History of the Challenge Course
Origin
Ropes courses have been in existence in the Unites States since the early 1960's. However, they are still new to some areas of the country. According to Alan Hale, director of the National Safety Network, Ropes Courses in America originated within the Outward Bound movement. The initial course was constructed in Colorado at the first U.S. Outward Bound School. By today's standards, the initial course was very primitive. It was patterned after the military obstacle course, and a similar prototype developed in Europe, by Outward Bound founder, Kurt Hahn. It was built primarily with hemp rope, which deteriorated quickly. Belay systems were minimal, or nonexistent.
Evolution
There have been many changes since those early days. Today's Ropes Course utilizes a variety of safety systems, with elaborate safeguards engineered to protect participants from injury. Construction methods have also improved, with building materials and methods regularly updated. Steel aircraft cable and other specially designed hardware have replaced hemp and manila rope, making the modern Ropes Course safe and durable. One significant development that has occurred throughout the past decade has been the use of utility poles in the construction of Ropes Courses. This development allows greater latitude in site construction due to the builder not being dependent on tree availability.
Initial Uses in Physical Education
In 1971, Project Adventure's first course was built in Massachusetts at Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School by Karl Rohnke and a band of conscripted high school sophomores. This was the beginning of a trend to integrate Ropes Courses into many types of programs. Their initial use in physical education classes has since extended to a broad range of applications in education, recreation, therapy and organizational development.
Youth at Risk
Since the beginning, those who developed youth-at-risk programs have recognized the value of the Ropes Course experience. During the last decade, there has been a large movement by the therapeutic agencies, substance abuse centers and psychiatric hospitals to incorporate Ropes Courses into their offerings. Now many outdoor education centers, colleges and universities, camps and hospitals are providing Ropes Course experiences as a major component of their programs.
Corporate Use of Ropes Courses
During the middle 1980's, the corporate world began turning to innovative firms that creatively use the Rope Courses to assist their executives in solving organizational issues, and to create an environment for increased productivity and teamwork. Some specific professional development themes addressed include: team building, communication and problem-solving skills, risk-taking strategies and stress reduction. More details on our corporate program...
The Future
The future looks bright for Ropes Courses throughout the 1990's and the next decade. Because of these current trends in their usage and since measurable results are produced, it is safe to say that they will soon be adapted for virtually every type of select population. The Ropes Course has taken a significant step recently in the formation of the Association of Challenge Course Technology (A.C.C.T.). A.C.C.T. was formed by a group of Ropes Course builders with the purpose of investigating current practices within the Ropes Course industry. The association has now formally adopted a set of standards for Ropes Course construction. The development of these standards, combined with the new program accreditation process by the Association for Experiential Education (AEE), has ensured the Ropes Courses will continue to be viable, safe and a significant part of Adventure Education programs.