Charleston-area outfitters can be your partners for putting adventure on the agenda, whether it be for team building or recreation.
Dave Arnold, founder and president of Class VI Mountain River, says anyone can enjoy what his area offers, no matter what their fitness level. And his 160-acre resort on the rim of the 70,000-acre New River Gorge National River park lands has business groups in mind.
“Here we have a multitude of outdoor activities, including white-water rafting, kayaking clinics, hiking and biking tracks, horseback riding, rock climbing, ATV tours,” Arnold says. “And our accommodations range from rustic to luxurious, with excellent dining choices.”
Included at the base camp are an adventure center, casual pub, rim-side restaurant, retail shopping, great views and walking trails.
“We serve all kinds of groups,” Arnold says. “Sometimes their objectives are simply a fun getaway. Others want a group bonding experience. Those who have specific goals for team development, strategic planning and problem-solving find we can help them realize success.”
Class VI’s newest amenity is the TreeTops Canopy Tour, a five-mile sustainable tour through the forest. Takers move from tree to tree via a network of platforms and sky bridges, as they are led by professional guides. The soaring ride through the tree tops and over rugged terrain can fulfill group objectives and create unforgettable memories, he says.
Beth Gill, marketing manager for ACE Adventure Resort, says her company uses both high and low ropes courses when working with groups.
“We can do exercises only four to six inches off the ground,” she says. “And we also have the high elements that are more challenging. For instance, there is a pole about 30 feet high that people climb and then stand on top of--this requires some balancing for sure. The final piece of that challenge is that they must jump across a net from the pole to a large cargo net. Even though they are tethered, people who are afraid of heights find this a big deal.
“A mud obstacle team course is fashioned from an Army obstacle course,” Gill continues. “It requires people to crawl under poles and swing across pools of water. They start out in teams and each team has to get through an entire element before they move onto the next, so this replicates working together. With hydro dynamics–white-water–our guides teach teams to paddle together, listen to commands and respond quickly, because a delay can send you where you don’t want to be. That’s a great model for team building.”
