Students participate in challenge course open night climb

A line of students braved high ropes and the dark for the chance to tackle the Odyssey Challenge Course during the open night climb on Thursday, Sep. 29 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Offered twice in a semester, the open night climb is an opportunity for UCF students to experience the 48-foot high challenge course without making reservations with official organizations.

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The challenge course was built in the summer of 2004 for Outdoor Adventure shortly after the program took over the SCUBA program and the climbing tower, Jason Gosh, challenge course lead for Outdoor Adventure, said.

"They wanted to get students seeing it and doing it because that is what generates the groups to come out," Gosch said.

It's free to book a student group as long as it is with a registered student organization or a class. For an open night climb, students have to bring a valid student ID, wear close-toed shoes and take off any jewelry, but there is no reservation required.

"The whole Recreation and Wellness Center is funded by the SGA so it is the students that say ‘Hey, we want more chances to come out there and do the challenge course'," Gosch said.

"This is a chance for any students, because they are technically all paying for it, to come out here and enjoy it," Gosch said.

For a lot of students, it was their first time climbing a rope course; other students were more seasoned climbers.

"Since my freshman year, I have done it about a dozen times," Eric Haertjens, a senior civil engineering major, said. "When you get the chance and it's free I think you should do it. I enjoy the challenge."

"In general students love it. They love the chance to come out here and a lot of them will drive by and be like ‘Man, I want to do that'," Gosch said. "Then they come out here for the first time on an open night climb and they'll have a blast."

Stephany Demmler, a freshman aerospace engineering major, has climbed other rope courses in the past, but was anticipating climbing this one.

"I have not done this rope course, but I loved other ones that I have done," Demmler said. "I do it for the excitement and I like being up high."

Many safety precautions are applied during open night climbs to protect students. Employees that have been through safety rescue training and are first-aid and CPR certified facilitate the students to ensure their safety.

With regards to the high course, there is at least a double-check standard which means they have two safety levels, Gosch said.

"You are clipped into two clips at all times and we have two challenge course managers because it's dark out and we have a lot of students going through," Gosch said.

The challenge course is a three-platform, two-level Odyssey course. The course requires participants to work together with three other people and master four obstacles, Gosch said.

"So basically, you start at one end, you climb up a cargo net, and then you have four elements to make it across," Gosch said.

During the open night climb, students conquered either the first or second level of the course. On the second level, a team of four worked together to complete four elements to get to the other side and zip-line 45 feet to the ground.

"You can still get the same experience because the elements on the bottom level tend to be more challenging and more difficult whereas the elements on the top level are a little bit easier," Gosch said. "So you still get the same kind of feel for it, but that's why we are able to put through multiple groups at a time."

There is a very wide variety of students that come out because we market it to everyone and because it is convenient, Gosch said

"In general students love it. They love the chance to come out here and a lot of them will drive by and be like ‘Man, I want to do that'," Gosch said. "Then they come out here for the first time on an open night climb and they'll have a blast."

Sarah Parker, a senior environmental studies major, has taken on this particular course five times.

"It's challenging in a safe and fun environment and it's really addicting because you go through every emotion while you're up there," Parker said. "If you can do this, you can do anything, right?"

The next challenge course open climb is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 8 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.