Skull Mountain

Skull Mountain
Skull Mountain's exterior
Six Flags Great Adventure
Location	Six Flags Great Adventure
Park section	Lakefront
Coordinates	40°08′4.73″N 74°26′30.99″W
Status	Operating
Opening date	June 3, 1996 (1996-06-03)
Cost	$5 million[1]
General statistics
Type	Steel – Enclosed
Manufacturer	Intamin
Model	Indoor Roller Coaster
Track layout	steel twister
Lift/launch system	Drive tire lift hill
Height	40.5 ft (12.3 m)
Drop	37 ft (11 m)
Length	1,377 ft (420 m)
Speed	33 mph (53 km/h)
Inversions	0
Duration	1:24
Capacity	1596[2] riders per hour
G-force	2.3
Height restriction	44 in (112 cm)
Trains	3 trains with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 28 riders per train.
Flash Pass Available
Skull Mountain at RCDB

Skull Mountain is an enclosed roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey. Designed and manufactured by Intamin, the ride opened to the public on June 3, 1996.

Ride experience

After ascending the first lift hill, the train travels around the front facade of the enclosure to ascend the second lift hill. The first drop is the ride's only steep drop, while the rest of the ride contains three horizontal helices.

The building is punctuated by strobe lights and sound effects play over a tribal or heavy metal music score.[3] Occasionally, ride operators will operate Skull Mountain with the interior lights illuminated. On hot summer days, the park turns on the ride's exterior waterfall, which falls from the exterior skull's eyes. It pours down into the water below, wetting guests in the ride's queue.

While most of the park's coasters (except Kingda Ka) will operate in light rain, Skull Mountain remains open during thunderstorms, since it is enclosed. It will be closed only if the thunderstorm is severe.[4]

Skull Mountain was opened in 1996 and is one of three roller coasters at the park with a 44-inch (1,100 mm) height requirement and requires a child to be accompanied by an adult (effective since 2012). To ride alone, guests must be 48-inch (1,200 mm). The height limit of the ride is 41.5 feet (12.6 m).

A flume boat ride of a similar name, Skull Mountain at Six Flags America near Baltimore, Maryland, closed in July 2011 to make room for Apocalypse, later known as Firebird.[5]

Ride Overlays

Fright Fest

The only additions during the Fright Fest Halloween event are a few pumpkin figures, and the atmospheric lighting is turned off.

Holiday in the Park

During the first three seasons of Holiday in the Park, a Christmas event at the park, the ride's name was changed temporarily to "Poinsettia Peak". The ride received a new sign and the exterior of the attraction was decorated in strands of red string lights.

During the 2018 season, this overlay was not seen. Although, the name of the area surrounding it was named "Poinsettia Peak".

The only remaining theming from this addition in the 2018 season are a few red flood lights pointed at the attraction.

References

1. "Six Flags parks". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 31, 1997. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Skull Mountain At Six Flags Great Adventure". www.greatadventurehistory.com. Archived from the original on October 12, 2011. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
3. "Skull Mountain". Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
4. "10 Man-Made Skull Rocks, Mountains & Islands". EpicMoron. 2012. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
5. "Six Flags America Prepares Final Voyage For Skull Mountain". June 9, 2011. Archived from the original on March 30, 2012. Retrieved February 8, 2012.