Elements of a High Ropes Course
Glacier National Park High Ropes Course
There’s more to the elements of a high ropes course than climbing through ropes and zipping through trees. Aerial adventure parks, also known as high ropes courses, are combinations of cables and wooden activities suspended high in the air, containing obstacles of varying intensities.
-
Tarzan Swing
-
Burma Loops
-
Log Walk
-
Cargo Net
-
Hour Glass
-
Climbing Wall
-
Zipline
Elements of a high ropes course are built to challenge the strength, stamina and mental focus of individuals while enjoying the great outdoors! Make this your first stop on your family vacations in Montana to enjoy some family fun.
Tarzan Swing
Ahhhhhhh ahahahahahaha! Imagine yourself swinging like Tarzan and Jane from one platform to another, in the thick of the Rocky Mountain trees! You’ll be swinging on a fixed point rope hung 30 feet above the ground. Using your hand and upper body strength, grab the rope and hold on tight, while taking a leap of faith across. Focusing on your exit point and throwing yourself at the target are key to sticking the landing. An insider tip —the Tarzan rope is all about going for it, so give it a running start, let out a Tarzan yell and don’t worry about the landing!
Burma Loops
Stepping out on a single loop of rope high above the ground and feeling the wobble of your other leg as it follows will cause your breath to catch and thoughts of turning back to surface. Keep moving forward though. Challenge your skills of endurance.
Burma Loops are large loops of ropes, in which you walk through from loop to loop until reaching the platform at the other end of the element. Burma Loops require focus, leg strength, and control. The key to making it through Burma Loops well is using your leg strength to hold the loops in place under your body while using your momentum like a swing to reach out and grab the next loop with your foot, thus swinging from loop to loop.
Log Walk
It’s not your typical log walk over a little creek in the woods. This is one of the more challenging elements in a high ropes course. At a height of 30 feet off the ground and 25-30 feet long, the Log Walk is for the adrenaline junky.
Accomplishing this challenge all comes down to mentality. One foot in front of the other, not allowing the height to sway your trust or balance!
Cargo Net
Test your Spider Man skills while scaling across a vertical cargo net to the next platform. Cargo Nets require upper body strength as well as hand-eye coordination. The key is to stay focused on which square your foot needs to use next, while simultaneously holding your body up with your arms as you traverse across the net.
Hour Glass
The Hour Glass is one of the toughest obstacles in a high ropes course. It is made up of three ropes in a crossing pattern. Starting from one end you’re walking on two ropes, you then cross over to the single rope on the other end to reach the landing platform.
This activity requires you to be steady while using your muscle strength and focus to maintain the balance. Keeping the ropes taught is a key to making it across without hanging from your safety line!
Climbing Wall
Climbing Walls are designed for both indoor and outdoor applications, testing the participants mental and physical tenacity as well as their problem solving skills. Team building comes into this element of a high ropes course with the lead climber laying out a route that’s attainable by the rest of the team. Team members can help point out the holds along the way and cheer each other on to push through the tough climb. For teams, the Climbing Wall teaches communication and critical thinking. Before jumping onto the wall, we recommend a team huddle to strategy the best route and evaluate any difficult sections on the wall.
Zip Line
For the risk-takers and those looking for the ultimate ride, zip lines are for you. A short traverse zip line will have you zooming by. This traverse will get you comfortable with hanging in the air with nothing but a harness and cable holding you. The longer zip line of 200 feet will send you back down to the ground. The longer zipline drop off will give you butterflies in your stomach and goosebumps on your arms.
No skills needed, just be ready for a good time! Oh, and maybe a little bravery to swing yourself through the trees at 30+ feet above the ground!
Test your strength, stamina, and mental focus at Glacier Highline Adventure Park!
Glacier Highline takes pride in safety, fun, and family experiences in the treetops and on their ground courses. Come conquer your fears or enjoy a care free day in the trees near Glacier National Park as you learn the elements of a high ropes course. Check out other things to do West Glacier using our local’s guide.