Boulder Dash (roller coaster)

Construction for the coaster began in June 1999 and was completed in May 2000.{{cite web |title=Boulder Dash Coaster Mountain Statistics & Construction Info |url=http://www.lakecompounce.com/boulderdash.html |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000618225429/http://www.lakecompounce.com/boulderdash.html |archivedate=June 18, 2000 |accessdate=April 29, 2017 |publisher=Compounce Lake.com}} The ride cost $6 million and was built into the side of a mountain at Lake Compounce.{{Cite news |last=Gustafson |first=Ron |date=2002-07-28 |title=Rolling along...again |pages=51 |work=The Journal Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109409432/rolling-alongagainron-gustafson/ |access-date=2022-09-12}}{{cite web |date=April 19, 2001 |title=The World-class Boulder Dash |url=https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-2001-04-19-0104190134-story.html |access-date=September 12, 2022 |website=Hartford Courant}} In the four years prior to the ride's opening, Lake Compounce's owners had spent $40 million on improving the park. The opening of Boulder Dash helped increase attendance at Lake Compounce, which had suffered from declining attendance in prior years.

During the 2007 off-season, about 80 percent of the ride was retracked, and some of the supports replaced, as part of a $3 million renovation. In addition, the end of the ride, which had an intentionally uneven track, was rebuilt.{{Cite news |last=Murphy |first=Mekado |date=2010-08-19 |title=Screaming Through the Trees |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/20/travel/20coaster.html |access-date=2022-09-12 |issn=0362-4331}} Lake Compounce bought PTC trains from Hersheypark's Wildcat for the 2008 season. For the 2017 season, Boulder Dash was retracked by Martin & Vleminckx to help smooth out rough patches and replace rotting wood.{{cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Brady |date=July 10, 2017 |title=Does this little amusement park really have the best wooden coaster in the world? |url=https://www.latimes.com/travel/themeparks/la-tr-lake-compounce-boulder-dash-wooden-coaster-20170710-story.html |access-date=September 12, 2022 |website=Los Angeles Times}} The retracking also removed the triple-up hill located near the end of the ride, replacing it with a double-up hill.{{cite web |title=Great Coasters International |url=https://www.greatcoasters.com/?p=boulderdash |accessdate=November 26, 2018 |website=www.greatcoasters.com |language=en}} For the 2023 season, 580 feet of the track were retracked with Titan Track by Great Coasters International and Skyline Attractions.{{cite web |title=Lake Compounce What's New for 2023 |url=https://www.lakecompounce.com/discover-the-park/what-s-new |accessdate=April 12, 2023|website=www.lakecompounce.com/ |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Boulder Dash Titan Track |url=https://skylineattractions.com/portfolio/boulder-dash-titan-track-lake-compounce-connecticut-usa-%f0%9f%87%ba%f0%9f%87%b8-2023/ |website=Skyline Attractions |access-date=2023-06-07}} For the 2024 season, an additional 280 feet of track was replaced.{{cite web |title=Skyline Attractions |url=https://skylineattractions.com/skyline-attractions-partnering-with-great-coasters-international-inc-on-titan-track-enhancements-for-boulder-dash-roller-coaster/ |website=Skyline Attractions |access-date=2024-04-08}}

The {{convert|4672|ft|adj=on}} wooden roller coaster uses Lake Compounce's natural mountainous terrain, complete with trees and boulders within close proximity of the track.{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/yellowpages/coasters/boulder_lakecompounce.shtml|title=Boulder Dash|publisher=Compounce Lake.com|accessdate=July 16, 2008}} It is the longest wooden coaster on the East coast.{{cite web |date=June 14, 2001 |title=Attendant struck, killed at Lake Compounce |url=https://www.middletownpress.com/news/article/Attendant-struck-killed-at-Lake-Compounce-11903242.php |accessdate=August 26, 2018 |website=The Middletown Press}}

The lift hill climbs the mountainside and 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.

{{Infobox event

| title = Boulder Dash accident

| date = June 13, 2001

| deaths = 1

| injuries = 0

}}

On June 13, 2001, a 23-year-old worker was killed after being struck by one of the coaster's trains.{{Cite news|last3=Waldman|first=Matthew Hay |last=Brown|first2=Diane |last2=Struzzi |first3=Loretta|date=2001-06-14|title=Co-Worker: He Had No Warning|pages=111, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109409095/ 122]|work=Hartford Courant|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109409077/co-worker-he-had-no-warningmatthew/|access-date=2022-09-12}} Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) officials subsequently visited Lake Compounce and found several safety violations, fining the park $29,000. In November 2001, this fine was halved as part of a settlement between the park and OSHA.{{Cite news |last=Makwana |first=Rachel R. |date=2002-01-04 |title=Park not responding to OSHA's findings |pages=11 |work=Record-Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109409635/park-not-responding-to-oshas/ |access-date=2022-09-12}}{{Cite news|last=Moy|first=Kimberly W.|date=2001-12-22|title=Theme Park, OSHA Reach Deal|pages=95|work=Hartford Courant|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109409139/theme-park-osha-reach-dealkimberly-w/|access-date=2022-09-12}} The worker's family sued Lake Compounce in 2002 over the accident.{{Cite news |last=Albin |first=Stacy |date=2002-07-10 |title=Metro Briefing | Connecticut: Waterbury: Amusement Park Sued |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/10/nyregion/metro-briefing-connecticut-waterbury-amusement-park-sued.html |access-date=2022-09-12 |issn=0362-4331}}

Boulder Dash was voted the world's top wooden roller coaster in 2001 by the National Amusement Park Historical Association. In addition, from 2001 to 2023, the ride was one of the top five wooden roller coasters as ranked by Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards. The 2004 Golden Ticket Awards was the first in which Boulder Dash was the top-ranked wooden coaster.{{R|GTA2004}}

{{GTA table

| type = wood

| accessdate = September 9, 2019

| 2000 = 12

| 2001 = 3

| 2002 = 3

| 2003 = 3

| 2004 = 1

| 2005 = 2

| 2006 = 3

| 2007 = 4

| 2008 = 5

| 2009 = 2

| 2010 = 4

| 2011 = 4

| 2012 = 5

| 2013 = 1

| 2014 = 1

| 2015 = 1

| 2016 = 1

| 2017 = 3

| 2018 = 4

| 2019 = 4

| 2021 = 4

| 2022 = 4

| 2023 = 5

|2024=7}}

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{oweb|https://www.lakecompounce.com/boulderdash}}

{{Custom coasters international roller coasters}}

{{LC Rides}}

Category:Roller coasters introduced in 2000

Category:Roller coasters in Connecticut