By Charles Romans
Carter County Times
It might have taken a moment or two to acclimatize herself, but Olive Hill native Autumn Thornsberry dropped the sixty feet through the top of the Natural Bridge at Carter Caves State Resort Park like a trooper. With spotters at the top and bottom, Thornsberry was able to experience firsthand, in an up close and personal way, what most only see as a light shining through from a natural cathedral of stone. And as she spoke with her father after her trip down the rappelling line, she breathlessly said, “I want to do it again!”
On Saturday, the park hosted the Natural Bridge Rappelling Adventure, and dozens were able to share Autumn Thornsberry’s unique experience. Carter Caves Park naturalist Coy Ainsley said the event was something special the park does a couple of times during the summer months.
“We call it the Natural Bridge Rappel, where people ages six and up can come out and rappel. There is no experience necessary to take part in the event,” Ainsley said. “And they are going to do a sixty-foot rappel through the skylight of the Natural Bridge.”
Ainsley said that a lot of people are familiar with the Natural Bridge, because the hiking trail goes all around it.
“That’s the way most people see it; but we are giving them a new way to see it. It gives them all different kinds of perspectives,” Ainsley said. “Because they are hanging from a rope, rappelling down through the hole, and into the bridge.”
If you missed out this time, and want to try rappelling, the park has another event coming up next month.
“We have one more coming up this summer, on July 20, if people are interested,” Ainsley said. “You can call the park at 606-286-4411 extension 0. You can make reservations, and it’s just ten dollars per drop. Some people will want to do it twice, and you can just purchase two tickets. Drops are from 10 am until 3 p.m.”
Ainsley said that the drop is definitely an adventure worth adding into your visit, and compliments all the other sights and adventures the park has to offer. He said people enjoy cave tours, hiking, or in many cases just hanging out in or near the creek. And enjoying the beauty of nature, however you choose to do it, is always time well spent.
Anyone rappelling is encouraged to go at their own pace, Ainsley said.
“We would never want anyone to go too fast, because we want them to enjoy the view of the bridge from many different perspectives. But the whole process should take less than a half hour.”
And as definitely is the case with Autumn Thornsberry, it will be thirty minutes most will remember for a lifetime.
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
