Lutsen Mountain in Minnesota is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts.
In summer, the mountain transforms into an adventure playground with a variety of activities for visitors to enjoy, including hiking, mountain biking and the Lutsen Alpine Slide.
The Lutsen Alpine Slide is a thrilling experience that takes riders on a thrilling downhill journey, featuring twists, turns and breathtaking views.
If you’re looking for more information on the Lutsen Alpine Slide then you have come to the right place!
In this article, we provide a comprehensive guide for anyone looking to experience this awesome attraction so keep reading to find out more.
Contents
- Lutsen Alpine Slide
- How Long is the Lutsen Alpine Slide?
- How Fast is the Lustsen Alpine Slide?
- What Is an Alpine Slide?
- Lutsen Alpine Slide Video
- Cost
- Operating Hours
- Rider Requirements
- Where Is the Lutsen Alpine Slide?
Lustsen Alpine Slide
The Lutsen Alpine Slide is a thrilling family-friendly summer attraction that offers a unique way to experience the natural beauty of the area.
Your experience begins with a chairlift ride to the top of Lutsen’s Eagle Mountain. Don’t forget to take in the incredible views of Lake Superior at the top.
From there you jump into your cart and head down the mountain on one of the dual alpine slides.
An experience you won’t forget and one we’re pretty sure you’ll want to do over and over again!
How Long Is the Lutsen Alpine Slide?
The Lutsen Alpine Slide is half a mile long (800 meters) and takes about 2 minutes to complete, depending on your speed.
It’s worth noting that the speed of your descent is completely under your control.
Alpine slides are fitted with a manual brake, located between your legs, which you can use to adjust your speed as you make your way down the mountain.
How Fast is the Lustsen Alpine Slide
The Lutsen Alpine Slide can reach a speed of up to 25 mp/h (40 km/h).
The alpine slide cart is fitted with a manual brake which allows riders to adjust the speed of their descent.
This is a great feature of alpine slides as it gives you full control of your ride experience.
Alpine slides are also fitted with an automatic braking system or speed restrictor that prevents the cart from going above a maximum speed.
This is done to ensure the safety of the riders.
What Is an Alpine Slide?
One way to think of alpine slides is that they are a summer version of the bobsled.
But unlike the bobsleds, an alpine slide is a smooth continuous track made of fibreglass, concrete or stainless steel and does not need ice to operate.
Like alpine coasters, alpine slides are installed in mountainous areas and are a popular activity in ski resorts.
These are gravity-powered rides so they use the natural contours of these areas to operate.
How Does an Alpine Slide Work?
Riders are transported down the alpine slide track in one or two-person carts.
The carts are fitted with a manual brake, positioned between the rider’s legs, that give riders full control of their speed and experience.
The photo below is an example of an alpine slide cart. Riders sit in the cart with their legs facing forward.
The lever in the middle with the red grip is the brake. You pull back on this lever to engage the brake and push forward to release it.
Alpine Slide Saftey
Safety is an important feature of alpine slides and technology improvements over the years have certainly increased rider safety.
However, as with any thrill ride of this nature, there are always risks involved.
Alpine slides can reach a speed of up to 25 mp/h (40 km/h) and almost all alpine slide accidents happen because riders are going too fast.
So if it’s your first time riding an alpine slide it’s important to become familiar with the cart and the manual brake before flying down the mountain.
Overall, alpine slides are a thrilling experience that can be enjoyed by the whole family. They are not difficult to operate and no prior experience or training is necessary.
With some basic instructions, you can jump in and enjoy the ride!
Lustsen Alpine Slide Video
One of the great things about alpine slides is that a lot of people have filmed their experiences.
These videos give you an opportunity to “experience” the ride before you go on it.
The video below gives you a first-person view of what you can expect from start to finish on the Lusten Alpine Slide.
One thing to be aware of though is that point-of-view videos can be a bit misleading.
The wide-angled lens makes the drops shallower and the ride seems way slower than it is in real life.
They provide a good idea of what the ride looks like but only real-world experience tells you how they feel.
So get out there and try it for yourself!
How Much Does the Lutsen Alpine Slide Cost?
At the time of writing, the cost to ride the Lutsen Alpine Slide was as follows:
| Rider | Price ($) |
|---|---|
| Single ride (all ages) | $16.50 |
| 4 single rides (all ages) – transferable | $49 |
| Unlimited slide pass – non-transferable | $54 |
As an alternative to the above, you can purchase an alpine slide/gondola combo ticket.
This ticket gives you a single ride on the alpine slide and gondola.
At the time of writing the price for this combo ticket was as follows:
| Ticket | Price ($) |
|---|---|
| Adult (ages 16 – 64) | $40 |
| Child (ages 5 – 15) | $32 |
| Senior (ages 65+) | $36 |
Key Things To Be Aware Of
Prices above do not include applicable taxes (8.75% State and County Tax) and fees (5.5% Resort Fee).
Children ages 2 – 5 ride for free with a paid adult ticket.
Children age 6 and up must purchase a full-ride ticket.
Lutsen Alpine Slide Operating Hours
The Lutsen alpine slides operate during the summer season from May to October.
During spring (May) and fall (September – October), the alpine slide is only open on the weekends.
During summer (June 2 – September 4) the alpine slide is open daily.
The Lutsen alpine slide is open from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Additional details about operating hours can be found on the official website here.
Weather
The alpine slide is weather dependent. On days with heavy fog or rain, the alpine slides do not open.
If you want to make sure the alpine slide is operating before you go then we recommend calling central reservations at 877-458-8736.
Lutsen Alpine Slide Rider Requirements
The rider age limit is 2 years old.
Children ages 2 to 5 ride free with a paying adult and must ride with someone 16 years or older.
Children over 6 years old must purchase their own alpine slide ticket and must be over 48″ (122cm) to ride alone.
Where Is the Lutsen Alpine Slide?
The Lutsen Alpine Slide is located at the Lutsen Mountain Resort in Cook County, Minnesota.
Address: 467 Ski Hill Road Lutsen, MN 55612
Directions to the Lutsen Alpine slide can be found on the map below:
