High Hopes for High Ropes

Don't expect to be seeing any somersaults any time soon, or Tarzan swinging from tree to tree. But do expect groups of people having a grand time going from pole to pole 20 to 50 feet above the ground, with ropes, wooden beams and all. Scary as it may sound, it may actually be the best activity to do with friends and loved ones especially during vacations.

This activity is really perfect for company folks. Called high ropes, its courses are now the way to go when it comes to team-building. Many companies have already tried ropes courses to encourage camaraderie amongst co-workers, among other things.

A ropes course is an outdoor activity done for personal development and team-building purposes. It consists of low and high elements. The low element, as the word implies, takes place on the ground or at least, just a few feet above ground. Not much worry there. It is the high element, though, that sends participants' hearts racing, due to the height and the need for belay for safety purposes. It is unclear how this started, although it is believed that such activity was already practiced during the time of ancient Greeks as a kind of military training. Today, the activity is much safer, less grueling and does not require hard, muscled men to take and complete the courses. But it can be quite a challenge to some.

The high ropes course always involves either trees and/or utility poles, therefore, venue is often a wooded area with ropes and wires normally attached to trees. They can be vertical and/or horizontal challenges. Participants walk on cable bridges, encounter giant ladders and (gasp!) even use zip lines that require people to propel themselves to get to the other side. Using harnesses and helmets to protect themselves, people are attached to an upper wire, belay cable, with ropes and carabiners (oblong metal rings with spring clips) also for safety, and with wires to catch them in case they dangle. There is at least one other person below to help belay them. However, even with all the safety precautions, participants usually sign a waiver in case of injury.

In these courses, teams learn about risk-taking, trust and coaching, gaining valuable insights through cooperative games, socialization activities, ice-breakers, and trust-building schemes, whether individually or in groups. Individuals overcome personal fears and, hopefully, gain more self-confidence in the process.

Ropes challenge courses may be the ultimate group or team challenge. So tourists looking for more fun and adventure with friends and families may also find these activities quite an adventure worth taking especially when in the country.

The Philippines already has several places where high ropes are offered. Some of them are the Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park (Kawit, Cavite), La Corona de Pagsanjan Resort and Training Center (Pagsanjan, Laguna), Outland Adventure (Diversion Road, Davao City), and the Matabungkay Beach Resort & Hotel (Lian, Batangas).

Sources:
www.AdventureAssociates.com
www.wikipedia.org
www.ExperientialSystems.com