruise ship, Diamond Princess.

Anyway, judging from the previous post, whichever one you decide to go with, you will still have a good time regardless :)

thanks so much for the feedback. this is great! :) i'm gonna do this excursion in ketchikan. i think however my friends will opt out due to their fear of heights. thanks again!

Marie321 and Miffy, thanks so much for the info. I am now really excited. We also have booked ours through the ship (Royal Caribbean) and the write-up says it includes a boat ride across Gastineau channel and a ride on a 6X6 - did either of yours have that? But it also talks about an old gold mine. I can't wait to go. There is a 4th person in our party that would like to come, but is really afraid. Is it possible for her to come and watch, but not particpate or are the ziplines the only way to get from point A to B? Didn't know if maybe a guide stayed on the ground and drove the transport vehicle. Thanks again for any info.

Thanks for all the reviews and recommendations. My family's signed up for 7/6 in Ketchikan and we're really looking forward to it. I would like to bring a camera with me and get some action shots while we're zipping, but am wondering if you're allowed to zip across the cables with a backpack, fannypack, etc.

Can somebody (miffy, marie321, anyone else) who has been there and done it let me know what you saw people carry with them during the trip? Even if I can't film while actually zipping, I'd like to get some shots of my family from the platform.

Thanks for your help!