How Do I Choose the Best Rope Access Courses?

Ropes course challenges are designed to build trust in team members and have been used in corporate environments and educational settings, and by juvenile court systems throughout the world. The premise of a ropes course is to put a team together, present a physically challenging problem, and require the team to figure out a solution. Choosing the best rope access courses depends on intended use and desired outcome.

Participants of rope access courses typically come away with improved communication skills, a learned trust, and a stronger teamwork mentality. Whether the course is used on a break during a church retreat, at a wilderness boot camp for unruly juveniles, or in a corporate meeting to strengthen leadership skills, the focus is always on problem solving. Ropes access courses use ropes, boards, and climbing apparatus to set up a physically challenging course. Team members must solve a problem that involves trusting each other to get the entire team through the course.

There are two styles of ropes access courses: low ropes and high ropes. Low ropes courses rely on groups of eight to 15 participants. The course is built no more than 6 feet (about 1.8 meters) above the ground. High ropes courses also send groups of eight to 15 participants through the course, but the course is much higher, in some cases 65 feet (about 19 meters)in the air.

Low rope access courses encourage communication skills strengthening, big-picture problem-solving development, and participation in team unity. High rope access courses incorporate the same skill development exercises, in addition to trust building through the perception of taking high risks. Both courses are physically challenging, though the high rope access courses present more physical work than the low ropes course presents.

Choosing the best course requires careful evaluation of the desired outcome. For corporate team building, communication skills and teamwork are most important; therefore, the low ropes course is appropriate. For unruly juveniles, who often have trust issues, the high ropes course will require participants to trust others, as the team works together to get across the constructed maze, bridges, and ropes. The high ropes course also promotes changes in how each participant perceives himself or herself, which can be a confidence builder.

Each of the rope access courses comes with suggested games and activities. Evaluation of the activities will determine which course provides the needed outcome for the group in question. Office and social groups often choose to use the low ropes course. Juvenile camps and juvenile courts typically require participants to go through the high ropes course; however, specific group needs must be the first consideration.