Experience the CMC Spring Valley Ropes Course
Build your business with experiential educational and team building programming with unforgettable, fun day
Colorado Mountain College can provide an action-packed program to meet your group’s needs...
- Coming together as a recently-formed team
- Integrating new members to a pre-existing team
- Addressing specific behavioral issues
- Striving for performance excellence
Our scenic mountain location has two state-of-the-art challenge courses, as well as, a 38-foot climbing wall. Courses include low and high elements making Colorado Mountain College one of the largest challenge course operators in the High Rockies.
CMC programs are designed to fully integrate individuals across the entire spectrum of physical and emotional abilities. Our accessible facilities feature of a range of adaptive elements.
CMC staff create an inclusive environment using the cornerstone philosophies of Challenge by Choice and Full Value Contract. We encourage each participant to choose their own level of challenge – physically and emotionally.
Safe and Secure
We have partnered with Challenge Design Innovations as our course designer and Experiential Systems, Inc. for inspection and repairs to ensure that our courses are at the highest possible standard. Please see our Safety Policies.
Contact us for a custom quote
On Campus / Team Building Program
Bring your group to the CMC Challenge Course for 1-2 hours of team-building initiative activities. This program is tailored to your group's specific requests and needs.
Whether you are looking for your group to develop deeper trust, build communication skills or just be more acquainted with one another, we will facilitate activities that work toward those specific objectives.
- Full or Half Day programming available
- Climbing Wall
- Low Elements
- Low and High Elements
- Summer only
- May-August
- Groups as small as 6 and as large as 50 are welcome!
Mobile / Team Building Facilitation
We understand traveling in groups can be difficult in this season which is why we have developed a mobile program allowing us to come to you! Our mobile program is focused on building acquaintanceship, connections, trust, and communication.
- Programming available in the Roaring Fork and Eagle River Valleys
- 1-4 Hour programming available
- Large open space required
- indoor or outdoor
- All supplies provided by the facilitator
- Monday-Friday only
Our Ropes Course programs can be custom tailored to meet your group’s needs and desired outcomes. Feel free to reach out to Moriah Stock at mstock2@coloradomtn.edu or 970-947-8160 for more details and clarifications or to discuss what you are hoping to achieve with your group.
CMC Challenge Courses and Climbing Wall
High Elements Challenge Course
Approximately 40 feet off the ground, the High Ropes Course challenges the individual while the group maintains a supportive environment.
Participants go beyond their preconceived limitations of trust and personal ability by relying on their peers and staff in the belaying process. Physical strength is not the most significant asset — it's group support.
High elements are typically the most memorable part of the experience because of the anxiety and exhilaration felt during the activity.
Low Elements Challenge Course
The Low Ropes Course consists of ground-based, built elements that participants utilize during different initiatives. These elements do not require any special safety system other than diligent spotting by group members.
In many ways, low elements are the heart of the challenge course experience, and provide an introduction to the power of teamwork with an emphasis on full participation, trusting others, and creative thinking.
Indoor Climbing Wall
Our 38' climbing wall is the tallest in the Roaring Fork Valley. Indoor Climbing provides participants the opportunity to boulder (without ropes) on a short wall or top rope climb (with ropes and a belayer).
Even non-climbers will come away having gained confidence and obtained new or improved skill sets.
There is an opportunity for growth through challenge, no matter the skill level, for the group and self.
Ecology Education
Venue: Campus greenhouse and/or nature trails
Activities to choose from:
- Foraging fresh food straight from the garden and/or forest
- Tending to plants in & around greenhouse
- Doing nature walk on campus trails
Outcomes to choose from:
- Learning about ecology of Western Colorado
- Getting to know plants and their life cycles
- Learning about soil biology
- Team bonding through a hands-on service project in the garden/greenhouse
What to Expect – A Typical Day
Orientation and warm-up
A typical day begins with a short orientation session, including warm-ups and introductions. This gives us a chance to familiarize you with the area, the time schedule, and our teaching philosophies (Challenge by Choice and Full Value Contract). This is also a time to set group and individual expectations for the day.
Problem-solving and trust-building
After the warm-up, we may continue with goal setting or establishing a more complete full-value contract for the group. Groups begin on problem-solving and trust-building initiatives where members work to solve various challenges and learn about communication, themselves, and the group.
Specific Problem-Solving Activities & Low Ropes Elements would be chosen depending on your group goals. Using new skills and knowledge gained during the initiatives, the group can now move to challenges posed by the low elements. Time is always provided to discuss the learnings drawn from activities.
Team-building and group interaction
The afternoon may be a continuation of the Low Elements, keeping the focus on team-building and group interaction, or, groups may move to the High Elements. The groups are outfitted with helmets and harnesses and instructed on the proper use of safety equipment and a belay system.
Wrap up and review
There is usually a culminating experience where the whole group comes together to wrap up or debrief the day. This is a great time to evaluate the group’s expectations, and goals and plan the transfer of the learnings to other settings.
Challenge Course Safety Policies
All participants are required to adhere to the following Challenge Course Policies. We expect all participants to pay attention, be involved, and ask questions while we present safety rules and procedures.
Managing risk is our priority, and we reserve the right to cancel programming at any point.
- Jewelry is not permitted, this includes but is not limited to: necklaces, earrings, studs, nose rings, watches, and rings.
- Long hair must be tied up
- Wear closed-toed athletic footwear that has shoe laces.
- Any other type of footwear is not permitted
- Clothing should be weather appropriate
- Excessively short shorts and tank tops clothing are not allowed
- Please bring refillable water bottles
- No tobacco products, gum, or candy permitted
- No drugs