A “Lost Boys” or “Swiss Family Robinson” junkie can finally be challenged at the Venture Out Alpine Tower. Created by the Department of Student Life, the Alpine Tower is a 60-foot-tall obstacle that vaguely resembles a fort from the mind of J.M. Barrie.
The tower was built by Alpine Tower International and consists of ropes, ladders and climbing polls. The program’s motto focuses on mySummit, the idea that everyone sets a personal goal to accomplish. Whether a person’s summit is climbing to the top or simply stepping on, everyone succeeds at Venture Out. A main goal of the tower is for every participant to reach his or her personal summit.
Each group that goes through uses a light system in order to communicate the level of safety a person feels. This helps measure the meaning of a personal summit. Green light indicates complete comfort and willingness to continue. The light can change to yellow when a participant is out of his or her comfort zone, but is willing to continue. The final light, red, signals the end of the rope, literally, and a person reaches the summit.
Another way of getting people out of their comfort zones is with a climbing exercise up the tower. There is a first platform 15 feet from the ground. From there, participants can decide to push through the fear or take the leap of faith off. The tower consists of three different paths to climb to the top, ranging in difficulty. Since its creation, it has hosted groups from middle schools to businessmen pushing 50.
“The tower was originally located behind the vet school,” Venture Out coordinator Brian Goers says. “It was originally built as a higher ropes course and a different way to do team building and team bonding. Since it was created, the tower has been used by many student organization and groups.”
Freshman Kenton Gewecke participated at the tower through MU’s Emerging Leaders Program.
“The Alpine Tower brings rise to many personal questions such as, ‘How far are you willing to go out of your comfort zone?'” Gewecke says, “It’s a different world up there; one where everything is in your control, and you must decide the answer to a question that haunts millions of people everyday: Do I give up, or do I push forward, step out of my comfort zone, and reach my goal? The Alpine Tower is a must for both men and women. Anyone can do it if they truly want to.”
The Alpine Tower will host Happy Hour from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 29 and Oct. 7. Happy Hour at the Tower provides a great experience for beginner and experienced climbers. No previous experienced is required. The faculty and staff are excited to teach the art of climbing in a safe environment. MSA will provide free food and the Craft Studio will offer a free outlet for the creative.
Just off Providence Road at Epple Field, the tower is next to the tennis center and Reactor Field.
