Twisted Colossus doesn’t just loop — it races itself. Opened on May 23, 2015, this Rocky Mountain Construction hybrid at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California transformed the park’s beloved 1978 wooden icon into a nearly-one-mile Möbius loop that sends two trains chasing each other through the same continuous track over and over again.
At 4,990 feet it was the longest hybrid coaster in the world at its debut. But raw length isn’t what makes enthusiasts rank it among the best steel coasters in North America. It’s the relentless ejector airtime, a prolonged inverted stall, and the heart-stopping near-miss where two trains pass so close their riders can reach toward each other — the famous ‘high five.’
Quick Answer
Twisted Colossus is a Rocky Mountain Construction hybrid coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. It runs a single Möbius loop track — 4,990 feet of I-Box steel rail — dueling two trains through a Top Gun Stall inversion and the iconic ‘high five’ near-miss, all at up to 57 mph.
Ride Stats at a Glance
Park: Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California. Manufacturer: Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC). Designer: Alan Schilke. Opened: May 23, 2015. Height: 121 feet. Drop: 115 feet. Top speed: 57 mph. Track length: 4,990 feet. Inversions: 2. Max vertical angle: 80 degrees. Ride duration: approximately 3 minutes 40 seconds. Train capacity: 24 riders per train (6 cars, 2-across, 2 rows per car).
The Möbius Loop: How the Dueling Actually Works
Unlike a traditional racing coaster with two parallel tracks and two separate stations, Twisted Colossus uses a single continuous track in a Möbius loop configuration — there is only one station. A train dispatches, travels through the green half of the layout, crosses over to the blue half, and completes the full circuit before returning to the same station. Every rider experiences both halves of the ride in a single trip.
The dueling effect happens because a second train dispatches while the first is still mid-ride. When timing aligns, the two trains arrive at the high five and the Top Gun Stall simultaneously — creating the sensation of a side-by-side duel through the most dramatic moments on the course. This makes Twisted Colossus RMC’s only Möbius loop coaster and one of the few coasters in the world built around this configuration. Dueling is not guaranteed on every cycle: it requires two trains running on a coordinated interval, which depends on operational conditions and staffing. Busier days with higher throughput make simultaneous encounters more consistent.
The High Five and the Top Gun Stall
The high five is the ride’s most photographed element. Both halves of the track bank steeply toward each other at roughly 90 degrees, and the two trains pass in extremely close proximity — close enough that riders instinctively reach out toward passengers in the other train. It was the first element of its kind in North America when Twisted Colossus opened, and it remains one of the most visually striking near-miss moments in the industry.
Immediately after the high five, the green track launches into the Top Gun Stall: a zero-gravity inversion where the train rolls upside down and slows at the apex, leaving riders suspended in prolonged hangtime. At that same moment, when dueling is active, the blue track runs directly underneath — so stalled riders look down at another train of passengers being launched through violent ejector airtime below them. The juxtaposition of weightless suspension above and explosive acceleration below, happening simultaneously in the same visual frame, is what elevates Twisted Colossus from a great coaster to a genuinely singular one.
The Airtime: Nearly a Mile of It
Beyond the showpiece elements, Twisted Colossus delivers the relentless ejector airtime that defines RMC’s design philosophy. The 115-foot drop hits at 80 degrees and almost every hill that follows throws riders forcefully out of their seats. Because the Möbius layout means riders experience both halves of the track in sequence on a single ride, there is almost no dead filler between moments of intensity — close to a mile of I-Box steel with the throttle open the entire way.
Seat choice makes a real difference. Back-row riders get the most aggressive, whip-heavy ejector airtime on every hill. Front-row riders gain an unobstructed view of oncoming trains during the high five and see the full sweep of the Top Gun Stall approaching from below. Both perspectives are worth experiencing on separate visits if wait times allow.
From Colossus (1978) to Twisted Colossus (2015)
The original Colossus opened June 29, 1978, as the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world and the first coaster ever to feature two drops over 100 feet. Designed by International Amusement Devices (IAD) and built by Bernard Brothers Construction, it was a dual-track wooden racing coaster that spanned 8,650 combined feet of track across 10 acres. It held its world records for height and speed for about ten months before being surpassed. It also achieved pop-culture immortality: in 1983, it appeared in National Lampoon’s Vacation as the fictional ‘Screemy Meemy.’
Over the following decades, the ride wore down — wooden coasters require intensive ongoing maintenance, and Colossus had accumulated 36 years of Southern California operation. Six Flags announced its closure in August 2014. Rocky Mountain Construction then executed an I-Box conversion: the original wooden superstructure was largely retained, but the wooden track was replaced with RMC’s signature steel I-Box rail, and the two old parallel tracks were woven into a single continuous Möbius loop. Twisted Colossus opened May 23, 2015, and immediately debuted as the world’s longest hybrid coaster — a direct successor to one of the most historically significant wooden coasters ever built.
Tips for Riding Twisted Colossus
Arrive early. Like most headline coasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Twisted Colossus builds waits quickly once the park fills. Riding within the first 90 minutes after park opening is the most reliable way to minimize queue time on any day of the week.
If you experience a single-train ride — which can happen during slower periods or operational adjustments — the coaster is still excellent, but consider queuing again on the same visit if time allows. The high five and Top Gun Stall with a parallel train present are qualitatively different experiences from the solo version. Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Flash Pass is worth considering if you plan to re-ride multiple times. And if you can, try both the front and back rows: two rides on Twisted Colossus feel like two different coasters.
Twisted Colossus FAQs
What makes Twisted Colossus a Möbius loop coaster?
Twisted Colossus uses a single continuous track that loops back on itself like a Möbius strip — there is only one station. A train travels through the green half of the layout, transitions to the blue half, and returns to the same station, meaning every rider completes the full circuit in a single ride. This is what allows the dueling effect without requiring two separate tracks.
Is dueling guaranteed on every ride?
No. Dueling requires two trains dispatching on a coordinated interval, which depends on operational conditions. On slower days or during off-peak hours, the ride may run a single train, and the high five and Top Gun Stall moments will happen without a second train alongside. Riding during busier periods — when throughput is high enough to run two trains consistently — significantly improves your odds of the full dueling experience.
What is the ‘high five’ on Twisted Colossus?
The high five is a near-miss element where both halves of the track bank at roughly 90 degrees toward each other, and two trains pass in extremely close proximity. Riders instinctively reach out toward passengers in the other train — hence the name. It was the first element of its type in North America when the ride opened in 2015.
What is the Top Gun Stall?
The Top Gun Stall is a zero-gravity inversion where the train rolls inverted and decelerates at the apex, giving riders an extended moment of hangtime upside down. When dueling is active, a second train passes directly below during this moment — riders suspended overhead can look down at the other train launching through ejector airtime beneath them.
How long is Twisted Colossus, and was it ever a record holder?
Twisted Colossus is 4,990 feet long — just under a mile of track. When it opened on May 23, 2015, it was the longest hybrid roller coaster in the world. The original Colossus it replaced was itself a record holder: when it opened in 1978, it was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world.
What happened to the original Colossus?
The original Colossus opened in 1978 as a dual-track wooden racing coaster and held world records for height and speed. It appeared in National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) and operated for 36 years before Six Flags closed it in 2014. Rocky Mountain Construction then replaced the wooden track with steel I-Box rail while retaining much of the original structure, reopening it as Twisted Colossus in May 2015.
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