Durango's Uncharted Lines Aims to Make Highlining Safer, More Accessible

Between two Virginia Beach hotels, a 150-meter slackline stretched above a Jackalope Festival crowd of more than 50,000 last summer. Sean Englund crossed the 60-meter competition segment in 52 seconds. Getting to that moment from the Fort Lewis College quad, where Englund first picked up slacklining about a decade ago as a geology student, took roughly ten years. Uncharted Lines LLC, the Durango company he founded about 19 months ago, is built to shorten that timeline for everyone else.

"Our goal is to bring slacklining and highlining directly to the people," Englund says. In practice, that means structuring clinic access specifically for nonprofits and youth organizations, the groups that typically get priced or complexity-barred out of the sport. "Our mission is centered around giving back to the community by reducing barriers to entry into the niche outdoor sport of slacklining, especially for nonprofit and youth organizations," he explains.

The practical starting point for anyone in Durango is Gravity Lab, the city's climbing gym, which includes a slackline park alongside its bouldering and roped climbing areas. Walking that low line feeds directly into an Uncharted Lines clinic, where the framework shifts to safety systems, rigging fundamentals, and mentorship. The company describes its sessions as designed to "inspire, entertain, and mentor others in a safety-focused environment."

Brandon Proffitt, Uncharted Lines' lead rigger, addresses the misconception that follows the sport around. "It's really, really neat when the public gets to interact and engage with us," Proffitt says. "We want to help normalize slacklining and give it that avenue as well." The safety infrastructure on a properly rigged highline, dual anchors paired with a full-body leash, means a fall results in a dangle rather than a freefall.

Englund's credentials reinforce the safety case. He sits on the board of the International Slackline Association, serves as its Education Commission Course Manager, and leads international highline rigging certification courses, work that carries Durango-developed safety standards to instructors worldwide.

Access is the detail that keeps local spots open. Most of the terrain immediately surrounding Durango falls under BLM management, including Grandview Ridge and Animas City Mountain, or City of Durango Open Space at Twin Buttes. Each requires advance permission from the relevant land manager before any rigging. Seasonal wildlife closures run roughly December 1 through mid-April on much of this land. Pad anchor trees, pack out all rigging, and never leave fixed hardware on a route. One unchecked rig reported to a land manager can close access for the entire community.

Uncharted Lines has more events planned for Durango and Colorado in 2026, with its biggest project arriving in May: the first-ever speed highline World Cup in North America, taking place in Virginia. Englund outlined the longer horizon to KJCT. "There's more to come," he said. "Who knows, maybe the NFL, maybe a soccer stadium.