Challenge Course and Ropes Course Construction

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S.T.E.P.S. delivers safe, innovative challenge courses, designed to offer the highest degree of value, functionality, and craftsmanship available.  Our experience in design and rope course construction is rooted in years of experience managing and operating challenge course programs.  Our management experience ensures that you'll get the most from your course, from design to installation to program implementation. 

Our Commitment to You

Safety: Innovations in design and equipment have reduced  the margin of risk considerably in the past few years.  Our challenge courses use the latest equipment and design technology to ensure optimum safety and functionality.

Where applicable, courses are designed to meet and exceed ACCT (Association of Challenge Course Technology) and PRCA (Professional Ropes Course Association) standards.  In cases where projects require unusual or innovative design, courses may be stamped by an engineer. 

Quality and Craftsmanship: We pride ourselves on a strong commitment to quality and craftsmanship, from the selecting the best materials to making certain your course serves to enhance the setting.  We think you'll agree that our courses are among the most aesthetic and best built courses in the field. 

Value: The best way to value is to build a course that meets the needs of the population you intend to serve.  We will work with you to design a custom course that meets all of your needs. 

Functionality: Engineering a ropes course to be safe is easy.  Creating a course that operate efficiently, serves to meet all our programmatic needs, and maximizes the participant experience takes operating experience.  Tap into our experience.

Affordable:  We will work to create a course that is within your budget and operating constraints. 

 Ropes Course Construction Services

Design and Installation of:

  Group Initiatives and Low Ropes Course Construction and Design
  High Ropes Course Construction and Design
  Climbing Towers and Indoor Wall Construction and Design
  Zip Line Construction and Design
  Canopy Tour Construction and Design
  Challenge and Ropes Course Inspection and Renovation

Other Resources for S.T.E.P.S. and Bonsai Design Construction and Program Development Services:

  Ropes Course Construction - View photos and gain more information about S.T.E.P.S. and Bonsai Services, including ropes courses, canopy tours, and climbing structures.
  Canopy Tours and Zip Line Tours - Learn more about zip lines and canopy tours at our new site.
  Challenge Course Construction Primer - Looking to build a ropes challenge course.  Read this primer that overviews costs.
  Bonsai Design - View samples of work by Bonsai Design and learn more about ropes course builder John Walker.
  AdventureSmith, Inc. - Challenge Course and Canopy Tour consultation, marketing, and web design
 

Group Initiative and Low Ropes Course Construction and Design

Initiatives courses can be constructed in wooded areas, indoors, in open areas off of poles, or as portable programs. Courses are designed to meet your specific needs, and are generally a combination of low-risk warm-up obstacles, problem solving obstacles, and trust building obstacles. Your initiatives course could be a combination of any of the following elements:
 

All Aboard

Rope Swing
Ants on a Log Spider Web
Bag of Tricks Toxic Waste Retrieval
Carpet Maze Treasure Island
Croc Pit Trolleys
Gutter Ball Trust Fall
King's Finger Wall
Muse Whale Watch
Rebirth / Porthole and others..

  View designs and pictures of group inititatives and low ropes course elements

  Download the 2007 S.T.E.P.S. Challenge Course Services guide and learn more about group initiatives and low ropes course elements.

  Download the S.T.E.P.S. Ropes Challenge Course Hardware and Equipment Price List. 

 

 

High Ropes Course Construction and Design

high ropes course, challenge course, acct

High ropes courses are constructed in trees or on telephone poles, 15 to 30 feet above the ground, using both dynamic and static belay systems.  High ropes courses are an excellent opportunity for participants to challenge themselves physically and emotionally, while receiving support from other group members.  Your high ropes course could be a combination of any of the following challenge course elements:
   

Balance Beam

Kitten Crawl
Burma Bridge Log Swings
Burma Buckets Multi-vine Traverse
Cake Walk Postman's Walk
Cargo Net Rope Ladder
Disk Swings Ship's Crossing
Fire Crack Ladder Tarzan Swing
Flea Jump Tension Traverse
Giant's Ladder Tire Swings
Happy Hopper Trapeze Dive or Pamper Pole
Heebie Jeebie Wild Woozy
Hour Glass Zip Line
and others...

It is possible to design many elements so that two participants can use them simultaneously.

  View designs and pictures of high ropes courses

  Download the 2007 S.T.E.P.S. Challenge Course Services guide and learn more about high ropes courses.

Climbing Wall Construction and Design

climbing, ropes course, challenge course

Climbing walls can be built out of doors off of telephone poles or in a gymnasium.  They are an excellent way for programs to get started building an adventure challenge course with far less maintenance required than high ropes courses.  Climbing wall are an excellent opportunity for participants to challenge themselves physically and emotionally, while receiving support from other group members.  Climbing walls also present the option of teaching participants to belay and manage the safety of others.

  View designs and pictures of climbing walls and towers

  Download the 2007 S.T.E.P.S. Challenge Course Services guide and learn more about climbing walls, bouldering and traverse walls, and climbing towers.

  Download the S.T.E.P.S. Ropes Challenge Course Hardware and Equipment Price List. 

 

Zip Line Construction and Design

zip line construction and designWhether added as an exit to an existing challenge course or designed as a stand alone event, zip lines can add an element of flare to your challenge course.  Zip lines can be easily designed to take advantage of existing geographic features at your site--bodies of water, ravines, hillsides, cliffs, or buttes--or can be built off of trees or utility poles.

The zip line shown on the right is one of the longest in the United States.  With a ride length of more than 1400 feet and maximum speed of near 30 mph, the zip line crosses scenic Phipps Lake in Southeastern Michigan. 

  View designs and pictures of zip lines and canopy tours.

  Download the 2007 S.T.E.P.S. Challenge Course Services guide and learn more about zip lines and canopy tours.

  Download the S.T.E.P.S. Ropes Challenge Course Hardware and Equipment Price List. 

 

 

Canopy Tour Construction and Design

Canopy Tour Construction - Participant zips from tree to tree

Generally consisting of a series of zip lines and sky bridges running from tree to tree or tree to ground, canopy tours have long been a popular way to experience the rain forests of Central America.  Now, zip canopy tours are headed to the United States.  S.T.E.P.S. Bonsai Design has experience building canopy tours in Alaska and canopy tours in Texas with more planned through out the United States and abroad. 

  View designs and pictures of canopy tours

  Download the 2007 S.T.E.P.S. Challenge Course Services guide and learn more about zip canopy tours.

  Download the S.T.E.P.S. Ropes Challenge Course Hardware and Equipment Price List. 

 

 

 Challenge and Ropes Course Inspection and Renovations

Does your course look like this? When it could look like this!

Ropes Course standards have evolved significantly over the past 10 years.  As a result, many courses have become obsolete.  S.T.E.P.S. has considerable experience redesigning and renovating old courses. 

Outdated cabling techniques can threaten tree health and overall course longevity.  Frequently, investing in renovation means investing in the life of your course. 

Ropes Course Inspection Services: ACCT standards require that challenge courses be inspected annually by a qualified challenge course professional.  Our professional builders will help ensure the integrity of your course and keep you abreast of changes in the industry and standards. 

All of our inspections are conducted "hands-on".  Everything on the course and local environment is inspected, including:

nearby surroundings
included structures
tree health
pole integrity
platforms
bolts
cables
clamp tension
ground anchors
ropes and lines
course hardware
element structure

Small repairs can often be made on site during the inspection.  Tightening clamps, replacing worn out clamps, backing out bolts, and removing dead branches and limbs and other hazards.  Inspectors will also check the course for functionality, and on request, may review and assess program operations.   

A verbal report on the course will be provided at the time of the inspection.  A written report that reviews safety and operating procedures, course policy, covers inspection findings, details larger repairs and upcoming needs, and suggests improvements will be issued shortly after.  

For more information

For more information, please call (248) 481-2568 or e-mail info@stepscorp.com.  You can also find more information at our other sites: www.ropescourseconstruction.com, www.challenge-course-construction.com, www.canopy-tours.com. and www.zip-lines.com.

Highlights

Download the 2007 S.T.E.P.S. Challenge Course and Ropes Course Services Catalog

Download the Challenge Course Gear and Equipment Price List and Order Form

View our most recent Ropes Challenge Course and Teambuilding Newsletter

News

posted 04.22.07
Need gear or equipment for your ropes challenge course.  Download our new, more extensive price list.

posted 01.28.07
Announcing the unveiling of a new website dedicated to canopy tour and zip line services offered by S.T.E.P.S., Inc. and Bonsai Design.

posted 01.28.07
Announcing the unveiling of a new website dedicated to canopy tour and zip line services offered by S.T.E.P.S., Inc. and Bonsai Design.

>>
more news

Partner Links

Ropes Course Construction
Canopy Tour Construction
Zip Line Construction
AdventureSmith, Inc.
Bonsai Design Ropes Course Builder
Joe Dumars' Team & Leadership Center - Corporate Teambuilding and Ropes Courses Michigan
Joe Dumars' Fieldhouse
S.T.E.P.S., Inc. Group Ski Trips
Camp Ozanam Michigan Ropes Courses and Teambuilding
Camp Lakeland Ropes Courses and Teambuilding New York
Cypress Valley Canopy Tours in Spicewood, Texas
Alaska Canopy Adventures Canopy Tours by S.T.E.P.S. Bonsai Design

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Web Site Info

S.T.E.P.S., Inc. © 1998 - 2007
All Rights Reserved.

Last Updated: July 07, 2007
 
Challenge Course and Canopy Tour Marketing and Consulting, Website design and hosting by AdventureSmith, Inc.

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