Winter Fun with No Skis Required

Views from the Glenwood Gondola

Go to great heights without all the gear. Even if you don’t ski or snowboard, plan a trip to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park for a mountain of fun this winter! And if you do ski, set aside the sticks for a vacay day at America’s only mountain-top theme park.

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Strong Arms for the Win: Training for Octoberfest Stein Holding

Get ready for the Octoberfest stein holding contest

Stein holding is a Glenwood Caverns Octoberfest tradition that draws guys and gals who bring the brawn to this venerated brew hoisting competition. Up for the challenge? Check out our tips for training and more.

Octoberfest at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is fast approaching. The Bavarian-style festival takes place at the mountain-top theme park throughout October with ongoing family activities, German food, as well as fall-themed fun including a u-pick-it pumpkin patch.

On three Saturdays, October 1, 8 and 15, the event ramps up with traditional oompah music by the Alpine Echo band and contests for over-21s like axe throwing and keg bowling. However, the stein holding competition is the front-and-center crowd pleaser.

What is Stein Holding?

Octoberfest 2022 at Glenwood Caverns Adventure ParkRelatively new to the U.S., stein holding is a “fest-sport” that originated in Munich, Germany, home to the biggest Oktoberfest celebration in the world. “Maßkrugstemmen” is the German word for a stein holding competition. A maß is a measurement that corresponds to about one liter of beer served in one of those giant dimpled German beer mugs made of heavyweight glass. The English term is a stein. When filled, those mugs weigh about five pounds. In competition, participants hold a full stein of beer at arm’s length. Whoever can hold their stein for as long as humanly possible without compromising posture or spilling their beer, wins. For women the typical stein holding time is one or two minutes; men last a little longer, between three and five minutes on average. The record for women is 5 minutes 34 seconds and for men 21 minutes 17 seconds!

How to Train

Stein holding requires strength and endurance. The best way to get better is to practice! If you don’t have a regulation beer stein, you can purchase one at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park during Octoberfest. Next, crack open your favorite beer and find a five-pound weight you can hold at arm’s length in front of you. Stein holding has some rules when it comes to posture. Your non-beer holding arm must remain straight down at your side, all five fingers should be wrapped around the mug handle and there’s no shifting or redistributing of body weight by bending backward or forward allowed.

According to the U.S. Steinholding Association, “your shoulder will likely want to give out first. You will also need to train yourself mentally to prepare for the pain you’ll feel. Concentrate on keeping your elbow locked and your head in the game.” Track your progress with a stopwatch. Finally, and most importantly, reward yourself for your dedication to training by enjoying that cold brew you have nearby.

The beauty of the stein holding contest is that everyone really is a winner. Even if you drop your arm early on, you still get to drink delicious Oktoberfest beer.

How to Enter

Make plans to visit Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park for Octoberfest on the first three Saturdays in October. Check back for more information about competition times and other fun activities. In the meantime, start training and purchase your Octoberfest park admission to attend online today.

Prost!

Defiance: Countdown to Gravity-Defying Thrills

Construction continues on new Defiance coaster

Three…two…one. Get ready to drop, twist and roll! Defiance, Glenwood Caverns’ new mountain-top roller coaster is set to open to fanfare. On July 9, the park will have its Grand Opening celebration which will include a performance by Prince cover band, Paizley Park.

Two massive cranes are moving pieces into place under the expertise of the park’s ground crew to create Defiance. The United States’ newest, highest elevation loop roller coaster and dare we say, most thrilling one, will sit on top of Iron Mountain, home of Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. The official celebration will be on Saturday, July 9. Mark your calendars today to be among the first to ride Defiance and “Party like it’s 1999” with Prince tribute band, Paizley Park.

Preparing for Launch

A rendering of Defiance, Glenwood Caverns newest roller coasterDefiance is a one-of-a-kind, action-packed Gerstlauer Euro-Flight roller coaster. In addition to five bold elements, what sets it apart is its location at 7,160-feet above sea level. A project of this magnitude is no small feat on flat ground, but when the building envelope is on a mountaintop surrounded by other rides and attractions, and with a network of caves located below the surface, the degree of difficulty gets bumped up a notch.

Fortunately, a top-flight construction crew is on the job. Defiance is taking form and nearing completion with each passing day.  “We have an incredible amount of skill, credibility and perseverance not only in the construction of, but the operations and maintenance of the rides,” General Manager Nancy Heard said. “I am proud to be part of the company that has the vision to invest in a project of this magnitude and I am proud to lead such a capable, talented team of men and women that are full of passion for the industry and dedicated to safe operations.”

Mark Your Calendars for the Grand Opening Celebration

Paizley Park to play for Defiance Grand Opening festivitiesAs Defiance takes shape, many are counting down the days until the ride is ready in real time. Among the first who will be queuing up will be self-proclaimed ‘coaster nerds’ from the American Coaster Enthusiasts. Members attended the ride’s ground-breaking ceremony last spring and are anxiously anticipating its high-speed curves, twists and descents. Local thrill seekers too have been keeping a close eye on the action as the giant cranes standing tall over the coaster’s serpentine track. Fortunately, with summer quickly approaching, the wait is nearly over. Grand Opening festivities are planned for Saturday, July 9 and will include music performed by Paizley Park, a Prince cover band that brought down the house the last time they played Glenwood Caverns.

Zero-Hour & Zero-Gravity

A ride of colossal scale, Defiance not only takes advantage of sky-high views, it’s also an adrenaline-junkie’s dream come true. Here are just a few reasons to start the countdown to go-time!

  • The panoramas will fly by but there’s a few seconds to catch a glimpse of Mt. Sopris as the Defiance coaster cars travel up the incline before the first drop.
  • And, that first descent is a doozy! It’s a 102.3-degree freefall which makes Defiance the owner of the steepest coaster drop in the Western U.S.
  • Catch your breath while you can, the next feature is a 98-foot twisted top hat switch,* an element that tilts riders past 90-degrees without a full inversion.
  • Next, hang tight as you circuit through the 111-foot banana roll,* this time completely inverted for maximum scream-worthy excitement.
  • Defiance finishes with a 41-foot, zero-G heartline roll*, another roller coaster heart-thumping inversion element.

* definitions are taken from Coasterpedia

Shooting through all five elements is an exhilarating experience that will take less than one minute, just 56 seconds to be exact. When it comes to most anticipated thrill rides in the country, Defiance is not just on top of a mountain, it’s on top of every thrill seeker’s bucket list for 2022.

Stay in the Loop

Learn more about Defiance roller coaster and the Grand Opening festivities planned for July 9, at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.