West Virginia's first mountain coaster zooms down Mercer County slopes

"It's great. It's long overdue and it's just what West Virginia needed," said Blankenship, Miller's adult stepson.

The newly opened attraction carries thrill-seeking riders, seated in individual cars, along 3,200-foot stainless steel rails that wind their way down a steep hillside through a series of hairpin turns, dips and 360-degree spiraling curves at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. The cars are equipped with brake levers, allowing passengers to ease their way into, or opt out of, a full-thrill experience.

"I'm 70, so I liked having brakes available," Miller said during a July 11 stop at the attraction. "I had to touch them a time or two on the first run, but I may not need to on my next trip."

Brush Creek Holl'r opened during the July Fourth weekend. It's located next to Brushcreek Falls RV Resort, a few miles off the Athens exit of Interstate 77 in Mercer County.

"We had anticipated holding a soft opening, but it turned out to be anything but," said Jeremiah McKendree, the attraction's general manager. "We had people here from Florida, Pennsylvania and across the state — even someone from Australia." 

In all, more than 1,700 riders descended the Brush Creek Holl'r hillside during its debut weekend, McKendree said.

Gravity-powered and fast

The coal mine-themed ride begins in an artificial coal shaft at one end of the ticketing building, where riders board stylized, streamlined imitation coal carts to begin a leisurely, 700-foot ascent of an adjacent, forested hillside.

Once the summit is attained, the ride becomes gravity-powered — and fast.

"It generally takes three to four minutes to complete," McKendree said.

Brush Creek Holl'r is the 59th mountain, or alpine, coaster to be installed in the U.S. and Canada by Wiegand Sports USA, the North American affiliate of Josef Wiegand GMBH of Rasdorf, Germany. Worldwide, the company has installed more than 300 mountain coasters in 30 countries.

While the Mercer County installation is the first of its kind in West Virginia, mountain coasters are popular not far to the south, in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

"There are 12 or 13 operating in the Pigeon Forge area alone," McKendree said. Mountain coasters in states bordering West Virginia include an installation at Wisp Resort near Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, and one adjacent to Massanutten ski area near Harrisonburg, Virginia, expected to open this summer.

"We plan to operate year-round, adding canopies to the cars to keep the rain and snow off," McKendree said. "Fall should be a really beautiful time to ride."

There is a discount for West Virginia riders. Passengers must be 9 or older and at least 54 inches tall to ride solo. All adult riders must sign waivers before riding.

Snacks, soft drinks and souvenirs are available in the ticket building, where a second-floor space to accommodate birthday parties is expected to open later in the year. Food trucks are often on hand on afternoons and evenings, and pizza and wings are also available at Brushcreek Falls RV resort's General Store, across the street from the coaster.