Summer Music on the Mountain Kick-Off Party a Success!

Memorial Day typically signals the unofficial start of summer, but Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park kicked off summer early with the start of the Music on the Mountain summer concert series on Friday night. The mountain was alive with activity, music, rides, and good times! Doctor Robert, a Beatles tribute band, played a ton of songs from the Beatles catalogue (and took numerous audience requests) until late into the evening, performing rousing renditions of “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” “Come Together,” and many more, inspiring people of all ages to get out and dance. During band breaks, you could hear the screams coming from the Giant Swing as riders soared to new heights 1300 feet above the Colorado River! 

 If you are a fan of the Beatles as much as Doctor Robert is and are looking to show your support to them in some way, such as starting an Instagram account, looking to get free instagram followers could help boost your social following. The more followers you have on your page, the more people will be able to see the array of Paul McCartney photos you post! Who wouldn’t want to see that? There were clear skies and balmy temperatures on the mountain for the kick-off party–you could wear shorts without getting cold, even well into the night. Our wet spring has meant that everything is looking really green, which gives way to gorgeous viewing of the surrounding mountains, Colorado River and the Roaring Fork Valley.

The views, especially at sunset, were even more spectacular atop the Cliffhanger Roller Coaster, on the Mine Wheel, and on the Soaring Eagle Zip Ride! A trip on the Alpine Coaster was a zooming thrill ride through an abundance of wildflowers.

It was all fun for a good cause, too–Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park collected a total of 866 cans of food to be donated to the Lift Up Food Bank of Glenwood.

Doctor Robert plays Beatles favorites at Music on the Mountain

Glenwood Caverns Celebrates Summer, 10th Anniversary

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs, Colo., will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a summer kick-off party and live music on Friday, May 24. Guests will be able to enjoy an evening of Music on the Mountain by Beatles tribute band Doctor Robert and a free tram ride in exchange for a canned food donation to benefit the LIFT-UP food pantry.

“We have so much to celebrate this year,” said Steve Beckley, who owns the Adventure Park with his wife Jeanne. “In addition to the 10th anniversary of the Adventure Park, we have just opened the expanded Historic Fairy Caves Tour and added six new gondola cabin cars. All of our rides and attractions will be open, and we’re looking forward to the fifth season of Music on the Mountain to support LIFT-UP.”

Steve and Jeanne Beckley opened Glenwood Caverns & Historic Fairy Caves to the public in 1999, transporting guests from an office behind the Hotel Colorado to the top of Iron Mountain on buses during the summer. The response was so positive that they decided find a way to keep the caves open year-round. The tramway, which the original owner Charles Darrow proposed to the city in 1903, opened in 2003, along with the mountaintop restaurant and visitor center. The Beckleys rebranded the destination Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park that year and have been adding family-friendly rides and attractions ever since.

Kicking off the fifth season of the popular Music on the Mountain benefit concert series, Doctor Robert is a new generation of Beatles tribute band, committed to the accurate reproduction of more than 100 songs of The Beatles’ repertoire. Their high-energy shows are full of Beatles magic, as Casey Falter, Karen Janssen, Ben Wright and Kevin Reinert recreate some of the most band’s demanding musical compositions.

Reflecting pools seen on the newly expanded Historic Fairy Caves Tour provide a unique perspective on these beautiful formations.

Beatles tribute band Doctor Robert kicks off the fifth season of Music on the Mountain at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.

The “cans-for-a-tram” rides will begin at 4 p.m. and the band will play from 6 – 10 p.m. The Lookout Grille and Snack Shack will be open for dinner and refreshments; drink specials including $3 glasses of wine, $3.50 Coors Lights and Coronas, and $4 well drinks, will be available in the plaza.

During the summer kick-off party on May 24, guests will also be able experience the newly expanded Historic Fairy Caves Tour, the King’s Row Cave Tour and the park’s rides and attractions. A Funday Pass, just $35 with the free tram ride, includes both walking cave tours and unlimited access to the Alpine Coaster, the Giant Canyon Swing, the Cliffhanger Roller Coaster, the Mine Wheel, the Wild West Express Coaster, the Soaring Eagle Zip Ride, the Fort WhereAmI Maze, the 4D Motion Theater, the Laser Tag arena, the Speleobox cave simulator, the climbing wall and the Giddy Up! Western ride.

The Music on the Mountain series continues throughout the summer and fall: June 1, Already Gone; June 8, Night Plane; Aug. 10, Fifty50; Aug. 17, Little Friday; Aug. 24, The Rock Dogs; Sept. 7, Lizard Skinner; Sept. 8, contemporary Christian music; Sept. 14, Acoustic Mayhem; and Sept. 21, The Missing Link Band. This year’s sponsors include Bighorn Toyota, Community Banks of Colorado, Glenwood Springs Post Independent, AMT Network, Perri’s Collision, Swire Coca-Cola, Glenwood TV, Glenwood Insurance & Pinnacol Assurance and Hotel Glenwood Springs.

The park will be open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on May 24. Beginning on May 25, it will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with later hours for most of the Music on the Mountain concerts. The last tram ride up will be half an hour prior to closing. For more information, visit www.GlenwoodCaverns.com or call 800-530-1635 or 970-945-4228, ext. 0.

Unlimited rides on the Cliffhanger Roller Coaster — America’s highest-elevation roller coaster — are included in the Funday Pass!

New Cabin Cars For Glenwood Caverns Tram

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park will be adding new tram cabin cars to the existing tram cable system Monday April 29 through Wednesday May 1. The Park will be closed during that time. For more details on the project I spoke with the Park’s Tram Manager Wade Beattie.

Wade explained that he and a crew of four or five other Adventure Park staff will work together with a similar-sized team from Leitner-Poma of America to carry out the job at the Glenwood Caverns tram base in Glenwood Springs. Leitner-Poma, located in nearby Grand Junction, Colorado, and their parent company, Poma, is a world leader in tramways & chairlifts, with close to 8000 installed world-wide.

The tram line currently has four pods (groups) of three cabin cars per pod for a total of 12 cars attached to the tram cable. The new addition entails adding two more pods of 3 cars each, for six additional cars, which translates to a 50% increase in tram seating capacity.

Wade reported that the new cabin cars were shipped from Switzerland, and have been traveling towards the west coast via ocean freighter.

Tram cars at the Adventure Park Tram Base in Glenwood Springs. 

                                              photo by Doug Davis 

Wade added that there are some logistics involved with the new cabin car installation. Because the cabins are very sturdily built and are not lightweight, a small long-arm crane is required to support the cars while they are being attached to the cable line.

“When the work is completed an Acceptance Test will be performed by a registered professional engineer from the Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board,” Wade states. “We do tram maintenance all the time, and the state does surprise inspections, so they’re a very safe form of transportation.”

“In the meantime we’ve been re-upholstering all the seats in the existing tram cars. We will also be polishing the cabin windows, and replacing some windows… in effect all tram cabins are getting a facelift. If all goes according to plan, the work should be completed and 6 new cabins will be installed by May 1.”

Top 10 Things for Families to Do in Colorado this Summer

Photo op from Exclamation Point
Photo op from Exclamation Point

Go jump off a cliff! Trekaroo, a popular family travel planning website, just released its list of the Top 10 Things for Families to Do in Colorado…and Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is included! In the ever-popular Jump Off a Cliff category, written just for those thrill-seeking families out there, the Giant Canyon Swing is called out for “launching daring riders 1,300 feet out and over the Colorado River trailing below.”
The article also includes the Wild Tour, Alpine Coaster and Zip Ride, which when combined with the Bungee Jump and the new Cliffhanger Roller Coaster opening this spring, makes a pretty exciting day for adventurous families. Here’s how that day could play out this summer (many of these rides are seasonal, this is to help you plan your summer vacation) …

9 a.m. — Hop on board the Iron Mountain Tramway and enjoy a scenic ride to the Adventure Park, which is nestled in the mountains overlooking Glenwood Springs, Colorado, voted the Most Fun Town in America in the Rand McNally and USA Today Best of the Road program. Check out the park map during the ride so that you can hit the ground running when you get to the top.

9:30 — Ride the Alpine Coaster one or five times. It was the first in the U.S. and is still the longest Alpine Coaster in Colorado. You will love it. Kids at least eight years old and 56” tall can ride alone, kids three and older can ride with an adult.

10:15 — Ride the new Cliffhanger Roller Coaster! Located slightly above the rest of the park, sitting at 7,160 feet, you’ll get amazing views of the Roaring Fork Valley…if you can keep your eyes open as it whips you around the curve right along the edge of Glenwood Canyon.

11:00 — Head for the Giant Canyon Swing, which was featured on the Travel Channel and Good Morning America, and see what all the fuss is about. Watch it a time or two, then get strapped in for the ride of a lifetime. Make sure someone has the video camera going so you can prove that you rode it.

11:45 — Make your way to the Bungee Tower. You can try the Soaring Eagle Zip Ride first, which zips you down the mountain, over the Alpine Coaster, and then back up to the top again. If you’re really brave, it’s time to try the Bungee Jump. It’s 70 feet up; you can jump, free fall backwards, or dive head first. Again, make sure someone is taping it so you can share your screams with your friends later.

12:30 — Time for lunch. The Lookout Grille offers some of the best panoramic views in Colorado, and features burgers, salads, sandwiches, a great kids’ menu and more.

1:30 — While you’re in the building, head upstairs and try out the Laser Tag Arena. It was just repainted this year, and the kids will have a blast.

2:15 — Head back outside and take your pick: the new Mine Wheel or Wild West Express Coaster, perfect for the young ones in the group, or race through Fort WhereAmI, a giant Western-style human maze. Take your camera and snap some shots from the towers, the views are incredible.

3:00 — You might need a breather now, so grab a cold drink at the Snack Shack and try the gemstone sluice box mining, pick out a geode and have it cut, or see how good of a shot you are at the Mining Shaft Shootin’ Gallery. You can also get an old time photo taken at Silk’s Saloon.

4:00 — Take the guided 70-minute tour of Glenwood Caverns and Historic Fairy Caves. It’s suitable for almost everyone, but there are 127 steps down and back up again, so be prepared to carry the little ones if needed. (Sign up at the base when you arrive in the morning, the tours can fill up during the summer.)

5:15 — Pick your favorite rides and try them again!

6:30 — Time for another cold drink on the deck at the Lookout Grille, and maybe a slice of pizza at the Snack Shack. If you can stay for the sunset, you won’t be disappointed.

If your family is not quite adventurous enough for the Giant Canyon Swing, and Cliffhanger Roller Coaster and Bungee Jump, never fear. You’ll find plenty to do. The park also features a sand pit fossil dig, climbing wall, Giddy Up Western Ride, Wild West Wagon ride, new Mine Wheel and Wild West Express Coaster.

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is located just off I-70, midway between Vail and Aspen. During the winter and spring, guests can enjoy the Iron Mountain Tramway, Alpine Coaster, Laser Tag, 4D Motion Theater and guided cave tours. The rest of the park’s attractions are scheduled to open by Memorial Weekend. For more information, visit glenwoodcaverns.com or call 800-530-1635, ext. 0.

Read the whole Trekaroo “Top 10 Things for Families to Do in Colorado” list.

Now, who’s ready for summer?

Bluebird Finds New Nest

With more and more visitors discovering Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, it was time to add to the transportation options for bringing people up and down Iron Mountain. The tram is a fun and interesting way to make the trip, but in inclement weather or for large groups, another, reliable way to get around was becoming increasingly necessary.

A new bus was the obvious choice. It was agreed that the ideal model was a Bluebird. Bluebird buses are known to be strong and reliable, perfect for carrying people on Transfer Trail Road. The preferred model was one that is comfortable and accessible, with large, open windows and cushy seating. The problem was that this particular type of Bluebird bus was pretty rare, and the closest one they could find was in Las Vegas, Nevada. The staff decided to purchase it and have it wrapped with a large, colorful design created by their graphic designer, Alice Sjoberg.

Glenwood Caverns’ First Employee Looks Back

Bob Koper knows a thing or two about being underground.
The longtime Glenwood Caverns tour guide has been sharing his enthusiasm and knowledge about the historic caves since 1999, the first year they were open to the public. Steve Beckley, Glenwood Caverns co-owner and operator, hired him on as the very first employee, as a manager and as the first tour guide.

Prior to joining the Caverns, Koper taught science at Rifle High School for 30 years. Among the many outdoor excursions he took his students on were field trips to the Fulford Caves, so he had some experience as a cave guide. After retiring from teaching, guiding cave tours at the Glenwood Caverns seemed like a natural position for someone who loved the outdoors and teaching. Koper wasn’t ready to give up working completely just yet and it helped generate more income. This definitely bucks the trend that we have seen lately of people preferring to seek Key’s equity release advice in order to raise money to enjoy in retirement instead. But Koper has never been one to follow the crowd.

Tour Guide manager Bob Koper in King’s Row at Glenwood Caverns
Kelly Cox photo

Twelve years later, he is still going strong as the Caverns’ most experienced tour guide, leading the Wild Tours as well as educational programs for both local and national school groups. He serves as a manager and trainer of new tour guides, and he also finds time to teach geology and astronomy at Colorado Mountain College. Clearly, Koper is really enjoying his job at the Glenwood Caverns. The company must really know a lot about the retention of employees for Koper to have been working there for 12 years, despite him being eligible for retirement. It seems that he is working happily, with no signs of wanting to leave the company or job. Keeping employees passionate about their role is becoming increasingly difficult for many employers these days, perhaps they should take a look at Glenwood Caverns and their long-serving staff members.

For Bob, the best part of the job has been watching the Caverns change and grow year after year. “Steve [Beckley] is so innovative. He is truly a visionary, and it has been so much fun to see the progression. Every year, there’s something new and exciting,” he says.

Koper’s enthusiasm for the park has spread to his family members. About two years ago, he brought his granddaughter Gabby, then nine years, to the Park with him. She wanted to ride the Giant Canyon Swing, so he left her in the capable hands of the swing attendants and went to do some work. Some time later, he realized that she had been gone for awhile, so he went back to the swing, and she was still on it. She had ridden it 47 times! And she wasn’t done, either. She ended up riding the swing 72 times that day.

Koper says that being a tour guide is a life changing experience. “You become more outgoing. You learn how to stand up in front of people and feel comfortable. You’re not afraid to speak and show your excitement. It really changes a person in that way,” he says.

For his day to day work as a tour guide, Koper is challenged to keep introducing an exciting experience for guests every day – but he doesn’t find it difficult. “It’s very rewarding to see people’s smiles and to share in their excitement,” he says. His enthusiasm and energy spreads to the guests, and vice versa, which keeps every day interesting and invigorating.

Koper’s dedication to teaching people about the caves and his camaraderie with his fellow employees keep him going year after year, and he is excited for the future of the park, which will continue to expand. He proudly mentioned that the caverns just had a good year, even in the rough economy. “Especially considering that people aren’t traveling as much, we’ve had a great year,” he says. That’s no accident, though…and a lot of credit goes to the passionate and hardworking employees, just like Bob Koper!

Looking Back at 2011 – What a Year!

While I’m not one to play favorites, 2011 is definitely on the short list of exciting years at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. Here’s a quick look back at the highlights…

January: We announced that a new species of pseudoscorpion unique to Glenwood Caverns and Historic Fairy Caves was named.

February: Bret Pfost, Disney’s Senior Manager for Worldwide Safety, Training and Compliance, spent a day sharing his process for building a safety culture with our management team.

March: Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park was named Editor’s Pick for “Best Emerging Attraction” by Colorado Meeting + Events magazine at its annual Best of Colorado awards ceremony in Denver.

March: We launched a mobile site to provide our guests with helpful information while they’re on the road.

April: Our friend Julian Vogt celebrated his 100th birthday with a ride on the Alpine Coaster.

May: This one is hard to beat…Bert “the Conqueror” Kreischer and Sam Champion, Good Morning America’s meteorologist, visited the park and screamed like little girls on the Giant Canyon Swing. The visit, which still makes me laugh out loud, was broadcast on Good Morning America.

May: We kicked off our third annual Music on the Mountain concert series on Memorial Day Weekend AND opened the only Bungee Jump in Colorado!

June: Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park was voted #1 in two categories in the annual Post Independent’s Locals’ Choice Awards: Top Locals Attraction and Best Place for a Kids’ Birthday Party!

July: The Bert the Conqueror episode featuring our owner Steve Beckley sharing his first-ever ride on the Giant Canyon Swing with host Bert Kreischer, aired on the Travel Channel. Steve and Jeanne’s sons Shane and Stenar, along with many of our employees, were stars on the show as well.

July:  More than 1,200 cavers from around the world visited Glenwood Springs as part of the National Speleological Society’s annual convention. The “Howdy Party” was officially the largest single private event in our history, and the convention itself was the largest ever held in Glenwood Springs.

July: Glenwood Springs was named the Most Fun Small Town in America during the USA Today – Rand McNally “Best of the Road Rally!”

August and September: Our Music on the Mountain concert series continued. All combined, the community donated more than 7,600 cans of food for the LIFT-UP food pantry during the series!

October: Since we’d set the lofty goal of reaching 10,000 cans during the 2011 Music on the Mountain series, our management team presented LIFT-UP executive director Mike Powell with a check for $1,200 to purchase the remaining 2,400 cans.

As the year winds down, we are all thankful for the support of our community, our guests, our fans, friends and followers, for a successful year. Here’s to even more fun in 2012!

Glenwood Caverns Tops Off 2011 Music on the Mountain Series with Donation to LIFT-UP.

Holiday gifts that bring smiles all year long

What’s small enough to tuck into a stocking or Christmas card, but big enough to last all year long? An annual pass to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park! You have two choices:

For just $25 per person, the Annual Tram Pass includes unlimited rides on the Iron Mountain Tramway for a whole year, plus a 10% discount at the Lookout Grille, the Snack Shack and General Store gift shop.

Annual Tram Passes make great gifts for people who enjoy coming up to enjoy a meal on the deck or next to the fire, or who like to take in the views from the tram and deck. It’s also perfect for parents – and grandparents – who bring kids to the Park, but don’t always ride alongside them.

The Annual Thrill Pass provides unlimited access to most of the park’s attractions for a full year for just $91 for adults and $87 for kids ages 3 – 12, along with a 10% discount at the Lookout Grille, Snack Shack and General Store gift shop. (Guests 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult to the Park.)

One of the best features of the Annual Thrill Pass is that “unlimited” part. You can go up and spend the entire day playing as often as you’d like, or just go up for a couple of hours and ride the Giant Canyon Swing over and over and over again. It pays for itself in three visits! It can be hard to find the perfect Christmas gifts for kids especially when you don’t know what they’d like. Not only will these activities provide you with some special quality time as a family, but it can also give your children an experience that they may never forget. You can’t go wrong with either option; but, if you can’t decide, you can also purchase gift certificates for any amount. Call the office at 970-945-4228 or 800-530-1635, ext. 111, or stop by the Tram Base during regular hours to find out more.

Glenwood Caverns tops off food drive with donation to LIFT-UP

I love it when companies give back to their communities, and I’m especially proud when it’s a company I represent. Last week, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park did just that. At the beginning of the year, the management team at the Adventure Park decided to ramp up their support of the LIFT-UP community food pantry. They set a goal to collect 10,000 cans of food during the third annual Music on the Mountain concert series. It was a lofty goal, and to be honest, it made me a little nervous! But with the series expanded to include nine concerts, they had a “can-do” attitude and decided to aim high.

To bring in more food donations during the series, the Adventure Park teamed up with some local businesses, including Bighorn Toyota, the Glenwood Springs Post Independent, KSPN radio, Glenwood TV, the Hotel Glenwood Springs, US Bank, Swire Coca-Cola and Mountain Beverage, to promote the concerts to an even broader audience. In addition to providing additional marketing opportunities, the sponsors brought prizes and giveaways to each of the concerts — always a big hit with the audience.

After the last concert on Sept. 24, the total number of cans donated was slightly more than 7,600. The community donated an average of nearly 850 cans per concert. That’s a truly impressive number when you think about it, but it wasn’t the 10,000 everyone was hoping for.

So last week, owner Steve Beckley and members of the management team presented LIFT-UP’s executive director Mike Powell with a check for $1,200 to purchase the remaining 2,400 cans. When they set a goal, you can bet they’re going to reach it!

LIFT-UP provides a helping hand to more and more people every year. They are serving an average of 2,600 people a month, and distributing more than 3,000 bags of groceries a month. Visit their website at https://www.liftup.org/ to find out how you can help.