The History of Mountain Coasters

Neil Sawford • Oct 12, 2022

Mountain coasters are becoming increasingly popular worldwide, which is no surprise as they are a great outdoor activity in which the whole family can participate. Also known as alpine coasters, these rides are typically located in mountainous areas such as ski resorts. Riders sit in a cart that resembles a bobsled and is attached to a fixed track. Just like the mountain coaster in Branson, it uses the natural elevation of the area and gravity to transport riders down the mountain.


The mountain coaster, just like the first invented roller coaster in the 1800s, is powered by gravity, and it only ascends with the help of the pulley or using mules as what was done during the first invention of the coaster. Mountain coasters have a unique feature; unlike traditional roller coasters, they feature a manual brake that allows riders to control the speed of their descent. As a rider, this means you have complete control over your experience.

The Mountain coaster in Branson has been around since 1996 and has been changing how people have fun. Let's see some of the mountain coasters' history and unique characteristics so you can learn before you try and enjoy the fun you want to experience.


Mountain Coasters: The Inspiration

A German company built the first mountain coaster (also known as an alpine coaster) in Austria in 1996. The popularity of bobsled coasters inspired the mountain coasters, but instead of a trough for the track, they chose rails. Brandauer is still known for its single-tube aluminum design, and its alpine coasters can be found in Alps towns.

A German company built the first mountain coaster (also known as an alpine coaster) in Austria in 1996. The popularity of bobsled coasters inspired them, but instead of a trough for the track, they chose rails. Brandauer is still known for its single-tube aluminum design, and its alpine coasters can be found in Alps towns.


Variations of the Mountain Coaster

While the original Brandauer design used a monorail-style track, some mountain coasters used a double-track system similar to a roller coaster. Alpine coasters, single or double-track, are helpful in mountainous areas because their design allows them to operate year-round without being hampered by snow or ice.


Benefits of a Mountain Coaster

Mountain coasters are not only exciting, but they also provide riders with an interactive experience. Riders can control their speed with a lever brake system on their cart, but anti-collision measures are still in place to prevent dangerous riding.


The World's Longest Mountain Coaster

Mountain coasters can have a wide range of lengths. The original mountain coaster, which debuted in 1996, measured 6,496 feet in length. As recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records, the world's longest mountain coaster is now 17,400 feet long! It is located near Sant Julià de Lria, Andorra, at the Naturlandia resort.


If you've been aware of all the exciting new things happening in Branson, Missouri, the Live Entertainment Capital of the Midwest, you've probably heard about a unique new attraction - the mountain coaster!

This thrilling ride, called The Runaway at Branson Mountain Adventure Park, will join others like it in Colorado, South Dakota, and the East Coast. It is the Midwestern United States' only mountain coaster. So, what is a mountain coaster, and why are they so popular? Continue reading to find out more!


Mountain coasters are gravity-driven amusement park rides in which passengers are seated in cars resembling bobsleds - and they are, of course, installed on mountains or hills with steep grades. Mountain coaster cars, unlike traditional roller coasters, are designed so that passengers can control their speed of descent down the mountain. They can also operate in light rain or snowfall. The Mountain Coaster is the ultimate ride because the Ozarks are full of steep hills and sometimes unpredictable weather forecasts.


Like all alpine coasters, the mountain coaster in Branson has its origins in Europe. The first mountain coaster was built in 1997 by a German company (that also installed the first stainless steel track for the alpine slide) under the trademark 'Alpine Coaster.' It was inspired by the idea of coasters for ski resorts that would utilize the land's natural topography and provide a year-round or off-season attraction for European ski resorts.

You can find some of Europe's most famous mountain coasters in Germany, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, and San Candido, Italy. Mountain coasters are rapidly gaining popularity in the United States due to their relatively simple construction, as the tracks are made of stainless steel and aluminum, providing maximum stability and durability while low maintenance.


Every mountain and alpine coaster has a manual brake that allows the driver to control the speed of their descent. This brake is optional and should only be used if the rider needs to slow down. The mountain coaster in Branson will continue a long tradition of steep and thrilling family fun, so don't miss out on a ride on The Runaway Mountain Coaster at Branson Mountain Adventure Park.

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The Science Behind Roller Coasters Because of technological advancements, roller coasters are becoming more prominent, faster, and scarier. The gravity-propelled Branson mountain coaster , for example, provides a modern sort of entertainment. Unlike the first roller coasters, which were built in the mid-1880s, they were used to transport coal from the mountains to the town of Pennsylvania. Those coasters were rented out on weekends by fare-paying riders who rode just for amusement. Theme parks are thriving nowadays. But, with waits as long as eight hours for an average ride of lesser than two minutes – not to mention accounts of riders suffering strokes, brain deformity, and catastrophic injury as a result of crashes — how can we put up with it? What is it about roller coasters that some people adore, and is it an experience we get tired of as we get older? The desire to enjoy various innovative and intense physical experiences such as rock climbing and parachute jumping is linked to roller coaster enjoyment. But what is it about roller coasters that make them so appealing? At first look, it may appear to be due to speed experience. However, the evidence for a relationship between sensation seeking and speed is weak. For example, driving at speeds beyond the legal limit is something many individuals do, not only thrill-seekers. Perhaps the attraction of the Branson roller coaster is the visceral experience of terror itself, similar to viewing a horror movie. The "fight or flight reaction" refers to physical indications of fear such as a racing heart, quicker breathing, and an energy surge generated by the release of glucose. Researchers who recorded riders' pulse rates on the double-corkscrew Coca Cola Roller in 1980s Glasgow discovered that a roller coaster ride is likely to elicit this response. Heartbeats per minute more than doubled from an average of 70 before the ride to 153 shortly after it began. Some senior motorcyclists came dangerously near to what would be considered medically risky given their age. In another adrenaline-pumping activity, beginner bungee jumpers not only reported heightened sensations of well-being, wakefulness, and happiness immediately after completing a jump. They also had higher amounts of endorphins in their blood, which are widely known to cause emotions of tremendous pleasure. Surprisingly, the higher the endorphin levels, the more blissful the jumper reported feeling. In this case, there is clear evidence that people appreciate the sensations associated with the fight or flight response in a non-threatening situation. Pleasure vs stress Bungee jumpers also had higher amounts of cortisol, which is known to rise when people are stressed. So, how can a person feel both worry and pleasure simultaneously? The answer is that not all stress is detrimental. Eustress – derived from the Greek "eu," which means "good," as in euphoria – is a type of stress that people intentionally seek out. Thanks to a fascinating study conducted by two Dutch psychologists, we now know that a roller coaster ride can be described as "eustressful." They were curious about asthma, specifically its relationship with stress. After noting prior research findings that stress causes people with asthma to view their asthma symptoms as more severe, they wondered if administering eustress could reverse. As a result, several asthmatic student volunteers were transported to a theme park and rode a roller coaster while their respiratory function was tested in the name of science. The research findings were astounding. While the yelling and general turmoil diminished lung function, it also reduced the sensation of shortness of breath. This shows that thrill-seekers who ride roller coasters regard the experience as stress-free. The role of dopamine However, roller coasters are not for everyone. Could variations in brain chemistry explain sensation-seeking behavior? The bungee jumper experiment suggests that those with higher endorphins experience higher degrees of euphoria. However, no evidence resting endorphin levels may explain sensation seeking; they are more likely a reaction to the thrill than a predictor of whether we love it. On the other hand, a recent analysis looked at the role of dopamine, another chemical messenger component in the brain that is essential for the proper functioning of neurological reward circuits. According to the study, people who have higher amounts of dopamine also do better on tests of sensation-seeking behavior. While this is a correlation rather than causality, another study discovered that administering haloperidol, a drug that alters dopamine's actions within the brain, resulted in a substantial drop in sensation-seeking behavior. This line of research raises the intriguing notion that appreciation of severe physical events, such as roller coaster rides, reflects individual variances in brain chemistry. People with higher dopamine levels may be more prone to various sensation-seeking behaviours, ranging from harmless roller coaster rides to drug use or even theft. People like a Branson roller coaster for various reasons, including speed, conquering fear, and the sound effects connected with a significant increase in physiological arousal. For generations, people have been willing to pay money in exchange for the thrill of a terrifying ride.
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