Copperhead Strike

Copperhead Strike is a double launched roller coaster at Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina. Manufactured by Mack Rides, the ride debuted to the public on March 23, 2019 as part of a newly themed area, Blue Ridge Junction.[1] The ride is the first double-launched roller coaster, and the second launched coaster at Carowinds, after White Lightnin' (now Golden Loop at Gold Reef City). Carowinds held a private event for media and special guests on March 21, 2019.[2]

Copperhead Strike
Carowinds
Location	Carowinds
Park section	Blue Ridge Junction
Coordinates	35.1011°N 80.9426°W
Status	Operating
Soft opening date	March 21, 2019
Opening date	March 23, 2019
Replaced	Whitewater Falls Sand Dune Lagoon
General statistics
Type	Steel – Launched
Manufacturer	Mack Rides GmbH & Co KG
Model	Launch Coaster
Lift/launch system	LSM launch
Height	82 ft (25 m)
Length	3,255 ft (992 m)
Speed	50 mph (80 km/h)
Inversions	5
Duration	2:24
Capacity	1,200 riders per hour
Height restriction	52 in (132 cm)
Trains	3 trains with 4 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 16 riders per train.
Copperhead Strike at RCDB Pictures of Copperhead Strike at RCDB

History

Whitewater Falls, a Hopkins Rides shoot-the-chutes water attraction opened in 1988, closed at the end of the 2016 season.[3] No official reasoning was given by the park for the closure of the ride, and the ride remained standing but not operating throughout the 2017 season until it was removed. In 2018, Carowinds began teasing a new attraction for the area formerly home to Whitewater Falls.[4][5] On August 30, 2018, Carowinds officially announced Copperhead Strike, along with its accompanying area, becoming the largest investment in the park's history.[6][7] On October 17, 2018, construction of the ride's vertical loop and queue area were taking shape.[8][9] The roller coaster opened to the public on March 23, 2019.[1]

Ride experience

The ride starts with a slow barrel roll out of the station before a right hand turn into Granny's Jam building. When something in the building goes wrong, riders are launched out of the building at 42 mph (68 km/h) into the first of two vertical loops. They then careen into an airtime hill and a fast-paced corkscrew, before hitting a turnaround and jumping into the next launch. This one is actually situated over an airtime hill and is virtually unheard of on any roller coaster. The launch boosts the speed from 35 to 50 mph (56 to 80 km/h),[3] and speeds into an inverted top hat of sorts. That is followed by the second vertical loop around the track following the second launch. It then zooms straight through the second vertical loop and proceeds to travel along some high speed twists and turns in the middle of the ride's spread out structure. That takes it in one last airtime hill towards the brake run, situated directly outside of the station.[1]

Characteristics

Theme

Incorporated into the new area known as Blue Ridge Junction,[10] the ride places guests in the shoes of visitors to old Granny Byrd's farmhouse on the edge of town. Granny has been making her prize-winning jam for over 40 years, but the farm is filled with signs warning trespassers to leave the property and look out for snakes. As the ride begins, riders happen upon a secret moonshine still in Granny's shed and must flee when she threatens to come after them.

Incidents

On August 18, 2019, a guest was taken to the hospital after receiving a hand injury while riding. The ride was temporarily shut down following an investigation.[11]

Reception

Copperhead Strike was ranked in the Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards for best new roller coaster of 2019 in third place.[12]

Golden Ticket Awards: Best New Roller Coaster for 2019
Ranking	3[12]

References

1. "Copperhead Strike - Carowinds (Charlotte, North Carolina, USA)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
2. "Enter for a chance to ride Copperhead Strike at Carowinds". WCNC. 2019-02-19. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
3. "Copperhead Strike, The Carolina's First Double Launch Coaster". Carowinds. August 30, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
4. Andrew (June 30, 2018). "Carowinds' 2019 Teasers: What Do They All Mean?". Coaster101. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
5. Bowen, Janine (August 11, 2018). "Carowinds teases 'biggest announcement' in park's history on social media". WRAL. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
6. Marks, John (August 30, 2018). "Carowinds is adding another roller coaster. It will be fast". The Charlotte Observer. The McClatchy Company. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
7. Elkins, Ken (August 30, 2018). "Carowinds touts bright future — but details of next expansion will have to wait". Charlotte Business Journal. American City Business Journals. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
8. Harris, Amanda (October 17, 2018). "Construction underway on new rides at Carowinds, including Copperhead Strike". The Herald. The McClatchy Company. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
9. Andrew (October 17, 2018). "Copperhead Strike Taking Shape at Carowinds (and the Gliders' Return!)". Coaster101. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
10. "Carowinds announces biggest park investment ever with 'Copperhead Strike'". WCYB. August 30, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
11. "Copperhead Strike ride currently closed at Carowinds after injury". WCNC. 2019-08-19. Retrieved 2019-08-19.
12. "Amusement Today – Golden Ticket Awards 2019" (PDF). Amusement Today. 23 (6.2): 12. September 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2020.