A view from the Apache Wind Rider Ziptour at Ski Apache on the Mescalero Apache Reservation in New Mexico. Photo from Facebook

The Mescalero Apache Nation of New Mexico is holding a grand opening today for a new and breathtaking tourist attraction.

The Apache Wind Rider Ziptour is located at Ski Apache, the tribe's ski resort. It starts at an elevation of 11,500 feet, making it the highest zip tour in the world.

The ride takes people through 8,890 feet in three different segments. The entire trip takes about an hour, making it the longest in the U.S. and the third longest in the world.

YouTube: Ziptour at Ski Apache

"The fun really begins with the grand opening," Brett Nichols, the marketing manager at Ski Apache, told The Ruidoso News. "We've already had hundreds of people, but this is the grand opening, so now it's going to get really crazy."

The tribe will be opening a second zip line, the Apache Eagle Zip Line, at the Inn of the Mountain Gods, a hotel and gaming resort. This one will be smaller and will offer different views of the reservation.

ZipRider, a company based in Utah, is the tribe's partner.

Get the Story:
Catching air and hanging 10, Ruidoso style (The Ruidoso News 2/20)

Related Stories:
Mescalero Apache Tribe hopes to draw tourists with two zip lines (08/15)