Adventure companies across the nation celebrate the outdoors, especially in scenic, sunny locales like Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs, where groups can’t wait to enjoy fun (and sometimes thrilling) pursuits away from the meeting.
Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides (720.242.9828; www.coloradowildernessridesandguides.com) (CWRG) works with groups in Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs, facilitating everything from Amazing Race-type team-building excursions to downhill mountain biking outings.
Joshua Baruch, owner, manager and senior guide for CWRG, says one of the most important aspects of a meeting is “rubbing elbows,” and the experiences his company offers create strong bonds that are not typically developed during normal work situations or during the business portion of the meeting.
“The activities allow them to utilize these bonds at a later time when they’re in need of the assistance of their team to be more productive, creative or focused,” he says.
One of the best team-building activities in Denver, Baruch adds, is a scavenger hunt for six to 600 people, during which teams are given rhymes and riddles to find different places and objects.
“We give folks 90 minutes to two hours to figure the course out, which is a pretty standard timeframe for a meeting or conference,” he says. “It offers a great segue to a meeting or dinner.”
One of the most group-friendly activities facilitated by Boulder-based Apex Ex Adventure Trips (303.731.6160; www.apexex.com) is rock climbing.
“All skill levels can participate because with top roping, a secure way to climb, we build routes from easy to difficult in the same area,” explains Ryan Mazer, executive director of the firm, adding that not all participants need to climb to be involved, as some folks are happy to stay on the ground and assist the team by belaying, or protecting, the climber. “This type of trust is hard to achieve in the boardroom.”
Another Apex Ex option is a multisport day that allows attendees to sign up for a hike, mountain bike ride or climbing trip.
“All the groups head out for the day and then convene on Flagstaff Mountain where a fully catered barbecue awaits,” Mazer says.
In Colorado Springs, Challenge Unlimited (719.633.6399; www.bikithikit.com) facilitates a bike riding trek down Pikes Peak, a 7,000-foot descent from 14,110 feet to 6,400 feet. According to spokesperson Tini Campbell, guides, gear, transportation, snacks, breakfast and lunch are provided during an outing.
Groups of up to 75 people start by traveling to the summit via the north side in vans or the south side on Pikes Peak Cog Railway, Campbell says.
She explains that the descent takes two to three hours with 12 to 15 stops along the way, allowing riders time to regroup and learn about the mountain’s history and five different life zones from knowledgeable guides.
“Riding down Pikes Peak is an experience of a lifetime,” she says. “It is the highest mountain in the world that can accommodate bike riders. Most people are so overwhelmed with the beauty of the mountain that they will remember the ride long after the meeting is over.”