Twister III: Storm Chaser
Twister III: Storm Chaser is a wooden roller coaster located at Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado.
| Twister III: Storm Chaser | |
|---|---|
 Twister III: Storm Chaser, the ride is based on the original Elitch Gardens' Mr. Twister roller coaster. | |
| Elitch Gardens | |
| Location | Elitch Gardens |
| Coordinates | 39°44′47″N 105°00′52″W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | May 27, 1995 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood |
| Manufacturer | Hensel Phelps Construction |
| Designer | John Pierce |
| Model | custom |
| Track layout | Twister |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 100 ft (30 m) |
| Drop | 91 ft (28 m) |
| Length | 4,640 ft (1,410 m) |
| Speed | 55 mph (89 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 2:17 |
| Max vertical angle | 56° |
| Capacity | 360 riders per hour |
| G-force | 3.1 |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Trains | 2 trains with 3 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 18 riders per train. |
| Twister III: Storm Chaser at RCDB | |
This is a custom-built wooden coaster based upon the original coaster Mr. Twister that was at Elitch Gardens before the park was moved to its new location in 1995. The roller coaster was designed by John Pierce, who also designed the famous defunct The Rattler wooden roller coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. It was constructed by the Hensel Phelps Construction Co. The trains were made by the Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters company.
In 2023, "Twister II" was renamed "Twister III: Storm Chaser" after being refurbished in the off season.[1]
The motto for the ride is "Built wilder the second time around!"
Layout
Queue
Riders venture through the queue area as it winds through the middle of the coaster's layout. Once riders head into the station area, there are paintings of the original Elitch Gardens' roller coasters hanging on the wall below the boarding area. Riders then board the Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters trains.
Ride Experience
Leaving the station, adjacent to the railroad tracks, the track makes a right hand turn to the 100-foot-tall (30 m) lift hill. From the lift hill, riders can view other rides at the park, as well as the Downtown Denver skyline. Leaving the lift hill, trains snake around a swooping 10-foot (3.0 m) drop, mimicking the drop on the original Mister Twister. This is followed by a 90-foot (27 m) drop to the ground, and a rise up into a big turnaround, and another drop. After the second drop, the track goes through a double up type element wrapping around the first drop turn, before making another drop and hill and descending into the big helix. Upon leaving the helix, there is a slight straight segment before dropping to the left, entering a tunnel in the structure of the second turnaround. From the tunnel, a straight segment precedes another turnaround that leads into the final brakes.
Overall, the layout of Twister III has similarities to the Mister Twister, but a noticeable difference is the helix entry. While Mister Twister went down the second drop and into the helix right away, Twister III leaves the second drop and goes up a double up hill, then makes another drop and rise, and enters the helix near the station. Because of this, the entrance to the tunnel does not cross over the second climb.
Notes
The Original Twister II Had 5 Cars, Sitting 30 people per train. In the 2003/2004 off season, They shorted it to 4 Cars. Throughout the 2005/2006 off season, some sections of Twister II got new wood and the trains received a new American flag theme. The front of the train also got a Six Flags 45th anniversary emblem painted on it, to celebrate the chains' anniversary. The height restriction was also lowered from 52 to 48 inches tall, in keeping with most other wooden coasters. Sometime Around the 2019 off Season, Now named Twister III: Storm Chaser, They changed it down to 3 cars.