Ropes courses can be seen as the ultimate group or team challenge. Ropes courses are a combination of both vertical challenges and horizontal challenges, constructed from wood, cable and ropes installed above the ground and strung between trees, wood poles or steel framework. Ropes courses can be built both indoors and outside.

When groups or individuals go up on a ropes course there is a great opportunity for them to learn about risk taking, their own perceived limits, how they perform under pressure, how they give and receive support from other people, and how working with others collaboratively can help an individual achieve more than they thought they could accomplish.

Ropes courses can be tailored for use with a wide variety of populations and facilitated to accommodate a wide spectrum of group dynamics. ESI builds ropes courses for professional organizations who train high performance work teams, non profit development organizations, treatment facilities, summer camps, resorts, conference centers and more.

ESI will work closely with you and your organization to develop a ropes course consisting of the appropriate activities for the type of groups you  will be serving and appropriate for your site and image.

Types of courses

Static Belay* or maze courses allow for the whole group or a portion of the group to all experience the ropes course together. All elements are linked together. Participants have options at each transition point.

With dynamic belay* elements one participant at a time goes up and completes the activity. This allows the group to focus on that one person. These types of courses can be one single element or a series of single elements.

Trees or poles?

Ropes courses can be built in trees or on utility poles, or a combination of the two. Courses may also be constructed indoors, such as on the trusses of a gymnasium. Each type of course has advantages and disadvantages, and ESI can help you determine what will best meet your needs.

Trees-

Advantages

• Trees are esthetically pleasing, and the course will have a feeling of being a part of nature.
• The initial cost a of a tree course can be significantly less.

Disadvantages

• As a part of the ecosystem, tress can be damaged by natural forces or die.
• Since the tree is living and growing, any costs saved in initial construction may need to be spent on maintenance and repair over time.
• The lay-out of the course is confined to the trees on site, and may require removal of some trees.
• Not all tree species are appropriate for ropes course construction.

Utility Poles-

Advantages

• Poles are treated and remain constant for a long period of time.
• The course lay-out can be designed in any configuration.
• Location of course can be chosen, and put on sites without natural resources.
• Pole courses generally require less maintenance.

Disadvantages

• Poles are not as esthetically pleasing, and the course will be more artificial.
• Poles add to the initial cost of course construction.

Below, is a sampling of the many high ropes course elements that are available to choose from.