Opponents seek to end a bungee-jumping venue, citing environmental and safety concerns.
Bungee jumpers in Santa Fe, New Mexico, are seeking to build a structure on a hill off the city’s downtown that would allow them to experience the thrill of free-falling hundreds of feet while dangling in a net attached to a helicopter.
The proposal, by the same group behind the city’s controversial new bobsled track, would allow participants to jump from a zip line over the valley floor — an experience that is said to cause no serious injury.
But opponents are concerned that the structure proposed for the hillside overlooking Santa Fe’s downtown could interfere with public use of the surrounding area.
Officials with the Santa Fe Trail Association have made clear they are hoping to build a tower on the hill.
The goal, according to the group’s website:
“Let’s turn this hillside from a natural area for the public into a high-powered, high-speed, thrill-seeking venue for adventure seekers.”
The proposed site is off N. Santa Fe St. and Hwy. 66, east of the valley floor, and overlooks the Santa Fe Historic District, said Don Winton, director of the Santa Fe Trail Association, an advocacy group seeking to restore the historic route between Los Angeles and New Mexico. Winton works to preserve the historic Santa Fe Trail, which is still under construction.
Construction of the tower would be overseen by the Santa Fe Trail Association, said Winton, and would be a “private, non-profit organization.”
Bungee jumping is a popular sport in the Southwest, with several locations across the country including San Francisco County; San Diego County; Washington, D.C., and the Golden Gate Bridge on the island of Manhattan.
Bungee jumping involves jumping from a platform in a harness attached to a cable that extends from another point on the surface of the earth. The apparatus can be attached to a helicopter, a jet, or even a car, allowing the jumper to experience free-falling at speeds of over 200 mph.
In New Mexico, a bobsled track
