Ropes Course History
In The Beginning …
Adventure Education (AE) and Experiential Education (EE) programs have been present in the United States since 1963 through the first Outward Bound USA. This style of education, or "learning by doing" was the underlying education method for long Outward Bound expeditions in the outdoors, which resulted in increased self-esteem, awareness, motivation, self value, problem solving abilities, communication skills, conflict resolution, leadership abilities, and increased morale for individuals that comprised the expedition groups. AE and EE activities during these programs included backpacking, sailing, camping, rock climbing, mountaineering, canoeing, rafting, obstacle courses, and psychological barriers. These activities were used to create artificial stresses and challenges to help participants gain an increase in their self perception and abilities. Over the years, studies have been performed that have documented these benefits.
Many of the practices and procedures utilized in these expeditions came from Paul Petzoldt, who many consider the father of mountaineering. Mr. Petzoldt's feats are legendary: at age sixteen, he stood atop Wyoming's Grand Teton; in 1934, he made an astounding double traverse of the Matterhorn in one day; in 1938 he joined the first American expedition to K2 in the Himalayas, and climbed higher than any man had been at that time without auxiliary oxygen. In 1963, he served as chief instructor at Colorado Outward Bound, in 1965 he went on to found the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), and in 1977, he founded the Wilderness Education Association. He is the granddaddy of the voice signaling system, the code climbers use to communicate. He also originated many procedures in the Leave No Trace practice of conservation camping, and hiking techniques such as the rest step and rhythmic breathing. For more information on Paul Petzoldt's life and accomplishments, purchase a copy of On Belay!, The Life of Legendary Mountaineer Paul Petzoldt by Raye C. Ringholz, ISBN 0-89886-558-1.
While outdoor adventure and experiential education was burgeoning in the early 1970's, the first ropes course companies were formed. Project Adventure and Treeline were two of the very first. (Project Adventure is best known for Karl Rohnke and the many contributions he made to the ropes challenge course industry.) These two companies and a handful of others became the next step in the growth in the Experiential Education profession by designing and building military-type obstacle courses for physical education departments, camps, and adventure programs. These courses were constructed of wood, rope, wire cable, trees, and utility poles. Elements were built both close to the ground or high up in treetops. Thus the present day names were coined, "Low and High Ropes Courses" or "Ropes Course." Studies were conducted and began to show that these shorter experiences, usually 1 to 5 days in length, could provide some of the same benefits that a longer 30-day Outward Bound, NOLS, and WEA course would generate.
In the later 1970's and the 1980's, these companies and other ropes course companies grew in popularity and program development. In 1980's the Association for Experiential Education (AEE) was formed, which is the professional organization for individuals and agencies providing AE and EE programming. During this era of growth, entrepreneurs began to offer AE and EE programs to corporations as a means to motivate employees and increase productivity. Over the next few years, the membership of AEE grew, and another professional group formed, Experience-based Training and Development (EBTD), which focused on corporate clientele (AE and EE programs tended to favor more youth and adventure based programs). Borrowing from the AE and EE models, EBTD programs began using ropes courses as a training tool in experiential education for business personnel.
Progressive corporate America enjoyed EBTD as a means to enrich and enhance in-house training models. Continuous Improvement, Total Quality Management, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, 360 Feedback, Conflict Resolution, and other corporate training thrusts benefited from EBTD, which made these classroom-based models come alive and impart more meaning to participants. The messages stuck better after experiential training, because the majority of the population learns better when "doing something" rather than just hearing about it. EBTD, AE, and EE programs were able to focus content in a format which used the multiple learning styles of audio, tactical, and visual preferences.
Ropes Courses
Ropes course construction, design, inspection, and installation practices have also come into their own. In 1993, the creation of the first trade organization for the industry was formed; Association for Challenge Course Technology. This trade organization or club was created by a handful of builders from some of the first ropes challenge course companies as a way to set minimum installation guidelines for course construction. In 2003, the Professional Ropes Course Association (PRCA) was created to represent an additional resource to the industry and new expanding industry of Canopy Zipline Tours. The PRCA published the first Canopy Zipline Tours Standards in 2003 as well. Further, the PRCA became an American National Standard Institute (ANSI) Accredited Standard Developer (ASD) in 2006. This accreditation and subsequent public reviews of the draft candidate standard have helped expand, improve, and support this growing industry.
Experience Based Learning, Inc.
EBL is proud to have a rich history in both the wilderness AE and EE programs and ropes challenge courses. EBL founder Steven R. Gustafson, MS has been a certified leader with WEA since 1988 and has had the privilege of knowing Paul Petzoldt as well as many other influential leaders in the industry today. Mr. Gustafson followed the proceedings of the first ropes course builders symposiums prior to the formation of the first ropes course builders club and has been a member of and presented at the annual conferences. Additionally, Mr. Gustafson has been employed by, or worked side by side with many other vendors in the ropes course industry.
Through regular training, product testing, and peer reviews, all EBL certified staff bring a wealth of information to all projects and an in-depth history of why certain policies and practices are carried out today. Many individuals find the story behind Paul Petzoldt's creation of belay commands and the history behind the double over hand back up knot interesting and useful. Or why the EBL knot of choice is a figure 8.
While adventure industry associations such as AEE, ACA, WEA and others continue to define and grow professional competencies, expectations for staff, ethical and professional practices for conduct, it is important to remember that these associations and many ropes course vendors are teaching only skill sets of the larger sport of mountaineering. A skill set in itself is not enough to develop a qualified and competent leader on a ropes course, rappelling wall, a low ropes course, or EBTD / AE / EE programming. A leader needs to have the critical skill of judgment that comes from a multitude of cross disciplinary training and experiences. An effective leader needs not only technical abilities but the balance of the equation-interpersonal communication and the ability to facilitate group dynamics-as well. An effective leader needs to understand the history of how it all came to be, and why.