The last time I saw alpine sleds running on tracks in the summer, I was in Austria. The track moved straight down a large hill, covered in summer flowers. The kids loved it. When I heard we had an alpine coaster nearby in Helen, Georgia, I couldn’t wait to check it out. The coaster in Helen is so much better than anything we saw years ago in Austria.
Alpine roller coasters are not new to the United States. Several are found in Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Virginia. The Georgia Mountain Coaster is the first in the state of Georgia.
Alpine roller coasters are different than the roller coasters found in theme parks in the U.S. Each sled runs individually and can take up to two people. While the sleds can run a maximum of 27 miles per hour, each comes with a handbrake that the rider can control.
The Georgia Mountain Coaster is built on part of the mountain on the southwest side of town. After loading a sled, the sled moves slowly up to the top of the mountain and then begins its curving, circling, downhill ride. The screams and shouts of the riders come down echo along the mountain. Interestingly, if a sled on the track is moving more slowly than others, the sleds behind it are held up until the slower sled gets down. It’s planned that way so every rider has the ability to go as slow or as fast as desired without taking the fun away from another.
Georgia Mountain Coaster was built by Terry Sims, who also owns Cool River Tubing for tubing along the Chattahoochee River, and Cool River Adventures, an aerial adventure park. Sims built the alpine coaster running one mile in length on land that covers more than 10 acres. The coaster can have up to 30 sleds on the track at one time.
Georgia Mountain Coaster has become a huge draw for the more than two million visitors that come to Helen each year. The coaster is open seven days a week: Monday – Thursday, 10 am to 7 pm; Friday, 10 am to 8 pm; Saturday, 10 am – 9 pm; and Sunday, 10 am – 7 pm. The cost for one ride down the mountain is $15.00 for adults, $12.00 for children ages 7-12, and $6.00 for children 3-6. The second ride is half price.
Note that the driver must be at least 54″ tall, and all riders must be at least 38″ tall and three years old or older. There is also a weight limit for each sled: in dry weather, the weight for both riders can be no more than 375 pounds; in wet weather, the weight limit in the sled cannot exceed 330 pounds. For more information, check their website.
Helen, Georgia, is also known for river tubing, alpine shopping, wine tastings, and gold panning. In the past couple of years, some new activities have been added to draw people of all ages to town. While you’re visiting Helen, check out some of these newer options:
- Axe throwing at Highway to Hell’n and AxeBilly
- Slot car racing at Alpine Speedway Slot Car Racing
- Miniature golf at Alpine Mini Golf Village and Bavarian Mountain Miniature Golf and Arcade
- Escape rooms at Mind Escapes and The Lost Room Escape Adventures
