Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
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Zooming above the valley floor of nearby bootleg Canyon at 70 miles an hour is the nature-loving thrill-seeker's answer to riding a roller Coaster. AERIAL RUNWAY Another day, another adventure in Boulder City, this time the zip lines of Bootleg Canyon. Opened in 2008, Flightlinez is part of Bootleg Canyon Park, and its revenue helps preserve the miles of trails and the estimated 40,000 bighorn sheep that call the park home. At base camp, we're paired with six other zippers (groups are no larger than 12). We have to sign a waiver and weigh in as, though there is no age restriction, zip- pers must weigh between 75 and 250 pounds. Despite most of the group having done this before in countries like Mexico and Costa Rica, every- one pays attention to the 15-minute safety demo. On the bus ride up Bootleg Canyon, we take in the beauty and lore of the canyon as our guide, Cody, calls out points of interest, including the fact that the white patch we're passing is actually a blown-up moonshine still. Ah, Nevada. Upon arriving near the top, we carry our zip trolleys up the last couple of hundred feet until we reach 3,800 feet above sea level and the first line, which is 1,852 feet long, with a 16-percent- grade descent. Mounted into our seats, Hannah and I are quickly released after a safety check. The first few seconds are terrifying as you rapidly plunge 400 feet, but before long, you realize that you're not going to fall, and then the zip is oddly calming. Being in pairs or groups of four lends a sense of shared experience; every- one is grinning with a combination of fear and satisfaction as the mountains, dotted with moun- tain bikers and hikers on the trails, stretch out ahead. Perhaps because the desert floor offers little contrast, it doesn't feel like you are going 70 miles per hour. As we approach the end of the line, the instruc- tor holds up orange flags, which means brake. He waves the flags. That means brake harder. Then he puts the flags down, as we kick our legs up for landing position. Exhilarated, everyone is ready for more. Luckily, the adventure includes four runs on four separate lines, each offering a unique view. On the return van ride, Cody asks, "Anyone for a nighttime zip?" Flightlinez Bootleg Canyon, 702-293-6885; flightlinezbootleg.com vegasmagazine.com 121 photography By ryan greene