Outdoor Recreation offers climbs Monday afternoons
Ever wondered what that towering tree house behind the Blatt P.E. Center is?
It’s Outdoor Recreation’s Challenge Course, and as of last month, it’s open for business Monday from 4 to 6 p.m.
Built over summer 2010, the Challenge Course doesn’t always look like it’s getting a lot of use.
But Justin Thaker, the manager of the climbing wall and challenge course, is very pleased with its use so far into the semester, since it only opened this year in the beginning of September.
“The course is used for team development and social facilitation,” Thaker said.
It’s mostly hosted students in Capstone groups, the Emerging Leaders program, ROTC, University 101 classes and disabilities programs. Thaker, a fourth-year psychology student, said the obstacles are instrumental in team building and leadership development — and that it’s good for getting to know who you’re working with.
“You can definitely see teams work together to achieve the goals or outcome they had in mind when beginning the course,” Thaker said.
On an average Monday night, between 15 and 30 participants usually attempt to scale the Alpine Tower or navigate the Team Development Course.
Reservations are required to use the course. Information about that process is available on the Outdoor Recreation website, campusrec.sc.edu.
The tower and its counterparts are relatively low-maintenance, requiring only an annual Professional Vendor Membership checkup by the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT).
Repairs are then made as requested by the ACCT. Outdoor Recreation staff members also treat the course’s wood with a stain protectant to protect it from the elements.
The largest structure is the Alpine Tower, standing 50 feet tall and composed entirely of wood and rope. Climbers can reach the top by way of a number of routes, and the base rails of the tower also enable exercises on the ground.
Every activity requires team members to reach past their personal limitations to assist other team members or to breach their own comfort levels and improve communication skills.
This is especially true of the swing-by-choice element, in which a swinger is hoisted by rope and goes as high as they want — until they fly freely through the air.
The course is an alternative method for team-building and leadership exercises, Thaker said, and it is designed for universal access.
Thaker said students with disabilities get a lot out of the experience and that it’s rewarding to watch them work together and cheer each other on to achieve their goals.
“Outdoor Recreation is a safe haven for them,” Thaker said.