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Gold Striker
Goldstriker
Park Celebration Plaza
Park section June 1, 2013
Opening date Unknown
Closing date Unknown
Height 108ft
Drop 103ft
Speed 54mph
Replaced Unknown
Replaced by Unknown

Gold Striker is a wooden coaster in Celebration Plaza at California's Great America. The attraction is one of the newest at California's Great America.

Ride history[]

Announcement and construction[]

In early 2012, the park filed a permit to construct the coaster, its proposed location in the park's northern area. The permit was approved two months later. On May 2, 2012, California's Great America filed a permit to begin early ground work for the coaster. Construction on Gold Striker started in early May, with the first pieces of lumber delivered the following month (June). The first pieces of track began vertical construction in late July. On July 25, 2012, Cedar Fair filed a trademark for the name Gold Striker. It was officially announced on August 29, 2012. On January 30, 2013, construction crews topped off Gold Striker's lift hill. On February 20, 2013, California's Great America announced their plans to fully enclose the opening drop inside a tunnel. 

First-rider auction[]

On March 6, 2013, California's Great America announced their plans for a Gold Striker first-rider auction. The park auctioned off seats for the first six trains through April 28, 2013. Also, following the first-rider auction bidders, a variety of public guests were able to board the attraction on April 30, 2013, during a promotional photo shoot for the attraction. 

Opening[]

Following the first-rider auction bidders and the promotional shoot riders, Gold Striker soft-opened on May 31, 2013. Finally, Gold Striker opened to public guests on June 1, 2013. 

Ride synopsis[]

Upon departing the main station, the train turns to the right twice, and then turns left and onto the 108-foot hill. After reaching the top, the train enters a tunnel, drops at 50 degrees, and then enters another small drop, which wraps around the park's signature Star Tower attraction. The train then turns left into a bunny hop, which passes the nearby station and lift hill. It then makes a turn-around to the right, followed by a banked turn, angled at 80 degrees. After exiting the banked turn, the train passes underneath the track into a "midway turn", directed towards Celebration Park, Gold Striker's location in the park. After passing underneath the track again, it enters the flat, final turnaround before reaching the attraction's brake run. 

Trivia[]

Records[]

  • Gold Striker has the longest drop tunnel on any wooden coaster in the world. 
  • Gold Striker is the tallest and fastest wooden coaster in Northern California.

Statistics[]

  • Several members of the San Francisco 49ers attended the attraction's ceremony, since the attraction is themed off of the California Gold Rush, the same era in which the 49ers receive their name from.
  • At California's Great America, no attractions and structures were demolished to construct Gold Striker.
  • Great Coasters International (GCI) constructed Gold Striker.
  • The attraction's track is approximately 3,197 feet long.
  • One cycle on the attraction lasts 2 minutes, 30 seconds.
  • Gold Striker was originally planned to open in 2009.

Photo Gallery[]

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