Southern California has a new adventure for thrill-seekers: ziplining. And I’m not talking about ziplining in an indoor gym or at a local park. This is 10 zip lines from 200 to 1,500 feet long and up to 300 feet in the air in the San Gabriel Mountains. If you can’t fathom 1,500 feet long – it’s roughly 1/4 mile. I will never forget that zip. I was about 100 feet in the air and zipping so fast while in awe of the gorgeous views of the forest in the San Bernardino Mountain Range. Yep, I screamed like a giddy school girl. It was nerve-wracking and thrilling all at once.
It was an amazing experience that I got through Cloud 9 Living, an online destination for experience gifts and adventures. I just booked online, and got all my booking information for Navitat Canopy Adventures, the tour operator for the zipline adventure. Cloud 9 Living works with experience providers like Navitat to offer experiences by region. Just in San Diego alone there are over 75 experiences to choose from on the Cloud 9 Living website, including ziplining, kayaking, skydiving, stock car racing and more.
Location
From San Diego, it was about a 2-hour drive (about a 1-hour drive from Los Angeles) to Wrightwood, a quaint town in the San Bernardino area where Navitat Canopy Adventures is located. There’s a ski/snowboard mountain resort, Mountain High, nearby in Wrightwood that draws tourists in the winter.
Time
Navitat zipline tours run from March (great for spring break) through the end of November. Our tour was at 10:20 am but I heard the tour guides say that tours started as early as 6 am. A sunrise zipline would be a fantastic way to spend a morning.
What to Bring
Bags or backpacks couldn’t be brought on the tour (though medications or emergency supplies could be carried by the guides), so I recommend a zippered vest, light jacket or shorts/pants to safely stow a small camera or chapstick. Don’t wear a heavy jacket – you’ll get too hot. Wear something light. You don’t really need much else. I stowed a granola bar in my jacket, but I never ate it – I think I was on too much of an adrenal rush. There are 2 water stops during the hike.
What to Expect
The check-in process was smooth and informative. I brought my 19-year-old nephew to join me. We were directed to use the bathroom (no bathroom breaks on the 3.5 to 4 hour adventure tour, so those with kids like mine who have to pee every 30 minutes take note) ahead of time and stow away our belongings.
During the actual zipline, it felt like I jumped into the movie Avatar, ziplining and rappelling from tree tops. It was one of the most exhilarating things I’ve ever done. I don’t have a huge fear of heights but being over 100 feet in the air definitely made me a little nervous. Before each zipline, I would take a few deep breaths (and may have muttered a curse word or two) to get into the right frame of mind and then I’d go for it.
After the third or forth zip, we had an opportunity to move on or be done for the day. Our tour guides informed us that about 20% of participants decide that they don’t want to proceed, so those folks are taken back to the van for the drive back to the Navitat office. I think it’s great they offer this option for those who’ve had enough adventure. For me, I pressed on though I was nervous as hell.
Manny and Mike, the tour guides were great. Manny was gentle and encouraging before each zipline, and helped me to get relaxed before each zipline. He was personable – getting to know each participant and made a point of educating everyone about the types of trees in the forest. At one point, I got cold so he let me borrow one of his jackets. I so appreciate the gesture. Mike was a daredevil guide who showed us a few tricks (hopefully one day I’ll be able to do some of them), but he also took our safety very seriously. He corrected our form and made sure we understood all the safety procedures. I highly encourage asking for these two if you decide to zipline with Navitat Wrightwood.
I do have to warn that the drive up and down the mountain is bumpy. It’s up a dirt road with lots of bumps and holes, so be prepared for the ride. My husband has back issues so I know there’s no way he would have been able to make the drive.
At the end of the tour, you have the option of buying photos from Navitat of one of the zips and a group shot.
Eco Details
Navitat Canopy Tours is an eco-friendly zipline adventure. It’s 100 % tree-based, which means no metal platforms, and they used natural resources for the Wrightwood course – including rope/wood stairs, wooden platforms, etc. In fact, Navitat used sustainable practices in the construction of the Wrightwood zipline course, such as using minimally invasive practices to secure wooden platforms and ziplines to trees. Our tour guides explained that the ziplines were secured to the trees using just a few screws and allows the trees to continue to grow. So when the course it taken down (as it will be at the end of this season and new course constructed for next season), the trees will still be preserved and alive.
At the Navitat Wrightwood office, there’s a lot of information about native trees and natural history of the area. Our tour guides pointed out the San Andreas fault lines (which is literally right in front of the entrance to the property to the ziplines), showed us the Mohave Desert, local chaparrals, native plants, etc.
And I even noticed the little green details Navitat adopted as part of the zipline experience, including using 100% biodegradable cups for water breaks during the hike and offering healthy (no artificial dyes or ingredients) snacks and drinks at the offices after the tour.
More Details
In case you’re wondering, Navitat Canopy Adventures is a member of the Association for Challenge Course Technologies (ACCT), which is accredited by the American National Standards Institute. The company adheres to and exceeds all ACCT standards for construction, operations and training. I never thought about the safety standards a zipline company needs to go through for developing a zipline course, but it’s great to know.
The zipline tours includes:
- 3.5 to 4-hour tour
- 10 zip lines, ranging from 200 to 1500 feet in length
- 3 rappelling experiences, 4 suspended sky bridges, 3 short hikes
- Views of the Mojave Desert and the San Bernardino Mountain Range
- Up to 8 participants per tour (20% discount if you get a group of 8 together for a zipline tour)
- 2 professionally trained guides
- Children as young as 10 years old (must weigh at least 90 lbs) can participate
Navitat Wrightwood received 2 best of awards for zipline experiences from LA Weekly and CBS Los Angeles. And the Ashville, NC location was featured on CNN, NY Times and USA Today.
Don’t Mess with Mama Rating
I’d give Cloud 9 Living and Navitat Canopy Tours 5 out of 5 stars. This was a first-rate experience from booking all the way through the actual experience.
Though they take kids as young as 10 years old, I don’t think this is an adventure for all kids. I think my oldest son (who’s 8 years old now) would be a nervous wreck, though my middle son (who’s more of a daredevil) would probably love it. Otherwise, I think this is an excellent family adventure that would be a bonding experience and teach kids about the local habitat.
