This zip’s a trip: Mt. Bachelor debuts scenic new summer way to blast downhill

It's steep, not cheap, but the fastest ride of its kind in the Northwest

(Update: adding video, details of ride, comments from resort official)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Mt. Bachelor’s much-anticipated zip line opens to the public on Saturday. But NewsChannel 21 got a sneak preview Wednesday of the steepest, fastest and highest-elevation zip line adventure in the Northwest.

It's a three-part zip line tour that drops nearly 1,400 vertical feet. Construction began last spring, and the finishing touches were made on Tuesday.

"The zip line was a vision that started over a decade ago,” Mt. Bachelor Director of Brand and Communications Leigh Capozzi said. “So it's really exciting that it's coming together."

The zip line takes you across open bowls, over volcanic terrain and allows for a special panoramic view of the Central Oregon landscape. It’s also a dual-line adventure that makes it possible to race against your friends.

The entire experience lasts about two hours. First, people check in at the West Village Lodge ticketing center. Then they watch a training video and get fitted for equipment, which is sanitized after every use. Next, people make their way to a practice hill to essentially get used to the controls.

After all, people control the speed at which they travel by using a lever attached to the zip line.

Resort officials said it can move at more than 70 mph.

To get to the top of the adventure, people take the Pine Marten Lift. With COVID-19 restrictions in place, only two people at a time are allowed on the lift.

All riders, no matter what summer activity they are participating in, must wear a face covering at any indoor public space, in the lift line and while boarding and unloading from the lift. All employees are required to wear a mask at all times.

The zip line itself takes about an hour to travel from the top of the mountain back down to the main lodge.

The zip line is open seven days a week. It operates from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday for guided tours only, and from 10 a.m until 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday for regular daily traffic.

Tickets are $99 for adults (13+ years old) and $79 for children (10-12 years old).

Some people might find the price a bit … steep. But for others, it's well worth the price.

"It is a unique and memorable experience, being able to come up in the mountains and experience the longest, fastest and steepest zip line here in the Northwest," Capozzi said.

Reservations are required, and officials said opening weekend is already nearly at fully capacity.