Backyard Zipline

Last year I tried to put in a backyard zipline. Once I got all of the posts in and had it all set up, I realized it was just going to be too dangerous for the kids (for the right ground clearance in the middle, they were going to have to start and end the zipline 8 feet in the air). We really wanted to do something where they could just go out and play with it on their own, so I took the whole thing out. This past year I spent a lot of time thinking about a replacement way to do it. And finally, after a year of planning and a couple weeks of work. The new zipline is done!

The kids have been loving it! The first day we got to try it out, several of them said it made the top 10 best days of their lives. On the two ends we have 9 foot poles that are in 5 feet of concrete with four of those feet buried underground. Those are attached to two 6 foot anchors with guy wires that are also in four feet of concrete underground. Then it is just a 1/4 inch aircraft grade wire cable between the two. They are 50 feet apart with somewhere around a 2 foot drop between the post. It doesn't seem like much, but it is just right for the speed we were hoping for. And the run has a steeper drop in the middle, which makes it easier for them to get on and off of it, but still thrilling that they are going over a bigger drop.

Here are a few pictures. They have all been able to do it, but it scared Asher a bit the first two times he did it, so he has been hesitant to do it ever since. We like to be out there supervising for Agnes too, but the rest of them have no problem doing it all on their own.

When the social distancing requirements are over, anyone who is interested is welcome to come and visit and try it out.