I believe that no camp is complete without some sort of low ropes course to work on team building activities, and to teach campers about the importance of working together. Camp Young Judaea West does have the longest zip line in the Pacific Northwest which compensates for an amazing high ropes activity, but no low ropes exists on the property. In order to enhance my nature and camping program I decided to build our own course than can be navigated with standard compasses.
My first idea was that the course should exist in a remote area of the forest that would require a moderate hike into the forest. So I began hauling the wood that I have chosen to use to build the course out to a clearing that I found near a dried up creek bed. However on my second trip to this area I encountered a huge problem.
As I rounded the corner on the trail that I was following a massive black bear ran out of the brush about ten feet in front of me. The bear stopped about twenty five feet from me, turned around to look back at me, and then proceeded to follow the creek bed. I have never seen an animal in the wild as large as this bear, and I cannot get over how fast this gigantic creature was. After speaking with the property manager and a nearby neighbor I found out that this bear and two cubs have been living in the area for quite some time. Although bear attacks are rare, most are initiated when a person comes between a female bear and its' cub.
Due to this humbling experience I decided to move our low ropes course much closer to the road that goes through our area of camp. Although this makes for a smaller and less remote location I must have the safety of our campers and staff in mind. I have built three stations in this area which are nicknamed the islands, the spider web, and the crows nest. These activities are strategically placed so that each can be navigated to in a cardinal direction using our compasses.
Each of these activities are easy to make with a little bit of wood and imagination. The crows nest is the easiest to make and only requires a single piece of wood or small piece of fabric. With the wood or fabric flat on the ground we explain to the campers that they are all on a sinking ship in the arctic, and the crows nest is the only place that will not sink into the ocean. Campers will all have to fit onto the crows nest without any of their feet hanging over the edge otherwise sharks may get to them. To create an additional challenge, have the participants flip over the wood or fabric to the opposite side without anyone stepping off into the sea.
The spider web activity is made by using two parallel trees or by planting two long wood planks into the ground. You would then tie string randomly between the two planks or tree until it looks like a spider has spun a web between them. Campers will have to find a way to get each of their team members from one side of the web to the other without touching the rope. An additional challenge includes telling them that they can only use each hole in the web one time.
Lastly, the islands activity requires one long sturdy piece of wood, and three wood platforms to be used as ports. Campers will have to get from the first island to the third island while only being able to travel when walking over the long sturdy wood piece. Only one camper is allowed on each port at a time, and the activity requires a great amount of teamwork because with only one long piece of wood campers can only travel between two of the ports at a time. An additional challenge can be created by instructing the participants that once they have reached the final island they can no longer help their teammates.
I have included pictures of the low ropes activities I constructed.
Here is a link to information on bear attacks and ways to avoid them.
http://www.arcticwebsite.com/BearSurvival.html
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