S&S Woodies

[Three]

Just when I think I've got a fair amount of knowledge about something, I learn something new. In this instance, I had no idea that S&S Power was building wooden coasters until just now.

 

Are they any good? Looks like I'll be in Wisconsin Dells this summer, and I notice that one of these beasts is conveniently located thereabouts.

 

Worth hitting?

[okinawaboy11]

Yes. Surprisingly, for someone who is new in the woodie area, S&S really knows how to hit the spot. They are also very smooth. Timberhawk at Wild Waves is incredibly smooth for a woodie. It's a family coaster but still has that out of controll feeling for us coaster junkies. Its a very good coaster indeed.

 

Also DON'T skip Avalanche, its just another experience all together. There is no other woodie so compact and that has so many banked turns. It's truely an amazing ride.

 

J2 is good also. Nothing new like Avalanche, but good. Very smooth.

 

So to answer your question, yes, S&S has been making amazing woodies.

[larrygator]

Are they any good?

 

Worth hitting?

 

Yes, Very good

 

and Yes, worth hitting

[Real]

Dont forget Hades and the others...that whole area is a great area.

[robbalvey]

Go check out our POV of Avalanche and see for yourself!

 

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20211

 

--Robb "Insane." Alvey

[pkdcoaster]

I have never ridden one...but they all look very good IMO and they have to be better than their steel coasters (not counting launch and the penis hill of course)

 

JEFF

[Three]

Forget Hades? Riiight.

 

I'll see if my powers of persuasion can get the cogs turning on Avalanche as well.

 

edit: Okay, now that I've seen the video, I'm going on hunger strike if I can't get the girl over to this park.

[Carnage]

Shouldn't be a problem to get down to ride Avalanche. It's just down the street.

 

In fact you should be able to see Hades in the distance on a POV of Avalanche. The lift hill should be pointing directly at Hades more or less.

 

Avalanche should not be missed. It baffles me just how such a small ride can produce such speed and airtime.

[peteb]

What's interesting about S&S wood coasters is that Alan Schilke is one of the main designers (creator of X from Arrow). I read an interview with him talking about the design of J2, and you'll see his name on the mechanical drawing of Avalanche on RCDB. He seems to be a pretty talented engineer; these are amazing coasters, even more so considering these are his first wooden coasters.

[Rider117]

J2 is insane!!!

[DerekRx]

I haven't ridden the one overseas yet, nor the one in Washington, but both J2 and Avalanche are very good. J2 is kind of brutal and loaded with airtime and WTF moments, whereas Avalanche is more smooth and loaded with airtime and WTH moments. J2 is probably more aggressive, but I prefer Avalanche for its rerideability. If you're in the neighborhood of one of them though, you should NOT miss out.

[Three]

I think I have officially convinced the SO not to MISS OUT.

 

Hooray!

[OldJJman]

Derek probably hit it right on the head. Both J2 (aka Tsunami) and Avalanche (aka AvaLAUNCH) are really great rides, IMO.

 

I'll never forget my first ride on Avalanche (Nascar: The ride (all left turns)). Slamming into the brakes, grinning ear to ear, laughing and thinking (as well as saying) "What..the..Hell..was THAT!!" Really good first drop, and loaded with airtime and laterals. Fantastic ride. Even if it seems a bit short, I certainly didn't feel that it lacked anything.

 

Now J2 is really my kind of ride! It does have the heavier laterals, especially the "wrong" left turn (anyone who has ridden J2, knows exactly which turn I'm referring to). Fantastic first drop, great airtime, great laterals!

 

In Mitch's poll for 2005, I had J2 as my #2 (behind the Ozark Wildcat), Avalanche #6 out of 132 wood coasters ridden.

 

Both rides are smooth and tons of fun. I will probably end up hitting both of them again this year! They're worth going out of your way for!!

 

JJ