By Kate Bartlett
This season marks the thirteenth summer for Sky High Adventure Park in Ellicottville NY. Opened in 2011, the park offers adventures for the whole family, with entry level courses that will help you get accustomed to climbing, all the way to a double black diamond course that will challenge even the best of athletes. No matter how many times you visit, Sky High offers the opportunity to push your limits for a new adventure each and every time.
The park was originally comprised of High Aerial Adventure Park, along with the Sky Flyer Mountain Coaster, upon opening in 2011. The park has evolved over the years in order to provide the best experience to its clientele. That commitment to the guest experience has made the course what it is today: the optimum Aerial Adventure Park in the area. At 5 acres, Ski High is the largest aerial adventure park in New York State. The combination of features and zip lines provide a variety of thrilling challenges to conquer during the 3-hour climbing pass.
Rapids zipline was added in order to bring climbers back to the base area of
Tannenbaum. At 5 acres, Ski High is the largest aerial adventure park in New
York State. Photo by Craig Melvin
The park isn’t just about climbing either! One year after opening, the Grand Rapids zipline was added in order to bring climbers back to the base area of Tannenbaum. The Black Widow course was added in 2014, giving the course a new level of challenge and excitement. Since then, the course has received some minor adjustments and general maintenance in order to keep everything running smoothly. “The great thing about Sky High is that it doesn’t need substantial changes to keep it fun and challenging,” says Dash Hegeman, Director of Marketing at Holiday Valley. “Even if you’ve done the entire course several times, you can still get up there and challenge yourself to do it faster and more efficiently. It’s a fantastic workout if you want it to be.”
New this year, the Black Widow course has a new feature called the Bird Swing where climbers are required to cross from one apparatus (that looks like a bird swing) to the next. Black Widow also now has a new rope ring feature that offers a fun degree of difficulty. Minor changes were also made to the Sunshine course to provide a slightly different experience from last season. “Our team works hard to make sure that every guest walks away with a big smile on their face,” says Dash.
According to Dash, there are courses for just about everyone. The three yellow courses are designed for first time climbers and provide a good feel for the overall experience. The five green courses are a bit more challenging, but still very user friendly. For those looking for a challenge, the two blue courses (Waterfall and Rip Tide), two black diamond courses (Black Storm and Black Widow), and one double black diamond (Commando), will put even the most athletic to the test. All the courses except The Commando have at least one zip line and some have multiple. Sky High also offers options for younger climbers who aren’t quite big enough for the Aerial Park. The Climbing Forest gives young climbers a controlled climb up a series of trees, similar to a rock wall setup.
If you’re looking for all the fun of Sky High without paying full price, there are some nice deals to be had. On Father’s Day, June 16th, Dads climbs free with the purchase of a full-priced ticket for a 3-hour climb. Call 716-699-4444 to make a reservation. June 25 is Local’s Day at Sky High – anyone with a driver’s license that shows residence in Cattaraugus County can purchase a 3-hour climb for just $15.
Sky High is the perfect place to beat the summer heat with fun for a wide variety of people. For those who don’t want to climb, the Sky Flyer Mountain Coaster offers a scenic ride up and a thrilling ride down through the woods. On July 27, the HillTAP Festival hits Spruce Lake. It’s a great day to come to Sky High for an early climb and then head up to Spruce Lake for an afternoon of music, food, and outdoor adventure fun.
The Park is a great location for birthday parties, family reunions, corporate group outings, bachelor/bachelorette parties and more. Contact groupsales@holidayvalley.com for group rates and to inquire about hosting an event. For more information about the park visit https://www.holidayvalley.com/sky-high/.
The park isn’t just about climbing either! One year after opening, the Grand Rapids zipline was added in order to bring climbers back to the base area of Tannenbaum. At 5 acres, Ski High is the largest aerial adventure park in New York State.