Holler Hoppin' Zip Line FAQs
Why do you call it "Holler Hoppin"?
Brown County’s topography is characterized by its beautiful hills and hollers that were carved out by the glaciers many years ago. A “holler” is our fancy word for ravine and we utilize the depths that the hollers provide us to give our zip lines their height, or better described as "depth".
What is zip lining?
Zip lining uses a network of harnesses, ropes, and trolleys (pulleys) to connect you to a cable that stretches from one place to the next over varying depths. Once connected, you zoom hundreds of feet down the wire with a little help from gravity. Zip lining originally was invented to help scientists travel from one tree top to the next in the rain forest canopy without having to climb all the way up and down the massive trees. However, it has developed into one of the fastest growing recreational attractions everyone wants to try.
How high will I be off the ground?
Our zip lines work more with depths than heights because of the way they are built. That being said, the hollers below our lines reach as deep as 50’ below our lines.
What if I'm afraid of heights?
No problem! We have had many guests who are scared of heights and yet they are still able to complete the tour. We pride ourselves on the fact that the Holler Hoppin’ zip lines are built in a progressive manner; meaning that they start smaller and build in depth, and/or speed as you continue. This allows our guests a more gradual experience instead of the discomfort of starting off “too big”. We find that most zippers are afraid of the unknown and are usually fine after the first zip line where they are able to better understand the process.
Is it safe?
All adventure activities done above the ground carry certain inherent risks. We have taken numerous steps to mitigate these risks. Our course was built to meet or exceed ACCT professional building standards. Our cables are galvanized steel airline grade built to sustain a weight of 14,000lbs. Our guides are professionally trained and our equipment is very high quality. The course and equipment are inspected daily.
Are instructions provided?
Absolutely. We want you to feel as comfortable as possible with what you are doing on our zip lines. Holler Hoppin’ is intended to be simple for the participants to do so that we can include a wide parameter of participants as possible. Our facilitators will provide instruction both before and during your tour to help you understand their roles and yours.
When should I arrive for my tour?
Please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled tour time. This will give you enough time to check-in and prepare for your tour.
What should I expect when I arrive?
You should go to the Rawhide Ranch office at the top of the driveway when you first arrive. There you will be able to check in for your tour by signing a waiver for each participant in your party and settling any payments needed. Once you have checked in, you can walk down to the Buck Inn (big barn) in the back of the property where your guides will meet you. Please arrive 30 minutes early to allow yourself to get checked in, go to the bathroom, and prepare for your tour to leave on time.
How long does the tour take?
Our daytime Holler Hoppin’ tours take approximately 1.5 hrs. to get a full group of 10 Hoppers across the 6 hops. Our night hops take approximately 1 hr. to get a full group of 10 Hoppers across the 4 hops. However, the timing for both day and night hops may vary depending on the size of the groups.
Can anyone zip line?
As much as we would like to say that anyone can zip, there are some safety guidelines in place. The zip lines are designed for use by participants of average mobility and strength, and who are in reasonably good health. No children under the age of 7 and weighing less than 60lbs. will be allowed to participate in the tour. Children between the ages of 7-14 must be accompanied by an adult from their party. Participants need to be between the weight range of 60-275 lbs. to allow them to make it across the lines safely, but not too quickly. There is also some moderate walking involved between our lines on unpaved trail. We do not recommend our zip lines to anyone with recent or chronic leg or back injuries and we do not allow pregnant women to zip.
Are reservations required?
Advance reservations are highly recommended. Walk ups are not guaranteed and not recommended as we are not at the course waiting for you unless you have booked. To enable us to provide you with the best experience, we recommend reservations.
How do I book a zip line tour?
Call the Rawhide Ranch at 812-988-0085. Be prepared to give them the number of people who will be in your party, the day and time you would like to reserve, and a credit card number to reserve your spots. Your credit card will not be charged unless you are a no call/no show or you cancel within 2 hrs. of your reserved tour.
What is your cancellation policy?
We ask that you respect your reservation of our time, staffing and equipment by committing to the number of spaces you have reserved. Individuals who fail to cancel reservations more than 2 hours prior to their scheduled reservation will be charged the full amount on the reserving credit card. Reservations may sell out well in advance. Therefore facilitation staff is scheduled well in advance too. Costs remain the same when guests fail to keep their reservation. Vacancies may not be able to be filled on short notice.
When are the Holler Hoppin' Zip Lines running?
Year round, day and night and in most weather. Closed on Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas.
What if it's too cold outside?
Please be aware the temperature can be quite cold. Zipping in the cold is fun, if you are dressed for the weather. We recommend that you layer your clothing.
Do you operate in any kind of weather?
We operate rain or shine, in snow and fog. However, the tour will be closed if there is lightening activity in the area. We will also close for very heavy rain, high winds and excessive snow/ice and temperatures. If we know in advance that we will be closed, we will try to contact you at the contact number you provided to us when you booked your tour. If your tour is cancelled due to weather, you can either rebook for another time or we will issue a rain check. Do not assume we have called off your tour. Even if you have bad weather we may have sunny skies!
What should I wear?
Clothing should be:
Shoes should be:
Jewelry should be:
Hair should be:
Glasses wearers:
Can I bring a camera?
You bet! Keep in mind that you will probably have to carry it in your hands because pockets are typically blocked by harnesses and ropes but we love pictures and videos. It is wise to use a device with a wrist strap. Dropped items may not always be safely accessible. Please post your pictures on our Facebook group (Team Effect Inc.) and become a fan.
How much should I tip my guides?
Our guides are professionally trained to ensure that you have an educational, enjoyable, and memorable experience. The tipping guideline is customarily 15%-20% per person. However, all tips are welcome and appreciated by our guides.
What if I have more questions?
You can call the Rawhide Ranch at 812-988-0085.
Brown County’s topography is characterized by its beautiful hills and hollers that were carved out by the glaciers many years ago. A “holler” is our fancy word for ravine and we utilize the depths that the hollers provide us to give our zip lines their height, or better described as "depth".
What is zip lining?
Zip lining uses a network of harnesses, ropes, and trolleys (pulleys) to connect you to a cable that stretches from one place to the next over varying depths. Once connected, you zoom hundreds of feet down the wire with a little help from gravity. Zip lining originally was invented to help scientists travel from one tree top to the next in the rain forest canopy without having to climb all the way up and down the massive trees. However, it has developed into one of the fastest growing recreational attractions everyone wants to try.
How high will I be off the ground?
Our zip lines work more with depths than heights because of the way they are built. That being said, the hollers below our lines reach as deep as 50’ below our lines.
What if I'm afraid of heights?
No problem! We have had many guests who are scared of heights and yet they are still able to complete the tour. We pride ourselves on the fact that the Holler Hoppin’ zip lines are built in a progressive manner; meaning that they start smaller and build in depth, and/or speed as you continue. This allows our guests a more gradual experience instead of the discomfort of starting off “too big”. We find that most zippers are afraid of the unknown and are usually fine after the first zip line where they are able to better understand the process.
Is it safe?
All adventure activities done above the ground carry certain inherent risks. We have taken numerous steps to mitigate these risks. Our course was built to meet or exceed ACCT professional building standards. Our cables are galvanized steel airline grade built to sustain a weight of 14,000lbs. Our guides are professionally trained and our equipment is very high quality. The course and equipment are inspected daily.
Are instructions provided?
Absolutely. We want you to feel as comfortable as possible with what you are doing on our zip lines. Holler Hoppin’ is intended to be simple for the participants to do so that we can include a wide parameter of participants as possible. Our facilitators will provide instruction both before and during your tour to help you understand their roles and yours.
When should I arrive for my tour?
Please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled tour time. This will give you enough time to check-in and prepare for your tour.
What should I expect when I arrive?
You should go to the Rawhide Ranch office at the top of the driveway when you first arrive. There you will be able to check in for your tour by signing a waiver for each participant in your party and settling any payments needed. Once you have checked in, you can walk down to the Buck Inn (big barn) in the back of the property where your guides will meet you. Please arrive 30 minutes early to allow yourself to get checked in, go to the bathroom, and prepare for your tour to leave on time.
How long does the tour take?
Our daytime Holler Hoppin’ tours take approximately 1.5 hrs. to get a full group of 10 Hoppers across the 6 hops. Our night hops take approximately 1 hr. to get a full group of 10 Hoppers across the 4 hops. However, the timing for both day and night hops may vary depending on the size of the groups.
Can anyone zip line?
As much as we would like to say that anyone can zip, there are some safety guidelines in place. The zip lines are designed for use by participants of average mobility and strength, and who are in reasonably good health. No children under the age of 7 and weighing less than 60lbs. will be allowed to participate in the tour. Children between the ages of 7-14 must be accompanied by an adult from their party. Participants need to be between the weight range of 60-275 lbs. to allow them to make it across the lines safely, but not too quickly. There is also some moderate walking involved between our lines on unpaved trail. We do not recommend our zip lines to anyone with recent or chronic leg or back injuries and we do not allow pregnant women to zip.
Are reservations required?
Advance reservations are highly recommended. Walk ups are not guaranteed and not recommended as we are not at the course waiting for you unless you have booked. To enable us to provide you with the best experience, we recommend reservations.
How do I book a zip line tour?
Call the Rawhide Ranch at 812-988-0085. Be prepared to give them the number of people who will be in your party, the day and time you would like to reserve, and a credit card number to reserve your spots. Your credit card will not be charged unless you are a no call/no show or you cancel within 2 hrs. of your reserved tour.
What is your cancellation policy?
We ask that you respect your reservation of our time, staffing and equipment by committing to the number of spaces you have reserved. Individuals who fail to cancel reservations more than 2 hours prior to their scheduled reservation will be charged the full amount on the reserving credit card. Reservations may sell out well in advance. Therefore facilitation staff is scheduled well in advance too. Costs remain the same when guests fail to keep their reservation. Vacancies may not be able to be filled on short notice.
When are the Holler Hoppin' Zip Lines running?
Year round, day and night and in most weather. Closed on Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas.
What if it's too cold outside?
Please be aware the temperature can be quite cold. Zipping in the cold is fun, if you are dressed for the weather. We recommend that you layer your clothing.
Do you operate in any kind of weather?
We operate rain or shine, in snow and fog. However, the tour will be closed if there is lightening activity in the area. We will also close for very heavy rain, high winds and excessive snow/ice and temperatures. If we know in advance that we will be closed, we will try to contact you at the contact number you provided to us when you booked your tour. If your tour is cancelled due to weather, you can either rebook for another time or we will issue a rain check. Do not assume we have called off your tour. Even if you have bad weather we may have sunny skies!
What should I wear?
Clothing should be:
- Loose, comfortable and durable
- T-shirts and tops should be long enough to tuck into pants or shorts
- Shorts should reach mid-thigh or longer
- Long pants or sweats are preferred during cooler seasons
- In hot weather, shorts and shoes and socks maybe preferred.
- Layered clothing (please wear layers suitable to the season that will allow you to be comfortable all day.
Shoes should be:
- Comfortable, such as sneakers or hiking boots (NO OPEN TOE SHOES!)
- Suitable for weather conditions (consider rain, mud, cold, etc...)
Jewelry should be:
- Left at home or locked safely in your vehicle
- For safety, please make sure any body piercings are protected or removed
Hair should be:
- Tied back or secured to avoid tangling in equipment
Glasses wearers:
- Take precautions that you would normally take when participating in outdoor activities to protect your eyes and eye wear. Sun glasses can be worn if you like.
Can I bring a camera?
You bet! Keep in mind that you will probably have to carry it in your hands because pockets are typically blocked by harnesses and ropes but we love pictures and videos. It is wise to use a device with a wrist strap. Dropped items may not always be safely accessible. Please post your pictures on our Facebook group (Team Effect Inc.) and become a fan.
How much should I tip my guides?
Our guides are professionally trained to ensure that you have an educational, enjoyable, and memorable experience. The tipping guideline is customarily 15%-20% per person. However, all tips are welcome and appreciated by our guides.
What if I have more questions?
You can call the Rawhide Ranch at 812-988-0085.
Relationship Development, Leadership & Team Building
Member of the Association of Challenge Course Technology (ACCT)
TEAM EFFECT Inc -812-935-6399 - fritz@teameffectinc.com
Copyright 2010 TEAM EFFECT Inc - All rights reserved
Copyright 2010 TEAM EFFECT Inc - All rights reserved
