Introducing the New and Improved Cliff Hanger!

Enthusiasts across the country issued a collective cheer this week when Ghost Town in the Sky announced that its signature attraction, Cliff Hanger, is open for business once again. A local hotelier had the opportunity to visit the park yesterday and got some great on-ride and off-ride footage of the coaster in action. Fortunately for us, said hotelier also has a YouTube channel!

Ghost Town in the Sky, located in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, has had a rocky past decade to say the least. After closing back in 2002 and remaining shuttered for five years, it finally reopened under new ownership in 2007--but without its roller coaster. Cliff Hanger (formerly known as Red Devil) was in need of extensive maintenance and refurbishment, and park officials took the opportunity to upgrade many of the ride's components while they were at it. After two long years of working tirelessly with state inspectors and the companies responsible for installing these upgrades, the new and improved Cliff Hanger finally received the state's blessing on June 30.

Cliff Hanger now sports a magnetic braking system and a brand new 28-seat train that was custom-designed for this coaster by Rotational Motion. This gorgeous new train features open-air cars and specially engineered ergonomic lap bars in place of the typical (and widely abhorred) over-the-shoulder restraints. RCDB has some great photos of it!

The reopening of Cliff Hanger couldn't have happened at a more critical time. Ghost Town in the Sky has struggled to get back on its feet over the past two years and ended up filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection back in March. But their 2009 attendance figures look promising thus far, and the park hopes that the return of Cliff Hanger will give them a much needed boost that could shoot those figures even higher. It would be wonderful to see this park make a full comeback. If you happen to be in the area, be sure to stop by and show your support by challenging this one-of-a-kind coaster!