Sitting in the harness at the top of the Ultra Zipline, I realized I was gripping the ropes so tightly that my knuckles were white. As a Utah Adventurer, I'm always willing to try something, but that doesn't mean I won't be a little nervous.

Fellow Utah Adventurer Michele Roberts and I were at Utah Olympic Park in Park City with Ian Foulke of Isis Dei, a Provo-based company that designs hip laptop accessories inspired by extreme sports. And the Olympic Park was definitely the place to get a good dose of adrenaline.

The Ultra Zipline is the shorter of two ziplines at the park. We decided to start "small" and work our way up. This one starts near the top of the Utah Olympic Park freestyle skiing hill next to the K120 Nordic ski jumping hill. Riders are transported by ski lift to the top of the zipline -- no ladder or pole climbing required here -- and three riders can go at the same time. Attendants are casual and friendly, and check to make sure you are buckled in properly.

Once buckled, we wait for the OK from below. We're hanging behind a closed, green trap door of sorts, and when it finally opens -- like a shoot opening for a bull rider at a rodeo -- we go sailing out into a beautiful scene full of trees, bright blue sky and a warm breeze.

As usual, the anticipation was the worst part. About 20 seconds later, we hit the brake at the bottom and hopped out, ready to tackle the Xtreme Zipline.

This one follows the same setup: ski lift up, buckle into the harness, trap door release. Except this time we're locking and loading into the steepest zipline in the country, with a 50-story drop off. This was the best ride of the day -- flying at 50 miles per hour down the mountain, it's a faster, longer and, of course, steeper ride.

Up next, the Quicksilver Alpine Slide. This narrow, winding track is made of steel and is a one-of-a-kind in North America. The experience is meant to replicate a skeleton, luge or bobsled athlete, weaving your way down the course through trees, even over a trestle.

The starting point is accessed by the same chair lift as the Xtreme Zipline. There are one- and two-person sleds available. Children 3-7 can ride if accompanied by an adult. Riders have to engage the sled by pushing down on the lever in the middle, and brake by pulling up on the lever. Foulke went first, announcing that he would be doing zero braking until the end of the run. I found that experience plays a huge role in how your ride goes. Not knowing how the sled would react or how I'd feel going around curves, I was fairly cautious on the first two or three of the 18 turns along the course. But after that, I was speeding all the way through the curves. By the time I got to the bottom, I wanted to head straight back to the top and go again.

For me, this is where the adventure ended. With a recent back surgery, I bowed out of the Comet Bobsled ride -- you'll feel up to 4 Gs of pressure going around the curves with speeds up to 70 mph -- and watched from the sidelines. But the bobsled runs year-round, with an iced track and a sled that goes 15 mph faster. The sled carrying Foulke, Roberts and our photographer Mario Ruiz, plus the driver, came in second out of 20 runs so far that day, topping out at 68 mph.

If all of this is a bit too much for you, there is always the Flying Ace All-Stars shows on Saturday. Olympians and national team members put on an acrobatic show, soaring up to 60 feet in the air. The shows are every Saturday at 1 p.m. through Sept. 5. While we were there, kids in ski jumping school were practicing moves, flipping and twisting off the jumps into the pool, which for us, was great entertainment. Right in front of the pool is a grill where several families and couples sat watching while eating lunch. The park also offers a guided tour with lots of information about the jumps, pools and tracks built for Olympians.

INFO BOX:

Ziplines:

Ultra -- $15, second ride $7

Xtreme -- $20, second ride $10

*Xtreme riders must weigh 100-275 pounds, Ultra riders must weigh 50-275 pounds

Quicksilver Alpine Slide

Ages 8+ -- $15, second ride $7

Ages 8+ with child (3-7) -- $20, second ride $10

Comet Bobsled

Ages 14+ -- $60, second ride $30

Activity Packages

Gold Package -- $90 (Comet Bobsled, Xtreme, Ultra, Quicksilver)

Silver Package -- $40 (Xtreme, Ultra, Quicksilver)

Bronze Package -- $25 (Ultra, Quicksilver)

Guided Tours

Adult (18-64) -- $7

Senior (65+) and Youth (3-17) -- $5

Flying Aces All-Stars Saturday Freestyle Shows

Adult (18-64) -- $10

Senior (65+) and Youth (3-17) -- $7

NOTE: The guided tour is included in a Connect Pass -- a multi-event pass sold through the Salt Lake Visitors Bureau. Go online to www.visitsaltlake.com for more information about the Connect Pass.

Be sure to go online for more coverage of the Utah Olympic Park including a video on our experience at the park.

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