Hitting a peak: Lift hill connection made at 180 feet for newest roller coaster at Six Flags Great America

That the company sharing drone footage of its ongoing work at Six Flags Great America is called SkyHigh Coasters LLC is fitting, given the milestone depicted in the clip.

On Tuesday, the crew placed the final piece of track connecting the lift hill portion to the drop of the Wrath of Rakshasa, a new custom-designed coaster under construction at the “Thrill Capital of the Midwest.”

The connection at 180 feet represents the highest peak of the ride, which will have the steepest drop with the most inversions on a dive coaster in the world, according to park officials.

Rakshasa, defined as a demon or evil spirit in Hinduism, will be the 17th coaster at the Gurnee park, a regional destination since it opened in 1976 east of Interstate 94, off Milwaukee Avenue, in Gurnee.

The Wrath of Rakshasa features a cliff-hanger hold suspending riders facing straight down a 96-degree, beyond vertical drop before plummeting 171 feet, according to park officials.

Portions of track and the station still need to be completed. Construction continues and the coaster is set to open this year, although a specific date hasn’t been set.

Other elements of the new coaster include: three trains with three rows of passengers seated seven across; 3,239 feet of track; five gravity defying inversions; speeds of nearly 67 miles per hour.

The coaster was created by Bolliger & Mabillard, based in Monthey, Switzerland. It will debut in the County Fair section at Six Flags.

“Wrath of Rakshasa joins our already impressive lineup of record-breaking roller coasters and attractions at the park, demonstrating our commitment to delivering cutting-edge experiences for our guests,” park President John Krajnak said last summer when announcing the new ride.

Six Flags Great America is hosting a hiring event Feb. 15-22 to fill more than 3,500 seasonal positions in anticipation of the park opening April 18. Visit www.sixflags.com/greatamerica.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20250212/entertainment/hitting-a-peak-lift-hill-connection-made-at-180-feet-for-newest-roller-coaster-at-six-flags-great-a/