The Utah State University Challenge Course provides a fun, educational approach to learning principles and applying these principles to a wide variety of real world situations in both your personal and professional lives. Programs are designed to create strong, cohesive teams and develop the skills necessary for success in any organization. Experience the unique learning atmosphere the USU Challenge Course can offer your organization!
Mission
Improve communication, leadership and teamwork skills through challenging and experiential activities.
History
In 1999, Dr. Frank White, a USU professor, approached the USU Conference Services Department about collaborating on the construction of a high ropes course at Utah State University. The goal was to build a facility and develop programming for hands-on experiential education opportunities for students and conference participants.
The USU Challenge Course was constructed in 1999 and named after the Greater Rockies Initiative Program (GRIP). The GRIP program was managed by USU Conference Services for many years. After its first few years, GRIP was rebranded as the USU Ropes Course, and in 2016 it was again rebranded to its current title, the USU Challenge Course. In 2019, the USU Challenge Course transferred departments and is now housed within the Department of Campus Recreation.
The outdoor Challenge Course is operational Monday through Saturday from mid-April through October. The Challenge Course team also offers special programming and initiatives that can be conducted indoors any time of year. Annually, the Challenge Course facilitates approximately 100 different groups from corporate and youth groups to sports teams and family reunions among others.
The Challenge Course provides a fun, educational approach to learning and applying real-world principles. Programs are designed to create strong cohesive teams and develop the skills necessary for success in any organization. Experience the unique learning atmosphere a Challenge Course can offer your organization!
Ground Initiatives/Portable Elements
Activities that allow for flexibility in where the training is held. Offsite programs can travel to an offsite location and are not influenced by weather condition and/or group transportation to the USU Challenge Course.
The Cube
Traffic Jam
Channels
Nuclear Core
Helium Stick
Giant Tangram
Low Elements
Activities up to 18 inches off the ground that can be more physically challenging. The low elements require communication, trust, group effort, and cooperation.
Giant's Finger
Whale Watch
Spider Web
Alligator Pit
Diamond Shuffle
Mountain Tops
Ants on Log
One-Rope Bridge
High Elements
Activities ranging from 15-50 feet off the ground and are considered high adventure activities. High elements focus more on individual accomplishments that require team support. All high elements require participants to wear harnesses and helmets.
Wobbly Log
Climbing Tower
Team Wall
Raiders Bridge
Giant Swing
Zip Line
The Ring
Squeezy Cheeks
Flying Squirrel
Flying M
Giant's Ladder
Leadership Program
The Engaged Leader Workshop is designed to instruct participants in recognizing different learning styles and expanding their leadership skills while cultivating increased trust levels.
Participants will expand their leadership knowledge and increase personal communication skills.
About the Workshop
Designed as an exciting action-packed workshop that gets you out of your seat and actively participating in your own learning. This experience will help any manager, leader, or team member take steps towards greater cohesiveness, understanding, and communication within their teams. Using powerful exercises, participants will make significant progress in understanding others learning styles while being able to select appropriate leadership styles to increase overall productivity with their teams. The workshop is designed to be held in a half day, but can be made to a full day session.
What You Will Learn
- Analyze characteristics of managers and leaders
- Identify individual learning styles
- Learn the types of leadership styles
- Move your management team from ordinary to extraordinary
- Develop a personal action plan
Who Should Attend
- Supervisors
- Managers at any level
- Team Leaders
- Project Leaders
- Middle Level Executive
- Anyone Seeking Leadership Growth
Program Outcomes
The Engaged Leader Workshop can be customized to your groups needs and expectations. Classroom instruction is combined with time for discussion and experience-based training and development activities that take you from ordinary to extraordinary management.
Each individual will be able to evaluate his/her role as a manager/leader, while gaining new insight through group discussion and exercise.
Team Building Program
If you are unable to come to us, let us come to you with our portable teambuilding trainings. We are able to customize a 2-4 hour or multiple day program that meets your team's needs. Many of our portable events can be done in the office or outside on the lawn or nearby field. Wherever the location–we'll come to you. We've brought our program to every corner of Utah and in between.
Let us help you set up your next team training.
Adventure
VENTURE OUT at the USU Challenge Course
Scheduled Adventure Programs
- Dates to be determined for Spring 2019.
Bring a friend, a date, or gather your own group of 10 or more friends and we'll schedule any date and time that works best for you - May through October.
Enjoy two exciting hours on the course! You'll experience both low and high activities.
- Zip Line
- Giant Swing
- Climbing Tower
- And More!
Cancellation Policy
If you need to cancel, you must call 435-797-5361 by 1:00 PM the day of your event in order to receive a refund less a $10 processing fee. Substitutions are always welcome. We reserve the right to cancel any program due to insufficient enrollment and limit our liability to registration refunds only.
Special Needs
Fourteen working days notice is needed to prepare materials and services. Please call 435-797-5361 at least fourteen working days prior to your event to notify us of any special needs.
GPS Program
Enjoy a fun-filled evening exploring the USU Campus with a GPS unit and a digital camera. Take lots of fun photos and we'll send them to you afterward. End your night with Aggie Ice Cream on us!
Available Dates
*Registration is limited to 20 people for each session - Register early!
Or gather your own group of 6 or more friends and we'll schedule any date and time that works best for you.
Call us at 435-797-5361 to schedule your program today.
Cancellation Policy
If you need to cancel, you must call 435-797-5361 by 1:00 PM the day of your event in order to receive a refund less a $10 processing fee. Substitutions are always welcome. We reserve the right to cancel any program due to insufficient enrollment and limit our liability to registration refunds only.
Special Needs
Fourteen working days notice is needed to prepare materials and services. Please call 435-797-5361 at least fourteen working days prior to your event to notify us of any special needs.
Challenge Course
|
|
2-hour Initiatives & Low Events |
3-hour Initiatives, Low & One High Events |
4-hour Initiatives, low and high Events |
6-hour Initiavtices, Low, & High Events |
|
|
On-Campus Groups |
$10 |
$15 |
$20 |
$25 |
$10 |
|
Non-Profit & groups under 18 |
$15 |
$20 |
$25 |
$30 |
$15 |
|
Professional Organization |
$25 |
$30 |
$35 |
$40 |
$25 |
Alternate Campus Location
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2-hours Teambuilding Initiatives |
3-hours Teambuilding Initiatives |
|
On-Campus Groups |
$10 |
$15 |
|
Non-Profit & groups under 18 |
$15 |
$20 |
|
Professional Organization |
$25 |
$30 |
Off-Site Location (Hosted at Client's Location*)
|
|
2-hours Teambuilding Initiatives |
3-hours Teambuilding Initiatives |
|
Non-Profit & groups under 18 |
$25 |
$30 |
|
Professional Organizations |
$35 |
$40 |
All rates are per person within each category.
* University approved mileage of $.485 per mile and vehicle rental (if needed) will be included in the charge. Staffing rate of $15 per hour (including travel time).
RESERVATION REQUEST FORM
The USU Challenge Course is an incredible experience for youth and adult groups, teams, programs, and organizations. Let's schedule your event today!
Please fill out the form below and one of our representatives will contact you to discuss your needs.
Planning Packet & Forms
Planning Packet
Adult Consent Form
Minor Consent Form
FAQ
The USU Challenge Course (also called a ropes course, confidence course, or COPE course) offers a variety of experiential learning activities for organized groups to help improve basic life-skills as well as teambuilding skills. Events are available for scheduled groups only. It is not normally open for individuals to walk in and participate, with the exception of a few summer nights when we will offer "Adventure Nights" that are open to individuals.
The course offers three different components:
- Ground Initiatives – Problem-solving activities located on the ground. They require brainstorming, problem solving and teamwork.
- Low Elements – Activities up to 18 inches off the ground that can be more physically challenging. The low elements require communication, trust, group effort, and cooperation.
- High Elements – Activities ranging from 15-50 feet off the ground and are considered high adventure activities. High elements focus more on individual accomplishments that require team support. All high elements require participants to wear harnesses and helmets.
The USU Challenge Course is managed by the Department of Campus Recreation at Utah State University. The Challenge Course Manager is certified as a Challenge Course Manager and a Level II Facilitator, and all of the Challenge Course Facilitators are certified as Level I Facilitators through Synergo, an accredited Professional Vendor Member (PVM) of the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT).
- Office Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
- Outdoor Course Hours: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM, or dusk, Monday through Saturday. Groups are accommodated on the course from mid-April through October each year.
- Portable Activities: Team building activities are available any time of year and can be held at an indoor location on the USU Logan Campus or any location the group prefers.
We close the outdoor course during the winter months. However, our portable, indoor programs are available year round at any location.
The group sizes vary depending on the program you would like to participate in. All programs require a minimum of 10 people, with a maximum of 500.
We encourage any organized groups to attend the Challenge Course. The following various groups have participated: corporate administrators, work groups, school groups, university groups, sport teams, youth groups, church groups and family groups. We design custom programs to meet the goals and objectives set by the leaders of each group.
The experiential education at the Challenge Course can be physically challenging, but you do not need to be in top physical shape to participate. Please inform the Challenge Course Coordinator if you or any participants have any medical/physical restrictions before participating in the Challenge Course activities.
We recommend participants be age 12 or older. Those under age 18 must complete an "Informed Consent Form for Minors" and have it signed by his or her parent or legal guardian. These forms are due on the day of the program and must be turned in to be allowed on the course. Please contact us with questions about groups with younger participants.
Yes, the USU Challenge Course meets all the standards of the Association Challenge Technology (ACCT). The course is inspected and approved every year by Synergo, an accredited Professional Vender Member (PVM) of the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT).
Call 435-797-5361 to schedule your Challenge Course Event or email challengecourse@usu.edu.
A contract and Group Planning Packet will be sent to the leader. In the Planning Packet is a "Goals and Objectives Worksheet." Return the signed contract and the completed Goals and Objectives Worksheet to us via email at challengecourse@usu.edu
Also in the Planning Packet you will find:
- "Informed Consent Forms" for adult participants and minor participants. Each participant is required to bring a signed Informed Consent Form with them on the day of the course.
- Driving directions and map.
Wear comfortable clothing you can move around in. Closed-toe shoes with rubber soles such as athletic shoes are recommended. Loose, comfortable, casual clothing that covers you and allows you to moved around. T-shirts, long pants or long shorts are all great choices. Be mindful of the wather as you may need to bring rain gear if it looks like it may rain.
- Bring: weather-appropriate items, jacket, sunscreen, water bottle, sunglasses, a hat, a camera/cell phone and a good attitude toward having some fun and learning something new.
- Do not bring: gum, candy, jewelry and valuables. Rings, necklaces and earrings can be lost, broken and/or pose a hazard to you or a fellow participant.
Yes, there is a portable restroom on site.