In addition to ministry, we also spent time developing the relationships within our youth group and growing in unity and friendship. One way we accomplished this involved a high ropes course at Camp Mikel. Picture this:
You fasten yourself into a harness that attaches to a series of ropes and caribeeners. Then you begin by ascending a 40′ high ladder into a tree. The ladder consists of two pieces of rope with logs for steps, and it attaches only to the ground and the top of the tree. The rest of the ladder swings as you climb. Once you make it to the top, you find yourself standing on a 2′ x 3′ platform 40′ in the air!
You must then transfer your caribeeners, one at a time, from the rope they have been clipped into to a different wire that hangs above the next obstacle, a short wire between two trees. Once you cross the wire, you must then transfer your clips again before moving onto the balance beam.
However, if you want to avoid the balance beam, you can take an alternate route that involves swinging on rope loops like Tarzan. You must jump for the first rope, and then swing yourself loop to loop until you reach the next platform.
No matter which way you choose, you then find yourself crossing another wire that has a few rope hand grips to the side of it. Of course to reach each successive grip, you must first let go of the one you are holding thereby standing on a thin wire way high in the air. After this, you walk through a set of ropes hung in a V-shape. Then it’s one Tarzan-loop swing, and you’re almost to the end. You find yourself sitting on a platform, waiting, while the nice lady straps you into the zip-line.
After that, all you have to do is get down, which happens quickly once you sike yourself into scooting off the platform. You race down through the trees and enjoy one of the most freeing and exciting rides you will ever experience.
Before you know it, you reach the end, and you start flying back in the opposite direction. At that point, it’s up to the break crew to run in and save you! It takes three people, but they catch you, put up a ladder and slide you over to it. You finish by unhooking yourself and climbing the remaining 15′ down the ladder to the ground.
Any takers?
I had to include pictures of myself doing this (because otherwise my mother would never believe me!), but almost all of us completed the course. Those that didn’t still performed huge feats, conquering their fears of heights and climbing the first ladder up into the trees. It was great fun as well as a great challenge. By the time we finished for the day, we were all quite proud of one another!!
