A Wilderness Run: Alpine Coaster Launches in Banner Elk
After a ‘local’ opening May 9, doors opened Friday to the public
BANNER ELK — After nearly two months of quarantine, today is the first time people can take a Wilderness Run in Banner Elk. Family owned and operated, the Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster on Sugar Mountain opened to locals during the second weekend of May and opens to the public today following the end of North Carolina’s Reopening Phase One.
Ashley Brown, the operation’s marketing director and administrator, said that her parents, Tara and Eric Bechard, were the masterminds of the mountainside attraction.
As a military spouse, Brown’s mother sought an ambition of her own outside of her husband’s Army career. The idea of an alpine coaster, which the family rode years ago while stationed overseas, seemed like a unique feature to bring back home.
When the Bechards settled in the Banner Elk area, they found the perfect spot for a mountain coaster. As the wife of a soldier herself, Brown jumped on board with the idea of helping on the administrative end while her husband served on active duty.
“We fell in love with the area. We love the outdoors. We wanted to bring something to the area that would make everyone’s vacation up there well-rounded,” Brown said. “Not everyone can go for a hike in the woods. This is a way for us to kind of get people out that might not be able to. This is a ride for everyone.”
Locals Test Out The Coaster
They broke ground on the project in March, right as things turned upside down with COVID-19. Even though the opening got delayed by several weeks, Wilderness Run had a successful — albeit chilly — soft opening on May 9. Guests within a 45-minute radius reserved time slots to adhere to social distancing regulations.
In a single weekend, Brown saw a 92-year age difference in riders. Guests from three to 95 gave the alpine roller coaster a go.
One rider that had an especially good time stood out in Brown’s mind.
“It’s fun for everybody,” Brown said. “We had, like, an 89-year-old who absolutely had a blast.”
Bringing a year-round attraction to the area, the Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster gives visitors and locals alike a thrill in the hot summer months when they need an up to 27 mph breeze, or a leisurely winter ride after a fun, snowy day on nearby ski slopes. It’s also the first alpine coaster built in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
But don’t expect flips and loops — it’s not anything like a typical roller coaster that might be at an amusement park.
“It’s very different. First off, it is self-propelled, so the gravity of the mountain is going to be your friend. It’s also self-controlled, so every patron has the ability to go as fast or as slow as they would like,” Brown said. “It’s kind of like using a ski lift. You’re sitting in the seat and it slowly pulls you up the mountain and when you get to the top it releases you. Gravity takes hold and it takes you down. It’s so much fun. It’s so fast, but you can go as fast as you want.”
For those hoping to experience more sights and less adrenaline, that’s an option, too.
“You can slowly coast down, taking in the view. You can see Sugar Mountain across the way,” Brown said. “It’s really pretty up there. We kept as many trees as we could. We only took down the ones that we absolutely had to, that were in the way of the actual track.”
Fewer Restrictions, Longer Hours
As Phase Two begins, the coaster will open to the general public with fewer restrictions and longer hours. The doors are open from 10 a.m. to dusk each day, Monday through Sunday. And Brown says the hours could go longer after lights are added in the coming weeks.
For alpine roller coaster enthusiasts, the one in Banner Elk provides all the twists and turns one might expect on a 770-foot track.
“If you are a thrill junkie, it’s definitely a thrill. I can’t even explain it any other way. It’s fast. It’s exciting. You don’t really know what’s going to happen. It’s pretty. It’s gorgeous up there,” Brown said. “We’re called Wilderness Run, so we really wanted to keep that wilderness feel to it. It’s an experience for sure.”
Offering military and first responder discounts, tickets may be purchased in advance online or in-person at the attraction. Prices range from a single-use $5 ticket for small children to $35 for three adult rides. Group rates are also available.
“Our biggest hope and success in the business is to provide an experience for those who come up to the High County,” Brown said. “It is a very popular area. We love the area and we want everyone else to fall in love with the area. If we can just do a small part in that, then we’ve done our job.”
Located at 3265 Tynecastle Hwy in Banner Elk, the Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster operates seven days a week. For more information, visit www.wildernessrunalpinecoaster.com
Amie Knowles is a reporter for NWNC.
