Back when the Stratosphere first opened, there was only one ride atop it, the High Roller, also just known as the Stratosphere Roller Coaster. This ride was not really particularly extreme or thrilling. Mainly it was just high, which was enough to make it an exciting and popular attraction.
Then, in 2005, the High Roller was removed to make way for several new and absolutely thrilling rides that would become some of Las Vegas’s most popular attractions. You can see the rides in the 3-D animation below which gives a great sense of just how extreme these rides are.
The three rides in the above video are Big Shot, Insanity and X-Scream, and they area all absolutely incredible in their own ways. They take full advantage of the Stratosphere Tower’s 1,000 foot height, either thrusting you up even higher, propelling you over the edge, or dangling you over the abyss and spinning you silly.
But as amazing and extreme as these three rides are, the Stratosphere manages to top them with a new attraction that it opened in 2010, the SkyJump.
This is not a “ride” so much as a real extreme free fall jump off the tower using a harness and cables. Take a look at the ride in the video below, including a camera filming the “jumper” on the way down.
This really is not for the faint of heart. As you can see, you have to actually take the leap yourself on the Stratosphere SkyJump. It’s not like a ride, where you are whisked along by machinery.
You are the one that has to take that leap on SkyJump, and that is what makes it so insanely thrilling (and terrifying!) It’s a great addition to the thrill rides atop the Stratosphere Las Vegas, and one that will no doubt be drawing in the adrenaline seekers for many years to come.
