Tower up, but zipline likely won't open this summer

The tower is up, but a new zipline park near the Bad Rock Canyon probably won’t open this summer, owner Reno Baldwin said last week.

Baldwin said the tower, a construction feat in itself, took longer than expected. The main frame is made of 12-inch square Douglas fir beams at a 5-degree angle supporting a platform 80 feet above the ground adjacent to U.S. 2.

Built to resemble a fire lookout tower but on a grander scale, the tower was constructed by Cedar Lake Builders and Morken Construction.

Baldwin, who formerly owned Great Northern Raft Co., has entered into a five-year lease with the Montana Department of Transportation for about 26 acres of land at the site. He laid out the design for Glacier Zipline Adventures and Learning Center on his own.

When asked what the most challenging aspect of the construction was, manager Richard Morken thought a moment and gave a two-word answer.

“The wind,” he said.

Winds at the canyon can be fierce at times — and worse when you’re dangling from a crane 80 feet above the ground. The main tower structure was built on the ground and then tilted up onto its foundation with a crane.

“That was incredibly intense,” Baldwin said.

When completed, the initial drop from the tower will send riders to a large Douglas fir tree more than 650 feet away. From there, people will take ziplines through trees on eight distinct routes.

The platforms will be attached by cables to protect the trees. Spiral staircases attached to the trees will provide access to the next zipline. The last zipline will drop riders off at the parking lot. Cost will be between $65 and $55 for each trip through the trees.

The zipline park has been a significant investment. Baldwin will pay $20,000 per year to the state to lease the land, increased by 15 percent after every fifth year if renewed. The lease allows for a well, septic, drain field and signage, as well as the tower.