Reaching New Heights With Hale’s Climbing Tower
When campers and participants hear “challenge course,” sometimes the term is met with blank stares: Not everyone is familiar with it, or the concept of low and high ropes elements. But challenge course elements are often among people’s favorite activities at Hale, because they help us move outside our comfort zones and grow. With three challenge courses—one at Cat Rock, another at Powissett Lodge, and our newest at South Beach—you might wonder how Hale’s new climbing tower is different from other elements at Hale. Read on to find out!
What Sets It Apart
Familiar Construction
Hale’s living tree challenge courses share characteristics with high ropes obstacle courses, the kind groups often book for birthday parties and field trips. The new climbing tower has more in common with a rock climbing gym’s facilities and may be more familiar to new participants. Emerson Badessa, Assistant Director of Teambuilding & Experiential Learning, says that’s why “a climbing tower eases some anxiety about climbing.” The new structure also lowers the barrier for less experienced climbers to build confidence. It has three walls: an easier wall for novice climbers, a more difficult wall that allows intermediate climbers to scale up and down, and a wall with an overhang for more advanced climbers. It also has a cargo net that allows dual climbs.
Accessibility
Hale is committed to removing barriers, and the new tower’s location at Cat Rock Field makes it more accessible to people who use wheelchairs. While elements including the Flying Squirrel, Angie’s Ring, and Stacking Towers are accessible, their locations on the property can be more difficult to access than the tower’s new site. The climbing tower is easily accessible from both Carby Street and Cat Rock parking lot. Our planned addition of a Wellman pull-up bar to the chair and harness will make the climbing tower Hale’s most accessible element.
More Opportunity to Participate
Participants in a variety of programs will benefit from the climbing tower, and it creates new Teambuilding opportunities. In the summer, campers from Hale Summer Camps, as well as Hale’s partner camps, will have an opportunity to climb. Australian belays (which allow students to belay each other by stepping backward) will increase participation. “This is a way to involve more students and enhance trust,” says Sue Crumbaker, Director of Teambuilding & Experiential Learning. “It’s something we’ve wanted for a long time, and we’re thrilled to be able to offer it.”
How We Ensure Safety
Safety is always our priority at Hale. Our challenge courses are licensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and accredited by the Association for Challenge Course Technology. Project Adventure regularly inspects all of our elements, and our staff inspects and monitors each element on any day it’s used. We routinely train, re-train, and verify the skills of our staff, and periodically incorporate third-party training as well.
Building Community Through Climbing
From vendors to accreditors to donors, it takes a community to get a project like this off the ground, but it’s well worth the effort. “The climbing tower diversifies the types of programs we can offer,” says Badessa, “and it creates excitement for new and returning participants.”
With speed and sport climbing becoming official sports in last summer’s Olympics, climbing will surely become even more popular in the years to come. And with our new climbing tower, more participants can now find their first foothold right here at Hale.
Use of Hale’s climbing tower and any other challenge course elements is only permitted by way of participation in one of Hale’s programs.
