Rope-Swinging Could be Banned from Corona Arch, Utah
Daredevils may no longer be welcome.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
The 100-foot Corona Arch in Moab, Utah—known to some as the “World’s Largest Rope Swing”—may soon be off-limits to thrill seekers.
The Associated Press reports that the Bureau of Land Management is considering banning the use of the arch as a 5-story pendulum swing. Officials increasingly feel that tourists who come to see the arch don’t want the solitude disturbed by an “extreme sports arena pierced by daredevil howls.”
Safety concerns also played a role in the decision. Last year, 22-year-old Kyle Lee Stocking of West Jordan died after leaving too much slack in his rope during a swing. In March, a 25-year-old male from New York fell 70 feet from the arch and sustained serious injuries.
The BLM is considering banning extreme sports on other Utah lands as well, including Bowtie Arch and Gemini Bridges. The restrictions would curtail pendulum swinging, rappelling, zip lining, slack-lining, and high-lining.
Read more: Associated Press