The art/sport of slacklining has been around since it was developed in the Seventies by climbers in Yosemite, looking to amuse themselves back at camp between climbs.
In its most basic form, it involves suspending a flat length of narrow nylon webbing between two trees, and walking on the webbing like a tightrope, just a few feet off the ground.
Because of the flat nature of the webbing, it doesn’t roll like rope, making it possible to not only walk the line, but to do yoga and perform tricks. Aficionados speak of feelings of improved balance and focus, peace and incredible Zen.
Not content to stay low, slacklining has in recent years moved up, and as these pictures attest, thrillseekers are now highlining.
Whether at the top of a narrow gorge, or between two rock outcroppings, the sites for highlines are only limited by how high the climbers can get to safely anchor the line. The record currently stands at about 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) off the ground. That’s the equivalent of 3 Eiffel Towers high!
While most of us won’t be highlining any time soon, we’re thinking about putting a beginner’s slackline kit into our bag next trip to the mountains. All we need are a couple of trees and we’ll be on our way to little extra Zen. And isn’t that one of the reasons we travel in the first place?
LM
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