Boulder Dash (roller coaster)

Boulder Dash
Location	Lake Compounce
Coordinates	41.639187°N 72.924540°W / 41.639187; -72.924540
Status	Operating
Opened	May 21, 2000
Cost	US$6,000,000
Type	Wood
Manufacturer	Custom Coasters International
Designer	Larry Bill
Track layout	Terrain
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	50 ft (15 m)
Drop	115 ft (35 m)
Length	4,725 ft (1,440 m)
Max speed	60 mph (97 km/h)
Duration	2:30
Max vertical angle	59°
Capacity	1800 riders per hour
Height restriction	4 ft 0 in (122 cm)
Boulder Dash at RCDB
Pictures of Boulder Dash at RCDB
Amusement Parks Portal

Boulder Dash is a wooden roller coaster located at Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut. It first opened in 2000 and was built by Custom Coasters International. The ride's structure was built with Southern Yellow Pine wood and the track is made of Douglas Fir wood.

The cars were built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters Incorporated.

Statistics and additional information

This 4,672 foot wooden roller coaster uses the Lake Compounce's natural mountainous terrain, complete with trees and boulders within close proximity of the track. The lift climbs the mountainside and then disappears from view. When it reappears, it has completed its first drop of 115 feet and is traveling sixty miles per hour as it crosses over itself and flies over the station. Much of the first half of the ride is hidden as the train climbs and drops along the mountainside. On the last drop, on-ride photos are taken and can be viewed and bought at the photo booth at the end of the exit line. Most of the ride was retracked during the 2007 off season and during the 2008 off season the remainder was retracked. Lake Compounce bought PTC trains from Hersheyparks Wildcat and is expected to run them on the Boulder Dash for the 2008 season.

Awards and rankings

Boulder Dash was voted the world's number one wooden roller coaster in 2001 and 2004 by the National Amusement Park Historical Association, and it took the top spot in Amusement Today's 2004 Golden Ticket Awards for Best Wood Coaster. It was the fastest, and longest wooden coaster on the East Coast until 2006, when these records went to El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure.

Golden Ticket Awards: Top Wooden Roller Coasters
Year	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Ranking	12	3	3	3	1	2	3	4	5	2	4	4

Mitch Hawker's Best Roller Coaster Poll: Best Wooden-Tracked Roller Coaster
Year	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Ranking	5	3	2	4	2	3	5	6	4	4

NAPHA Survey: Favorite Wood Roller Coaster
Year	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Ranking	2 (tie)	-	-	-	-

External links

• Boulder Dash Article and Photos