Taken from "Ropes Course Safety Manual: An Instructor's
Guide to Initiatives, and Low and High Elements," a Project
Adventure Publication by Steven E. Webster:

• • • •

A Challenge ropes course is a series of individual and
group physical challenges that require a combination of
teamwork skills and individual commitment. Made of rope,
cables and wood, courses are constructed outdoors in trees
(or using telephone poles) and indoors in gymnasiums.

The use of ropes courses has spread from the physical
education classes and outdoor education centers of the early
days to a broad range of educational, recreational, and
therapeutic organizations and institutions. Many camps now
offer a ropes course station as a one to five day option for
campers, and numerous colleges offer ropes course programs
as part of student leadership training, orientation programs, or
as part of teacher education for the adventure field. From the
beginning, youth-at-risk programs and agencies have seen the
potential of the high impact training offered by the ropes
course. Increasingly, in the eighties, therapeutic agencies,
substance abuse centers, and psychiatric hospitals have
begun to use an adventure program known as Adventure
Based Counseling. It would be safe to say that ropes courses
have been used with virtually every type of population in-need
in the country today.

The establishment of the following goals on a ropes
course enriches the interchange between the ropes course
leaders and the individuals participating on the course:

• To increase the participant's sense of personal confidence

• To increase mutual support within a group

• To develop an increased level of agility and physical
coordination.

• To develop an increased joy in one's physical self and in
being with others.

• To develop an increased familiarity and identification

• • • •

The high ropes course at Deer Hill consists of a variety of
elements that vary in degrees of difficulty. Participants begin
the climb on a Giant's Ladder. From there, they have a choice
of the Burma Bridge or the Single Line Traverse. Next in line is
the Heebee-Geebee and the Swaying Log. Participants can
then team up in a pair and cross the Commitment Bridge or
take the Leap of Faith.

Our ropes course also consists of a zipline, a free
standing Giant's Ladder, a Pamper Pole, and a High-Y. We
also have an extensive Low Ropes course that includes a
Wall, the Mohawk Traverse, a Spider Web, Prouty's Landing,
and many other challenging initiatives. The ropes course is for
beginners as well as experienced participants. The goal is to
challenge yourself and to build personal confidence. An
experienced person may challenge themselves differently than
a beginner on each element.

Feel free to contact us at Deer Hill, (845) 297-
2323, to discuss the suitability of our ropes course for your
group.

I

I