Navitat Canopy Adventures Wrightwood zipline opens July 1

NAVITAT CANOPY ADVENTURES opens July 1, bringing a world-class canopy zip line tour to the mountains of Southern California.

NAVITAT showcases the rugged beauty of the San Gabriel Mountains, just 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles near the popular Mountain High winter resort. The canopy tour course is entirely tree-based and features 10 zip lines ranging from 200 to 1,500 feet in length -- including one that sends guests soaring 300 feet above the canyon floor.

“We are an authentic, high-adventure canopy tour with a heavy emphasis on educating our guests about our natural environment,” said Ken Stamps, CEO and Managing Partner of NAVITAT CANOPY ADVENTURES, which also operates a tour in the mountains of western North Carolina. “We think our tour is a perfect match for Southern California.”

Guests begin their NAVITAT experience at the Welcome Center in downtown Wrightwood where they meet their guides, go through a 20-minute orientation session and gear up. Then, they ride in an all-terrain vehicle to the start of the custom-designed course, learning along the way about the natural and cultural history of the area. In Ground School, guests are trained in proper zip line techniques before starting the course.

Two highly skilled Canopy Guides lead each group of eight guests through a series of artfully constructed zip lines, sky bridges and stairs, trails, rappels and platforms high in the treetops. Guests are gradually introduced to zipping, beginning first with shorter zip lines closer to the ground before moving onto higher, longer zip lines and sky bridges. Guides handle all equipment, and guests are attached to a redundant safety system at all times while off the ground.

“Safety is our top priority at NAVITAT,” said Wrightwood Site Manager and Partner Evan Krogh. “Our guides are trained by industry-certified professionals, and they are required to continually train while they are working here.”

NAVITAT is a member of the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT), which is accredited by the American National Standards Institute. The company adheres to and exceeds all ACCT standards for construction, operations and training.

Bonsai Design Inc., the leading canopy tour installer in the country, designed the NAVITAT course. The design is entirely tree-based and uses no poles or other structures to support the platforms and course features.

“We’ve taken great care in creating this course,” said John Walker, NAVITAT partner and president of Bonsai Design Inc. “We’ve used innovative design and installation methods to build a course that fits into this amazing landscape, disturbing it as little as possible.”

The course is located on a portion of the Wrightwood Guest Ranch property, a 300-acre retreat located between the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest. The site is home to massive conifer trees, abundant wildlife and long-range views of the Mojave Desert, the Sierras, and the San Bernardino Range, including San Gorgonio, Southern California’s highest peak.

“This is a special and spectacular place and we’ve designed a tour to match it,” said CEO and Managing Partner Ken Stamps. “Guests can expect beautiful views, big zip lines and big-time fun.”

NAVITAT tours begin July 1 and run daily, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., through Nov. 30. Reservations are required. Regular tour price is $109 per adult, and $99 per youth. Weight restrictions apply. Tours last approximately 3 ½ to 4 hours. Visit www.navitat.com/wrightwood/ to book your tour and learn more.