Get ready to zip-line down the mountain at Lake Tahoe ski resort

Heavenly Mountain Resort at the southern end of Lake Tahoe and Vail Mountain in Colorado are launching new summertime Epic Discovery adventure programs starting in June.

Summer activities will feature zip-lines, canopy tours, alpine coasters, rock climbing walls, wildlife trail exploration and what Vail officials describe as interactive “learn-through-play” activities.

Working in partnership with the Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Forest Service, Epic Discovery aims to offer a “unique, connected, comprehensive on-mountain experience” filled with plenty of challenging adventures along with activities that spark a better understanding of nature, Vail officials said in a statement.

Breckenridge Ski Resort, another Vail resort in Colorado, will start its own Epic Discovery program in 2017.

The company “envisions Epic Discovery as a catalyst for helping to foster a lifelong appreciation for the outdoors among a diverse audience of summer visitors to the mountains,” Chris Jarnot, CEO of Vail Mountain, said in an email.

Jarnot said Vail Resorts — through its new “1% for the Forest” program — will contribute 1% of all summer lift ticket and activity revenue to the Nature Conservancy for forest restoration projects on national forest lands.

Epic Discovery options at Heavenly will include:

Canopy tour: Set among pines surrounding the mid-station observation deck of Heavenly’s Gondola, this guided tour will immerse guests in the forest habitat with an array of zip-lines and aerial bridges featuring an unfiltered view of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding mountains.

Alpine coaster: This gravity-based coaster allows guests on individual sleds to descend on a raised track through the forest and natural rock formations, with incredible views of Lake Tahoe. Located near the existing summer tubing hill, the coaster will utilize gravity for the descent while giving riders full control of their speed.

Guided 4x4 mountain tours: Guests will enjoy Heavenly’s stunning view from the cab of an off-roading SUV. These tours offer the best of an alpine summer with views of Lake Tahoe, the Carson Valley and Desolation Wilderness.

Interpretive learning: Heavenly’s program integrates teachable moments into an outdoor curriculum created in collaboration with the Forest Service, the League to Save Lake Tahoe and the Nature Conservancy.

An unlimited all-day pass costs $89 for adults and $49 for children 8 and younger.

Info: Epic Discovery

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