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The 50 foot tall Alpine Tower and Swing Supersize

Alpine Swing

Here's a little trust and self-confidence test. It's just a swing. Well, a 50 foot tall swing. The swing hangs from two horizontal cables strung from the top of the tower to a pole hidden past the left of the picture. The red arrow shows the two steel cables from which the swing hangs. You can't see the swing here.

The Swing hangs from two horizontal cables Supersize
 This is the swing. The "hang" point is seven feet off the ground. They run a rope through the end of the cable and hoist you up to the cable. Then, they clip your harness onto the cable. Simple, right?

Several ropes are required Supersize
 Well, it isn't quite as simple as that. The orange rope is the hoisting rope. The magenta rope adjusts the sitting angle. The harness is attached to purple and black nylon straps which attach to 8kn (kilo Newton) aluminum carabiners that attach to the ropes or cables...

The Swing's low point is 6' above ground Supersize
 Two carabiners are attached (in opposite directions) with separate straps for doubled safety. The magenta rope is slid to a position that enables the swingee to sit at a comfortable angle. The orange hoisting rope is removed...

A thick black rope will haul Matthew up sideways Supersize
 A foot long, red rope is run through carabiners attached to the big black rope and the harness. That big black rope will be used to haul the swingee way, way up into the air.

He'll swing when he lets the short red rope go. Supersize
 The red rope goes through the two carabiners at least three times to provide enough friction so that the swingee can hold the ends of the red rope in his hands. Matthew now has hold of the two loose ends of the short, red rope. Although people on the ground will haul him up, he can let loose of that red rope and swing free at any time.

Dennis on his way up. Supersize
 Here, you see Dennis as they start to haul him up.

You can let go anytime. Supersize
 And up and up.

The higher you go, the more you swing. Supersize
 When I first saw this picture, I thought it was turned sideways. Nope! They've got him pulled up really high. When he lets go of that short, red rope, he'll SSSsswwwwiiinnnngg in a fifty foot arc.

Loooove that Swing! Supersize
 It couldn't be too bad. That's a smile on his face.

You gotta come down sometime. Supersize
 Eventually, you slow down and they grab your feet to stop you from swinging. I guess you have to come down to earth sometime. What a blast.
Oh. I forgot to mention - Matthew and Dennis have paraplegia. It didn't seem to matter much.
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