Adventure Recreation Climbs Trees in the Courtyard

Branches of the tree in the Courtyard that was being climbed. Photo by Adam Stahl

by Whitney Pettibone
edited by Adam Stahl

Adventure Recreation had a Tree Expo in the courtyard outside Peterson Hall on Wednesday April 7 to promote their organization and to show how to climb trees safely.

With a series of ropes, pulleys, harnesses, and horseshoes, students climbed the big tree in the courtyard safely without harming the tree or its bark.  Junior Chelsea Ketchen, Campus Recreation employee and Student Coordinator of Adventure Recreation, was there to inform students about Adventure Rec. 

“This is the best way to show people what we are about.  We are trying to promote Adventure Recreation because it’s something fun and active students can be involved in.

Director of Campus Recreation Doug Carty made sure there was plenty of ropes for students to climb. Freshman Ben DiLauro was one of the students who scaled the tree and enjoyed it. 

“I think it’s really fun, I rock climb and I have tried ice climbing so I thought ‘why not?’,” said DiLauro. He has gone on previous trips with Adventure Rec.

Carty brought in an aborist to help clean up the tree and to make sure the tree was strong enough to climb up. 

“Arborist use this same method to climb trees so they don’t harm the tree.  Most people use spikes on their shoes to climb, and that rips the bark off the tree. We are using a horseshoe to go over the tree branch,” he said. 

 The horseshoe is a rubber tube that goes on the rope and over the tree branch.  This prevents the rope from digging into the tree, and holds the rope safely in place for the climbers.

The Tree Climbing Expo is one of many Expos Adventure Rec will be having.  “We are going to be having bouldering behind Ravencroft on the rock wall, slack lining, and kayaking,” explains Ketchen.  There will be another Tree Expo in the future too.

If you would like to become involved with Adventure Recreation contact Doug Carty or Chelsea Ketchen.