Prepare to hit the motherload, with California’s Great America’s new GCI wooden coaster; Gold Striker.

This coaster has been in the works for over 5 years now, but due to many complications, the plans were shuttered, until Cedar Fair almost sold the park, and after not selling, decided the park needed some new ammunition against other California parks. Simple answer; revert to previous plans of a GCI wooden coaster.

Billed as the “Tallest and Fastest Wooden Coaster in Northern California” Gold Striker features a 130ft drop, a top speed of over 50 mph, and a classic GCI twister layout, (that sort of reminds me of Wodan,) this coaster interacts with it’s surroundings, with a helix around the park’s observation tower, and also includes the trademark GCI station fly-by. Check out all there is Gold Striker at the official page.

This coaster looks like a real winner for CGA, and looks like a great comeback coaster for the park.

Gold Striker will officially open, Spring 2013