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Application for zip lines approved
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| June 13, 2011 |
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An
advernturer enjoys a zipline ride at a
course in Hawaii. |
Boundary County Commissioners on Monday approved
an application by
Lisa Robbe, owner of a 40-acre parcel over a
mile off of Christmas Lane in south Boundary
County, who is looking to bring a little adventure
to the community and people who visit here by
establishing what would be only the third "zip
line" course in Idaho, and the other two are in
the southern half of the state.
"For more than 100 years," she wrote in her
application, "zip lines have been used to
transport people and goods over rivers and
challenging terrain. In the last ten to twenty
years, zip line/canopy tours have become popular
tourist destinations."
Her initial proposal, to bring guests to the
property by a 12-person shuttle van via
Christmas Lane, met with strong opposition from
area residents, who cited increased damage to an
already sub-standard private road as well as the
impacts on privacy, but Robbe agreed and county
commissioners stipulated as a condition that all
business traffic use Grizzly Gap Road, which has
fewer residents, to access the property. One
person in the audience cited concerns that
potential guests would use her physical address,
which is on Christmas Lane, to find the site,
but Robbe said the address would not be used in
promotions.
"I don't want people running around the
neighborhood, either," she said. "We're going to
pick people up in either Naples or Bonners
Ferry, drive them to the property, and they'll
be supervised while they're there."
"Will they be blindfolded for the trip in?!" he
asked, earning a laugh.
The permit allows Robbe to begin construction
and the certification process for up to eight
zip lines, which will traverse a canyon that
runs through the property.
Put simply, a zip line is a pulley suspended on
a cable anchored at two ends at an incline.
Starting at the high end, you hook the package
you want to transport (in this case adventurous
people), and gravity does the rest.
"Zip lines use no electricity, emit no fumes,
burn no fossil fuels or significantly impact the
environment," Robbe said.
While it sounds simple, what Robbe is proposing
is a little more complex. Her
course will be inspected and certified by the
Professional Ropes Course Association and will
be designed by Derek Green, forner tour operations
manager at Big Islands Eco-Adventure in Hawaii
and a world-renowned course designer. Local
arborist Mike Richardson will work with him, and
the project will be overseen by a licensed
engineer.
As planned, the initial wheelchair accessible
course will consist of seven to eight ziplines
averaging 600 feet, each having take off and
landing platforms approximately eight-feet by
eight feet in size, using frame/log
construction. The zip lines themselves will be
1/2-inch galvanized aircraft cable and pulleys,
braking systems and anchors will meet or exceed
industry standards. A small lodge will be built
to serve as a base camp.
Natural and local materials will be used for
construction, she said, and local builders will
be contracted to build the course.
"Care will be taken to ensure that the course is
not visible from Highway 95," she wrote, "and
designed to keep noise levels to a minimum. It
will be inevitable that some will let out an
excited 'Yahoo!'"
Once in operation, she plans to offer two tours per day, four days
per week, through the summer season. For each 12
guests, there will be two guides, each licensed
by the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Licensing
Board. Tours will last 2 1/2 to three hours, to
include time for transportation in and out,
safety orientation and riding the zip lines.
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