Canobie Lake Park Unleashes 'Untamed' [VIDEO]

Despite very rainy weather, hundreds of thrill-seekers came out to ride Canobie Lake Park's newest roller coaster, "Untamed," on Saturday for its grand opening.

Park President Carl Berni said the ride is the first new roller coaster for Canobie in the last 20 years. He said there's been a constant demand for a new roller coaster at the park and was he pleased with the amount of excitement surrounding "Untamed."

Berni said the coaster's vertical lift design is the first of its kind in New England and only the fourth in the U.S. The ride leads off with 72-foot climb followed by a drop at a 97 degree angle.

After the intial drop, riders are taken through a series of loops, zero gravity rolls, twists and turns over a total of 1,184 feet of track.

"It's been an amazing seven months watching it come together," Berni said. "First with the station, then the actual coaster and all of the landscaping and detail work you see throughout the project."

"Untamed" was built around a Grizzly bear theme, with rustic touches, including ride support beams modeled after birch trees.

"A lot of creativity and a lot of soul went into the creating of this attraction," said park spokesman Chris Nicoli.

The first riders on "Untamed" earned their seats through charity auctions to local non-profit organizations, raising over $3,800 in the process, park officials said.

Among the first to get on the ride were Connor Mattogno and Cassie Ellson, both of Salem. They came away impressed with the ride and both ranked it near the top of the list of Canobie's rides after just one excursion.

"It was great," Mattogno said. "After the first drop your stomach drops a lot, it was crazy."

"It's completely intense and awesome," Ellson said.