Mineshaft Coaster is the first mountain coaster in California

The new Mineshaft Coaster at the year-round family entertainment center Alpine Slide in Big Bear Lake, Calif., is the first and only mountain coaster in the state.

The all-new coaster designed by Wiegand Sports USA — the world’s market leader in the mountain coaster industry — uses a six-tube stainless steel rail system built directly into the mountainside and stretches 5,300 feet (over one mile) as it hugs the natural curves of the landscape.

“The Mineshaft Coaster has so much character from start to finish,” said Alpine Slide Big Bear Manager Julie Eubanks. “It’s the perfect remedy for families that have been cooped up for months. We anticipate lots of pent-up demand for a thrill ride of this caliber.”

Mineshaft Coaster’s two “up tracks” provide excellent views of mountain scenery and Big Bear Lake, while two “down tracks” offer thrill ride-type features, including 150-foot descents, dips, rollers, twists, hairpin turns, tunnels, bridges, and 360-degree corkscrew loops.

The unique opportunity to ride a roller coaster at a Southern California mountain resort is also perfect for families because each cart is user-operated, which means each rider (or pair of riders) controls their speed with a side-lever braking system. This allows riders to take a mellow kid-friendly cruise through the alpine forest or fully accelerate and race past the evergreen trees at max speeds of 30 miles per hour.

Mineshaft Coaster is open year-round (weather-dependent). Operating hours are 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. A single-ride ticket is $20 for riders over 54 inches tall, and a child ticket is $10. Kids must be a minimum of 3 years old and between 38 and 54 inches tall to ride with a driver 18 years or older.