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Lake Geneva canopy tour business hopes to take flight

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Photo by Kevin Hoffman

Guide Kevin Hochertz prepares to catch one of the tour guests on "the beast"-- an 840-foot zip line where riders can reach more than 25 mph.

LAKE GENEVA — Mike Goril paused Wednesday to admire the scenery on his 100-acre property in northern Lake Geneva.

Water and melting snow fell from the bare trees, dripping on to those in his group. The thick mud made walking hazardous, and the dense fog hid parts of the forest from sight.

"What a great day" he said, standing on a platform 40 feet above the soggy mess below.

In Goril's line of work, he couldn't be more right.

On days like this, darting from tree to tree on a zip line becomes a bit more of an adventure. He wouldn't mind similar conditions from time to time when Lake Geneva Canopy Tours has its grand opening next month, giving tourists a unique view of the lakes region.

"We want people to experience the forest and experience the nature, but if they come and walk through it, they trash it," said Phil Kroll, director of operations for S.T.E.P.S. Inc., the tour designer. "It's sort of like having a brand new carpet in your house. By going by zip lines and sky bridges, you just sort of hover over that carpet, and not get it dirty but still see all the beauty."

Goril, general manager of the business, said he became intrigued by canopy tours years ago after seeing it on The Travel Channel.

Guides lead a handful of guests, providing them with safety equipment and a brief training session. One by one, each person is attached to the zip line and sent soaring across the treetops before landing at another platform.

Goril said he visited about 15 different tours across the nation. It was after a canopy tour in Ohio that he toyed with the idea of creating his own.

He returned to his home in northeastern Illinois and spent three months writing a business plan. He then submitted it to a longtime friend and business partner.

"He walked around with it for almost three weeks in his briefcase before one Sunday he was sitting at home and there was nothing on television," Goril said. "He thought, 'You know, I never sat down and read Mike's business plan.'

"He got about a quarter of the way through, and he's on the phone with me (saying), 'I want to do this.'"

Goril found 100 acres of property for sale in Lake Geneva and contacted the owners, who happened to live four blocks away from him in Illinois. He told them his idea, and they loved it, he said.

A canopy tour isn't a "thrill ride," Goril emphasized. While coasting above the forest floor is an adventure, it's about the scenery and natural beauty of Walworth County, he said.

S.T.E.P.S. Inc. was named by USA Today as designer of five of the top 10 canopy tours in the nation. Kroll said the tour is designed around preservation of the ecosystem.

Some of the wood used building the course was recycled from downed trees on the property, Goril said. The company also constructed platforms and staircases with minimal damage to the trees, even allowing room for their growth.

"It's truly an eco-adventure," Goril said. "It's an opportunity to see the forest in a different way."

Lake Geneva Canopy Tours has nine zip lines, five sky bridges and three spiraling staircases. One of the tour's longest lines, nicknamed "The Beast," is 840 feet, allowing guests to reach speeds of more than 25 mph.

One line is a thrill ride. A 1,200-foot dual racing line, stretching between two towers over a gravel pit, serves as the grand finale. Kroll said speeds there reach up to 50 mph.

Goril said the guides are what make the experience. He has 16 guides, but he plans to add more.

Guides get to know guests, offering facts about how the course was built and the history of the land it's on.

Just don't forget rule No. 1: Don't touch the equipment. The guides secure guests on and off each line, meaning visitors only need to enjoy the ride.

"If you have great guides, you'll really have an enjoyable experience," Goril said. "I got a great staff here, and a lot of really good people put in front of me."

The canopy tour occupies just 20 acres of Goril's land, leaving plenty of room for development.

He's already been approached about adding a seven-mile mountain biking trail. He also plans to build three disc golf courses and leave space for paintball and camping.

There's an even bigger project in the books if all goes well: an all-season ski and snowboard facility. But that's miles from taking shape, Goril said.

For now he's focused on getting his canopy adventure prepped for April's grand opening.

"One step at a time," he said. "Right now, we're just learning how to walk."