A Zip Line Adventure of a Lifetime

Resident Stories: A Zip Line Adventure of a Lifetime

If you want to see what living life to its fullest is like, look no further than Carillon resident Elvin Howell, a 103-year-old who took on the “big zip” at Palo Duro Canyon last month.

Howell and 18 other residents cruised through the canyon on a quarter-mile zip line that drops nearly 200 feet from its launch point.

“The idea to zip line through the canyon started taking shape months ago, when some of our residents were touring the High Plains,” says Lindsay Grannan, director of marketing and sales at Carillon. “So of course we wanted to make it happen!”

Once they arrived at the Palo Duro Canyon Adventure Park, residents and staff loaded up for a short scenic off-road ride to the zip line launch tower, where they then walked across two swinging sky bridges to get to the top.

“When the youngest resident zip liner is 59 and the oldest is 103, you know it’s going to be a good time,” says Grannan.

And a good time it was! The story of our zip-lining residents was picked up by KCBD and an Amarillo news outlet.

“Well, the zip line was great. I enjoyed it so much and it wasn’t near as dangerous as I thought it would be,” says Howell. “Of course they had me buckled in pretty safely and I wasn’t scared after I saw what they were doing.”

And because no adventure is complete without a little something to eat, everyone enjoyed a picnic lunch with hot dogs and iced tea afterward.

We are so proud of our residents and the many ways they encourage everyone around them to fully enjoy life—regardless of age. It’s what inspired the Carillon Bucket List, after all. Stay tuned for more details about that!