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Tucked in the woods, just past the football and soccer practice fields behind Pucillo Gymnasium, and down the stairs, sits the Millersville University’s (MU) Ropes Course. If you’re looking for a good workout, an adrenaline rush or a team-building exercise, the ropes course is the place to go.
The ropes challenge course includes many different activities for individuals and groups of all ages and abilities. The ropes course provides a supportive atmosphere for individuals and groups to navigate through activities that are physically, mentally and emotionally challenging. The activities help participants enhance cooperation, interpersonal awareness, communication skills, leadership skills, trust-building and decision-making.
The MU Ropes Course opened in September of 2001. It includes 11 low elements and 12 high elements that consist of a range of heights from one to 50 feet in the air. The high elements are 30 to 50 feet in the air, assembled by cables and ropes. These elements allow for individuals to challenge themselves by choice. The low elements, which are between one and 10 feet off the ground, are designed for groups to work together through mental and physical challenges to complete an activity.
“Our main concern is safety. If the ropes course staff is leading a highs program, we want to provide participants with a fun-filled active day. If the group requests a lows program, we create a plan based on the groups’ needs,” says Sabrina Hebeler, a lead facilitator at MU Ropes Course. “If the group wants to work more on getting to know each other, we incorporate more name games. If they ask for more team building, we set up elements that will naturally bring it out of the group. If the group asks for an activity that will create more trust among each other, we set up activities/elements that will require lifting each other and trust falls.”
“I would say the MU Ropes Course is very successful. Some years we get over 1,000 participants come to the facility. We have had 31 programs already this fall. Last year we had 39 programs. We get MU students and athletic teams, classes, other colleges and high schools and also Leadership Lancaster and Leadership York are coming next year,” says Dr. Gordon Nesbitt, associate professor/director of campus recreation.
Interested in heading over to the ropes course? On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, the ropes course is available for MU students to climb for free at open climb from 4-6 p.m weather permitting. All you need to bring is a pair of closed toed shoes and your MU id.
In addition, the ropes course staff run high element and low element programs for MU groups, non-profit groups, and corporate groups.
To find out more information about the MU Ropes Course and how to schedule a program, contact Dr. Nesbitt at gnesbitt@millersville.edu or check out the MU Ropes Course web page at https://www.millersville.edu/campusrec/outdoorprograms.php. Also, follow the MU Ropes Course on Facebook and Snapchat at muropescourse.
