Every time a new zipline is built in Hawaii it seems like they're always trying to out do all the other courses by having a longer or a faster zipline. The designers of the course at Just Live Ziplines on Kauai decided to outdo their competition with a different criteria. So, they designed the course that is the highest zipline course off the ground.
The Just Live Company started out as a ropes course that was created to help teach teamwork and serve as a “challenge course” for the youth of Kauai. Over the years they have been able to help thousands of local youth learn to overcome their fears and work together. The facilities steadily grew in size, incorporating more and more elements as time went by. Eventually, the management of Just Live began designing programs that allowed the islands visitors to also take part in the activities that happen here.
The excursion that we did today was unique from any other in the Hawaii zip line industry. Most lines are set up so the rider begins and ends on firm ground. At the Just Live course, riders begin by climbing a large tower and then zip lining across a line that crosses a gulch and lands on a wooden platform that was built about 70 feet off the ground, in a massive ironwood tree.
From this platform we crossed to other platforms built in neighboring trees using other zip lines as well as suspension bridges. Eventually, we traveled through a circuit that wound its way through the trees before launching us on a massive zip line onto a tower that has been constructed far away in the pasture located across the gulch from the grove of ironwood trees.
Once we got onto the tower (which was constructed like some sort of element on a military training ground) we climbed up a ladder to the top level where another large zipline began. We clipped into the final line and at the end of it our feet struck hard ground for the first time since we climbed up the tower where we clipped into line one.
I’ve done quite a bit of rock climbing as well as almost every zipline course in the Hawaii so I am pretty experienced with being in high places and relying on ropes and harnesses. That doesn’t mean that I don’t still get a rush of adrenaline every time I climb up something high and then look off of it towards the ground. Each and every time it gives me that fear in the back of my head that slows down my movements and makes me become hyper vigilant about exactly what I am doing right then. As long as the danger is not too real I can have that feeling in small doses, I really enjoy it. Being scared really brings my consciousness into the moment and then overcoming fear brings with it a feeling of personal accomplishment. I like both those feelings, and the feeling of being really high off the ground (but clipped in) the entire time made it more fun for me. I think this is a great tour for anyone who is a thrill seeker, and I think that this is a great tour for anyone that wants to work on any issues with heights as well. We had a great time.
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