About the Ropes Course
Challenge Course
When a ropes course or a challenge course is mentioned it may invoke memories of times at camp, make you think of aerial adventure parks, or even an obstacle course. There are many similarities in those experiences whether 40 feet up in the air or on the ground.
Our perspective of a Challenge Course is providing groups an experience requiring the efforts of everybody, that engages hands-on problem solving, and is deeply rooted into the process of learning.
Learning about yourself, learning about others, and learning that transfers into other areas of life after the program. Our experiences are innately FUN but that is just an additional benefit to the adventure based style of programming. Our program utilizes the available high and low elements to intentionally increase engagement that is intrinsically unique.
What is it?
It's a staple of our ropes program and the general foundations in which everything is built upon. The Low Ropes Course focuses on collaboration; the challenges call upon every member of the team to participate, and they present unending opportunities for self-discovery and team growth.
At our site there is a wide range of options that allow us to cater to a group's specific outcomes. A few major themes we extract from our low element programs are cooperation, group bonding, creative thinking, problem solving, communication, leadership development, trust building, patience, and planning.
If you want to learn more about the variety of low ropes elements we have at our challenge course, click here.
What is it?
The High Ropes Course emphasizes risk-taking, trust, and coaching. The challenges enable participants to expand their comfort zones—sometimes dramatically—and recognize fears that may block personal achievement.
Each moment is rich with discoveries, whether a person is climbing, encouraging a teammate or “on belay.” This is a great addition to a longer program at Four Arrows or something to incorporate if you choose to return to us with the same group.
Each new element at our site establishes a varying degree of problems to solve all requiring a group effort to complete. If you want to learn more about the variety of high ropes elements we have at our challenge course, click here.
How do I know which program is right for me?
Most groups looking to work on general teambuilding benefit from our programming and experiences offered at our low ropes. We highly suggest reaching out to us to learn more about what kind of program might be the best fit for your team so we can help create a program plan that best suited towards meeting your goals.
Four Arrows Course Fun Facts
- Established in 2010
- Around 3 miles from the center of UConn Storrs Campus at Depot
- 9 High Elements
- 25 Low Elements (multiple of some to serve larger groups)
- Free for UConn Students
- Most Programs are Facilitated by UConn Student Staff
Some Terminology:
ACCT: Association for Challenge Course Technology – an international trade association dedicated to standards, government relations, credentialing, professional development, and advancement of challenge courses.
Challenge Course/Ropes Program: A facility or facilities consisting of one or more elements designed to challenge participants. The programs are facilitated to provide participants with an adventure based learning experience that will lead to a designed outcome. The program may include high and low elements along with non-spotted activities.
Element: An apparatus that may include, but not be limited to, items designed to simulate rock climbing, beams, bridges, cable traverses, climbing walls, nets, platforms, ropes, swings, towers, or zip lines. Elements may be installed on or in trees, poles, portable structures, buildings, or be a part of a self-supported structure.
Low Ropes: Elements designed to be operated without the use of a life safety system
High Ropes: Elements installed at a height that requires a participant to be connected to a life safety system.
Life Safety System: A configuration of components including lifelines, belay beams, and anchorages that support fall restraint and arrest systems, personal safety systems, belay systems, and/or rope rigging systms.
Dynamic Belay: A means of protecting a climber with rope, where the rope is controlled by another person.
Spotting: A technique used to physically protect the upper part of a participant's body in the event of a low/slow fall. Spotting is primarily used on low challenge course elements
Equipment: Specialized non-consumable products intended to minimize risk of injury associated with falling from an Element. Includes both metallic items and synthetic items. May include, but not be limited to, helmets, harnesses, rope, accessory cords, belay devices, carabiners, rapid links, shear reduction devices, pulleys, anchors, or cables.