Airtime (‘ar-‘tIm) n. a sensation of negative G forces placed on one’s body, normally caused by a sudden drop, fall or plunge. See also Timber Terror.Normally when the term air-time is mentioned we automatically think big. Really though, who wouldn’t? The larger the drop, hill, or whatever, the more the air-time right? Well, that was our thinking long ago, before we took a rookie ride on Timber Terror. Hey, let’s face it, the ride didn’t look bad, but it sure as heck couldn’t be anything amazing…

Or could it?

When Timber Terror opened in 1996, Silverwood pulled all the stops for its first wooden thriller. In fact, it could be argued that this was the park’s only thriller of any kind at that point. Regardless, the ride put Silverwood on the map both visually and screamily (if we can coin such a term). Timber Terror has all the elements: air time, hard under-banked turns, and, we emphasize with exceedingly great joy: no, we repeat, no trim brakes! Rarely do we see such features in a coaster of any size, but Timber Terror packs all of them into one pretty little package. It may not be the biggest, fastest, or longest of its kind, but it packs one heck of a punch.

When Silverwood first decided to embark into the world of wooden coasters, they looked at patterns representing many styles and shapes. What they wanted was something that would be an instant attention-getter, a visual masterpiece. They turned their attention to a classic coaster pattern from the early 1900’s that had been neglected for years – the out and back layout.

CCI and Silverwood came to an agreement: an out and back could work wonders if placed parallel, lengthwise, to Highway 95 – giving drivers a tasty view of the meat of the ride. This would also create the sensation that the coaster was larger than it actually is, due to its being located literally only feet from the road.

The project was a huge step for Silverwood. As the months of construction went by, the face of the park changed drastically. Now, rather than barely being able to make out the few rides that poked out of the trees, Silverwood had a landmark attraction. No one would ever wonder what kind of a place Silverwood was once Timber Terror was built.

Statistically speaking, Timber Terror is pretty weak when compared to other woodies that have been popping up across the country recently. At a mere 85 feet tall, the coaster is far from what most people would call jaw-dropping. And yet, there’s still something about it that simply makes coaster-lovers drool. Perhaps it’s the picturesque, mountain-filled backdrop. Perhaps it’s the screams of riders flying over its camelback hills. Whatever the reason, one ride aboard this coaster will have you hooked.

Originally called the Grizzly, the ride opened in 1996 to rave reviews. The park saw a huge increase in attendance. Now, guests had a truly unique reason to visit this park – for the first time Silverwood had a ride that simply couldn’t be found anywhere else. After brief litigation relating to it’s name, the Grizzly quickly became known as Timber Terror, and the screams can still be heard to this day.

A ride aboard Timber Terror can vary to the extremes, depending on where you decide to sit. From the front, the unobstructed views of the coaster’s layout are magnificent. From the back, the airtime and negative G’s are, well, awesome.

The coaster begins with a release out of the station nearly directly into the lift chain. It doesn’t take long to get to the top of that 85 foot hill, and soon the peak is reached. All that can be seen is the seemingly endless ocean of hills that await. Beautiful! Soon, the ride drops down, faster and faster, nearly to the ground. From there on out a series of camelback hills await that lift you right out of your seat. You’ll never be happier that you have those lapbars to keep you from being launched toward the sky. As you swoop, soar, and fly over each hill, you’ll gain an even better understanding of the phrase “air-time”. Friends, there just ain’t many coasters out there with more of it.

After a generous helping of out-of-your-seat thrills, Timber Terror kicks into the turnaround with speed, force, and oh-so-little-banking. Depending on where you sit you’ll either slam into the unfortunate soul sitting next to you, or into the side of the car. The point is, you’re still hauling, and trust us, this thing ain’t slowing down any time soon.

Straightening out again, you enter the ride’s most surprising element, an out-of-nowhere large drop right into the structure. From the front of the train you can sort of see this one coming; from the back of the train? Let’s just say you’re about to fly. From there on out it’s a series of full speed hills that’ll make you scream and holler with joy. The air-time doesn’t let up one bit – in fact some might argue that it only increases. As Custom Coasters does so well, Timber Terror keeps flying down the course, no signs of slowing up anywhere.

For the finale, you tear into a large helix, with that repeated touch of extreme lateral G’s. Fun to keep your hands up on this part if you can, but get ready to make friends with the person sitting next to you. You’ll become closer than ever, as the G-forces once again attempt to throw you from the train.

Pulling out of the helix, you slam into the braking block at the end of the ride with enough speed to make you wonder why this beast isn’t any longer. But that’s the beauty of CCI and the Timber Terror; they will leave you cheering – not wanting – for more.

Overall, one ride aboard Timber Terror sets the record straight: a coaster doesn’t have to break records to kick butt. Year after year the coaster surprises guests of all ages with its wicked elements and frenzic pace. Truly, Timber Terror is the ride the park needed, and propelled Silverwood from a normally ignored dot on the map to a player in today’s ever-increasing thrill park world. And although Silverwood has much more in store for us in the near future, one thing is certain: air-time has never been better.