There’s a new coaster coming to Washington State this year, and during a recent spring break excursion, we were able to check out the current progress. In this post, we’ll share some background, photos, commentary, and the current opening timeline. (Updated May 26, 2023)
Situated in the foothills of the cascade mountains lies the Bavarian themed town of Leavenworth, Washington. This has been a fun tourist destination for decades, featuring several resort hotels, shopping, dining, whitewater rafting, and golf. During the winter, it provides easy access to Stevens Pass ski resort, as well as snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and snowmobiling activities.
Coming soon, however, the small town will boast the home of the state’s first alpine roller coaster – the Tumwater Twister. If you haven’t heard about this project, you’re not alone. Indeed, even we were surprised to learn about this new attraction that has apparently been in the works for at least the past five years!
UPDATE AS OF MAY 26 2023
The Leavenworth Adventure Park will be located on the far west end of town, on a small hill next to the Wenatchee River. The park will feature a four-lane rock climbing wall, a bungee trampoline, a mining sluice, and the headlining attraction – the Tumwater Twister Alpine Coaster. The park has confirmed that it will open to the public on June 1, 2023. For the month of June, it will only be open Thursdays through Mondays (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays), but for July and August it will be open seven days a week.
Alpine Coasters have been popular in Europe for decades, and have been gaining popularity at ski resorts and other mountain destinations in North America in the past several years. A few have made their way into the Pacific Northwest – with one at Bogus Basin in Idaho, and a couple up north in B.C., Canada. But to date, none have graced the state of Washington. These coasters feature a self-operated braking system, allowing riders to choose how fast or slow they want to go throughout the course. You can enjoy a leisurely scenic ride, or a thrilling face-paced race.
The other unique aspect of these coasters is that they can operate year-round, even in cold, snowy conditions. A quick search on YouTube will show several videos of these coasters gliding over and alongside skiers and snowboarders at many prominent resorts around the world.
As you can see from the photos we were able to take from the highway, construction on the coaster is nearly completed. Two lift hills will take riders up to the top of the hill, where they will cascade down the slopes through several helix circles before returning to the station.
In terms of commentary, we’re very excited for this to open. The coaster does look a bit on the smaller side of the scale, especially when compared to other alpine coasters across the country and around the world. But this will be a great addition to Leavenworth, as well as the state in general. Washington already has a painfully short list of roller coasters, so ANY addition to that roster is a win in our books. We hope this paves the way for more of these to appear around the region in the years to come.
What do you think of the Leavenworth Alpine Coaster? Have you ridden one of these before, and if so, what did you think? Leave us a comment below to let us know your thoughts!
The official Silverwood Theme Park website can be found at: www.silverwoodthemepark.com. All business-related questions should be directed to this site.
