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Zip Line Equipement Upgrades

Annual Gear Updates: Top 4 Must-Replace Items for Zip Line and Challenge Courses

Running a challenge course, aerial park, or zip line demands attention to detail, especially when maintaining and replacing your equipment. Successful equipment management involves thoughtful planning and a strategic approach ...
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Backyard Zip Line

Why Challenge Towers Can’t Build Your Backyard Zip Line

You're not the only one dreaming of zipping through your backyard on a thrilling zip line. We regularly receive inquiries about residential zip line installations. It's an adventurous and fun ...
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Ropes Course Design - Building a Challenge Course - Challenge Towers

Building a Challenge Course: Conceptualization and Site Assessment

Building a new challenge course or zip line is an adventure filled with possibilities and the potential for more than a few pitfalls. At Challenge Towers, we understand the excitement, ...
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aerial-adventure-park-gear-storage-room-red-river-ski-area

8 Pre-Season Steps for Managing Aerial Adventure Equipment

The pre-season can be a busy and frantic time. Hiring great staff and completing essential course upgrades might be front of mind, but properly managing your gear ahead of the ...
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Challenge Towers trainer works with zip line guide

The Steady Climb: Tracing the History and Advancements of Adventure Programming in Summer Camps

Challenge courses, zip lines, and climbing towers are essential to the summer camp experience, offering a unique blend of fun and adventure. More than just a fun time; adventure programming ...
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two men wearing helmets on a challenge course platform wearing during training

ACCT-Accredited Challenge Course Manager Training

Navigating the world of adventure-based programming requires both passion and precision. Challenge Towers Aerial Adventures offers ACCT-accredited Challenge Course Manager (CCM) Training for professionals seeking to elevate their expertise. This ...
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ACCT Training and Certification Courses

Choosing the Right Challenge Course and Aerial Park Training & Certifications

Training and certification contribute to safe and efficient aerial park, challenge course, and zip line operations. Challenge Towers offers a variety of options, including both on-site training and Professional Development ...
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Guide to Building an Aerial Adventure Course - Finished aerial adventure course built by Challenge Towers

Your Start-to-Finish Guide to Building an Aerial Adventure Park

Are you considering building an Aerial Adventure Park? Aerial adventure parks are adrenaline-pumping playgrounds that have become popular destinations for all levels of adventure seekers. Modern facilities can feature a ...
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Man checking zip line on course

Optimize Preparation to Maximize Your Annual Inspection

Your annual facility inspection is much more than just ticking a box on your seasonal checklist. Your inspection report is a roadmap that helps to identify hazards, highlight issues, and ...
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Aerial Park operator showing a family of guests around the aerial park

What is an Operation Review and why do you need it?

Have you noticed that most accidents in our industry don’t involve failures of gear or structural course components? Platforms don’t typically just fall down, and harnesses don’t spontaneously fall apart. ...
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Man checking zip line on course

Adventure Course & Zip Line Maintenance: Protecting Your Investment

Challenge course maintenance is probably the least exciting part of the outdoor adventure industry. Having a maintenance plan and keeping up with key items pays dividends in the long-run and ...
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man-traversing-challenge-course-element-challenge-towers-wild-blue-aerial-adventures-banner-size

COVID-19 Update

During times of uncertainty, we are reminded of the value of human connection and perseverance. Like so many of you, we know the coming weeks and months will demand that ...
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Ken Jacquot Laughing Whiskey Challenge Towers ACCT

Visit Us at the 2020 ACCT Conference

30th Annual Association for Challenge Course Technology Conference and Exposition FEBRUARY 6TH– 8TH IN RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA The foremost community of influencers in the challenge course, canopy/zip line tour, and aerial adventure ...
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Gear Hanging in Closet

Personal Protective Equipment: Inspection, Storage, and Maintenance

Equipment used in recreational work-at-height settings is generally referred to as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Competent persons in work-at-height professions are expected to have an appropriate level of knowledge about ...
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Course Manager Certification - Gear Inspections

Care and Cleaning of Gear

The typical adventure park, challenge course, or zipline canopy tour has an abundance of gear like harnesses, helmets, lanyards, and ropes. This gear, often referred to as Personal Protective Equipment ...
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rescue workshop at 2019 SAM Summer Ops

SAM Summer Ops 2019 Recap

SAM Summer OPS is not your typical conference. Bringing together decision makers and leaders from ski and snowboard resorts, Summer Ops ditches the traditional conference room and exhibit hall format ...
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Man on adventure course.

Know These 9 Things First for OSHA Compliance in Aerial Adventure Facilities

If you are an aerial adventure or zip line operator, you have likely heard rumblings about the need for OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) compliance and thought "Why do I ...
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ken-jacquot-laughing-whiskey-distillery-acct-conference-2019

The Challenge is On!

29th Annual Association for Challenge Course Technology Conference and Exposition February 7th– 10th in Denver, Colorado The foremost community of influencers in the challenge course, canopy/zip line tour, and aerial adventure industry ...
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Hand labeling a piece of equipment.

Marking and Labeling Guidelines

All safety equipment should be marked or labeled with a unique identifier. These unique identifiers allow you to tie your products to inspection, maintenance, and purchase records. Additionally, unique identifiers ...
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Kids standing on platform listening to instructor.

Five Ways to Make the Most of Your Off-Season

By Korey C. Hampton So it’s almost the end of your season. The kids have gone back to school, the tourist traffic is winding down, and you’re exhausted from another ...
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Belay system cable.

Storage and Maintenance Guidelines

Downloadable Equipment Storage and Maintenance Guide Proper storage and maintenance of your equipment helps to ensure its longevity and function. You do not have to be an expert to take ...
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Gavel and scales of justice.

What Documentation Will I Need to Produce After an Incident?

By: Guest Writer, Cameron Annas After an incident, and especially after an attorney is involved, you are going to be asked to produce the following: that day's inspection checklist, specific ...
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Challenge course tower with extended rope features.

Should I Build with Trees or Poles?

Choosing between trees and poles (or a using combination of both) is a critical decision to make early on in your project plan. The experience of moving through a tree-based ...
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Kid walking across a rope feature.

Understanding the Four Most Common Types of Belay

Belay is the primary safety system used to protect people while at height. There is a wide range of belay systems on the market and picking the right one is ...
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Petal Technical Partner Logo

Challenge Towers is Now a Petzl Technical Partner

Challenge Towers has been certified as an official Petzl Technical Partner (PTP). Through this partnership with Petzl, Challenge Towers is able to lend its expertise to its customers regarding Petzl ...
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Ropes course.

How to Qualify the Right Builder

Selecting the right builder is one of the most critical project decisions you will make and comes with both short and long-term impact. There are a number of factors that ...
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Suspension rope bridge extended through a forest.

Engaging with the Aerial Adventure Industry

The aerial adventure industry is an exciting community of individuals leveraging the essence of adventure and play to craft unique and lasting experiences for a range of audiences, ages, and ...
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Challenge course rope bridge.

Researching and Building Your Adventure Facility

Do not assume that just because you build it, they will come.  Taking time to adequately research and plan your project is key to achieving your goals, whether they are ...
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Woman with zip line trolley.

What is a Continuous Belay?

Koala Continuous Belay is a smart, simple, and transfer-free lifeline for use in challenge courses, aerial parks, and zip lines. Users are attached to the lifeline using the dual-sheave trolley ...
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Man testing zipline.

Avoid Bad Habits With Operational Reviews

Annual Inspections are a familiar routine for zip tours, aerial adventure parks, and other challenge course facilities. But what about Operational Reviews? While annual course inspections are often required by ...
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High Gravity tower.

What Does it Take To Be an Award-Winning Canopy Tour?

Challenge Towers was honored to be recognized for Outstanding Structural Design at the 2018 ACCT conference in Fort Worth, Texas for our canopy tour at High Gravity Adventures in Blowing ...
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Hand reaching up onto a rope trolly device.

Essential Tips for Managing Your Equipment

Equipment management is essentially asset management. Our sister company, Aerial Adventure Tech, has put together this handy guide for creating an equipment management system that will help you protect your ...
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Group of smiling people wearing helmets.

Spring Open Enrollment Training Begins April 9

The start of another season is upon us and it’s time to sharpen the tools in your toolbox. Challenge Towers will be hosting Level 1 and 2 ACCT certifications April 9-15 at our facilities in ...
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Man demonstrating how to use a belay system.

Ask the Expert: Why Train Staff?

Training is an absolutely essential part of any adventure business’ yearly operation. We recently sat down with our Director of Training & Certification, Joel McCombs, to discuss why proper training ...
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Challenge course at sunset.

A Routine Maintenance Program Saves Time and Money

Do you have a set budget and regular schedule for care and maintenance of your challenge course, zip line, canopy tour or aerial park facility?  Setting a budget and creating ...
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