Ariel K.

Tribe of Judah

Age 13

 

High Ropes

 

One of my favorite activities at Camp Gilgal was high ropes. I really appreciated the high ropes course because it was my first time. I enjoyed climbing the tree and being really high up. I’ve always wanted to know what it felt like. The first part had ropes that were curved and I had to get across to the next wooden platform. It was very difficult and I was nervous but it was good. I would hold on to the side lines and step on the U-shaped ropes. They were very wobbly. Also, in the beginning we put on helmets and a harness and attached a carabiner to the harness so I knew that I was safe. Then we would screw in the carabiner, so a squeeze test and pull test so that everything was safely secured. The next part of the course was a thin line with ropes hanging from the top. I had to walk on the line and hold on to the hanging ropes. It was hard for me to keep my balance but I loved the new experience. The next part of the course was the bridge which had wooden boards spaced out along two lines. The bridge was not as hard as the first two parts of the course. On my first time going, the belayer helped me cross the bridge by telling me to look ahead at him instead of down. The belayers were very encouraging through each part of the course. I trusted them with my life and safety. The last part of the high ropes course was definitely my favorite. After going across the high ropes bridge, I went over the middle of a tree on to the last platform. The zip line was the last part of the course. I would switch out the carabiner the same way I did at the beginning of each part of the course. Then one of the belayers would tell me to yell “Zip clear!” then the person on the other side of the zip line would also yell “Zip clear!” and then I would yell back “Zip away!” I would step off the wooden platform and ride all the way down. It was one of the best experiences of my life. Lastly, I would climb down a ladder after separating the last carabiner from the harness. High ropes were amazing!