| Bowcraft Amusement Park or Bowcraft | | | | the way down intended to allow jumps and |
| Playland is located on Route 22 West in | | | | splashdowns into a larger puddle. |
| Scotch Plains, New Jersey, United | | | | Employees at the park used to like |
| States. It is a medium size family | | | | eating at a nearby snack bar with a good |
| amusement park with a large selection of | | | | view of the attraction, since it was |
| rides for children and teens, including | | | | guaranteed that they could see some |
| the Dragon roller coaster. Bowcraft | | | | serious injuries, lost bikini tops, or |
| Amusement Park is open weekends from | | | | both. This closed in 2005. |
| April through October and daily June | | | | Present slides and attractions |
| through Labor Day. Parking is $5 and | | | | The Tidal Wave Pool |
| admission is free. Rides are priced | | | | This attraction goes to about 6 feet |
| using multiple tickets. The opening | | | | deep. Under Action park management the |
| scene from the 1994 movie North was | | | | pool went to 10 feet deep. Under |
| filmed at Bowcraft. | | | | Mountain Creek management the pool was |
| Mountain Creek Waterpark is a seasonal | | | | modified. This pool alternates short |
| water theme park located at Mountain | | | | periods of waves and short periods of |
| Creek Ski Resort in Vernon Township, New | | | | calmness. |
| Jersey. They are open from about | | | | The Tarzan Swing |
| Memorial Day through Labor Day. | | | | This is a wooden beam hanging from a |
| Both are owned by Intrawest, but the | | | | 20-foot-long (6 m) cable over a pool of |
| Waterpark was managed by Palace | | | | stagnant water. Patrons waited in long |
| Entertainment, which manages and owns | | | | lines for the chance to hang from it, |
| many water parks. | | | | swing out over the water, then jump off |
| Many of Mountain Creek's attractions | | | | as the beam reached its height. The |
| were built as part of "Waterworld" at | | | | water though comes from a natural river |
| Action Park, where they were notorious | | | | and is therefore colder than the rest of |
| for their poor safety record, including | | | | the park. It averages 55 to 60 degrees. |
| several deaths. Intrawest and Palace | | | | The Gauley & Thunder Run |
| have closed some of the worst, opened | | | | The left side is known as The Gauley and |
| some new ones and in general vastly | | | | riders use a single tube. The right side |
| increased the park's focus on safety. | | | | is known as Thunder Run and is a double |
| History | | | | tube rafting ride |
| The first park on this location was | | | | Super Speed Water Slides |
| Action Park, which was a popular | | | | These were two water slides, set |
| amusement park open from 1978 to 1996 in | | | | slightly apart from the rest of the |
| Vernon, New Jersey, on the property of | | | | park, that took advantage of incredibly |
| the former Vernon Valley/Great Gorge ski | | | | steep slopes to allow riders to attain |
| area, today also called Mountain Creek. | | | | higher speeds than usually possible. One |
| Its popularity, however, went hand in | | | | started with riders going almost |
| hand with a reputation for | | | | vertically downwards and was covered |
| poorly-designed, unsafe (yet thrilling) | | | | with screening for the first several |
| rides; inattentive, underage, underpaid | | | | feet. |
| and sometimes under-the-influence | | | | As barriers on the side of the slides |
| employees; equally intoxicated and | | | | were very low, lifeguards reminded every |
| underprepared visitors — and the poor | | | | user to remain flat on their back with |
| safety record that followed from this | | | | their arms at the side as they descended |
| perfect storm of circumstances. For more | | | | since there was no way to ride it |
| details of these issues see Action Park. | | | | otherwise and stay on. The fall from |
| Intrawest Corporation opened Mountain | | | | both slides had the potential for very |
| Creek Waterpark in 1998 at the same | | | | serious injury. |
| location as the former Action Park which | | | | Those who made it to the bottom found |
| closed on Labor Day of 1996 at the end | | | | their progress arrested by water, |
| of the season. Action Park had been | | | | guaranteed to cause a spectacular |
| closed and for the entire 1997 season. | | | | splashdown, and then a small pool. |
| When Mountain Creek Waterpark opened, | | | | Canyon Cliffs |
| the Motor World attractions were | | | | The area around Roaring Rapids was (and |
| eliminated. Alpine Slide stayed open one | | | | still is) laid out like a kind of |
| more year. The other waterslides were | | | | grotto, with many lower-intensity |
| holdovers from the former Action Park. | | | | attractions. One was cliff perches 30-50 |
| They were all modified to conform to | | | | feet (10-15 m) above a pool 16 ft (5 m) |
| higher safety standards. In 1999 the ski | | | | deep, where divers could jump. |
| lodge burned down and in 2000 a new | | | | Colorado River Ride |
| portable building opened in its place. | | | | The Colorado River Ride, winds its way |
| The Motorworld side of the park became | | | | down a heavily wooded area on the side |
| parking as the former parking lot added | | | | of the park. It used to feature large, |
| more buildings and offices. | | | | unwieldy circular rafts that people had |
| Alpha Smart Parks began managing | | | | to carry from the splash pool all the |
| Mountain Creek in 2001 and Ogden began | | | | way to the start. The "river" is |
| management in 2003. In 2004 in a | | | | actually a large trough made to look |
| corporate deal Palace Ammusements began | | | | like a natural river bed. |
| managing the park. Palace is now being | | | | The ride started out as a nice jaunt |
| sold once again. Also on the former | | | | around a couple of turns, but then |
| parking lot a Condominium Hotel is being | | | | become far more challenging. Since the |
| built where people buy the studio | | | | river is on a steady pitch down the |
| apartments, one bed-room apartments, and | | | | hill, the rafts gained speed very |
| two bedroom apartments. They have the | | | | quickly. At one point the rafts would |
| option of either living there or renting | | | | come to a fork where they could either |
| them out as luxury hotel units of a | | | | head into a tunnel, or (less frequently) |
| little bit of both. A parking garage is | | | | around a corner into an unknown section |
| also being built there as well. | | | | of river. The tunnel had many turns and |
| A couple new slides have been added | | | | was dark. At the exit rafts commonly |
| since Mountain Creek opened but most | | | | slammed into a curved wall. The raft |
| slides are holdovers from the former | | | | then floated into a small rock pool and |
| Action Park but modified for safety | | | | stayed there until it found its way out. |
| reasons. | | | | The final stretch of the river consists |
| Rides | | | | of a large downhill portion complete |
| Past slides and attractions | | | | with bumps, and a foot-high (30 cm) jump |
| Alpine Slide | | | | where the rafts would momentarily catch |
| Action Park's alpine slide descended the | | | | air and then slam back onto the surface. |
| mountain roughly below the ski area's | | | | Bombs Away |
| gondola, resulting in much verbal | | | | Aggressive body slide that begins with a |
| harassment and sometimes spitting from | | | | steep descent and finishes off with |
| passengers going up for their turn, who | | | | 18-foot plummet into our spring quarry. |
| would often be entertained by the | | | | Cannonball Falls |
| accidents they witnessed while at the | | | | Two fully enclosed tubes catapult one |
| same time hoping to avoid similar fates. | | | | through pitch darkness to a final |
| The tracks themselves were made of | | | | 10-foot freefall into crystal cool |
| concrete, which led to numerous serious | | | | mountain water. |
| abrasions on riders who took even mild | | | | H2-Oh-No! |
| spills. When Intrawest took over the | | | | 99 foot vertical drop. |
| park and renamed it Mountain Creek at | | | | High Anxiety |
| the beginning of the 1998 season, they | | | | High Anxiety is a high-speed, extreme |
| announced the slide would remain open | | | | tubing water ride that creates the |
| for one final season. Riders were | | | | highest-thrill, zero gravity experience |
| required to wear helmets and kneepads on | | | | available. It’s a two, three and |
| the slide. The last day of the slide's | | | | four-passenger tube ride that begins |
| operation was September 6 of that year, | | | | with a four-story vertical plummet |
| the day before the park closed for the | | | | through a tunnel. Riders drop into a |
| season, as that year's Labor Day was | | | | huge funnel shaped enclosure and are |
| rainy and the slide had to be closed. | | | | gravity propelled to dizzying heights |
| The tracks were torn out afterwards, but | | | | back and forth along the walls. Finally |
| the route can still be seen from the | | | | at the base of the funnel, riders are |
| gondola. | | | | thrust through another 90-foot long |
| Surf Hill | | | | tunnel into a catch pool. |
| This ride, another one common to other | | | | Kamikaze |
| water parks at the time, allowed patrons | | | | Long and fast furious body slide known |
| to slide down a water-slick sloped | | | | for its extreme speed and sudden 8 foot |
| surface on mats into small puddles, | | | | drop! |
| until they reached a foam barrier after | | | | Rogue River |
| an upslope at the end. Barriers between | | | | This daring body slide sends you sliding |
| lanes were minimal, and people | | | | through twists and turns followed by a |
| frequently collided with each other on | | | | plunge into total darkness before |
| the way down, or at the end. The seventh | | | | rocketing out into the Canyon Cliffs |
| lane was known as the "back breaker," | | | | quarry. |
| due to its special kicker two-thirds of | | | | |