The Greater St. Louis Area Council is proud to offer multiple different Challenge Course and Climbing opportunities for our Scouts! These include two high and low ropes courses, three climbing towers, and natural rock face climbing and rappelling.
Challenge Courses
Our council has two Challenge Courses, one each at S bar F Scout Ranch and Beaumont Scout Reservation. The Challenge Course is a program for youths and adults that includes a series of outdoor challenges — beginning with basic group initiative games and progressing to more complicated low-course and high-course activities. Some of these events involve a group effort while others test individual skills and agility. Participants climb, swing, balance, jump and think through solutions to a variety of challenges. Most participants find that they can do much more than they initially thought they could.
There are eight major goals of the Challenge Course:
- Leadership development
- Problem solving
- Communication
- Self-esteem
- Trust
- Decision-making
- Teamwork
- Have FUN!
The low course consists of group initiative games and events, which help participants learn to work together using communication and trust to achieve their goals. While individual coordination and strength are helpful, participants accomplish the low-course events with the support and combined efforts of their team.
The high course is an individual exercise and builds self-esteem. It is conducted 30 feet in the trees and allows the participant to challenge him/herself to become more aware of individual strengths and limitations. Every participant on the course wears a harness connected to a safety line.
Our Challenge Courses provide an opportunity for each participant to achieve success as an individual and as a member of a patrol or team. The events are not designed to be competitive or to be races against time. The more important objectives include building confidence, developing leadership skills and attaining a sense of common cooperation among team members.
Your unit provides the trained Challenge Course Instructors for each group of 13 maximum. Two trained leaders are required to lead the group.
Reserve the S-F Scout Ranch Course HERE.
Reserve the Beaumont Scout Reservation Course HERE.
Rock Climbing & Rappelling
The Greater St. Louis Area Council has multiple options when it comes to rock climbing and rappelling. From man-made climbing towers to natural rock faces, your Scouts will love the excitement and challenge a climbing out provides!
Climbing Tower
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to climb to the top of a mountain, or rappel down a rope from the heights of treetops? The skills that you will learn here are the basics that every expert climber had to master when they first started to climb and rappel.
Climbing Towers are available to Cub Scouts, Scouts, Venturers and Explorers at Beaumont Scout Reservation, Camp Warren Levis, and Camp Lewallen. All three towers are lit for night climbing and are available for evening rentals. The pack, troop, crew or post provides its own certified Climbing Instructors.
Reserve the Beaumont Scout Reservation climbing tower HERE.
Reserve the Camp Lewallen climbing tower HERE.
Reserve the Camp Warren Levis tower HERE.
Rock Climbing
Ready for something more advanced? Come experience the thrill of peering over the edge of cliffs at S bar F Scout Ranch. Climbing equipment is available for units with trained rock climbing instructors.
Units can choose from Freedom, Ranger Falls, Collarbone or Baby Snake cliffs at S bar F. Camping sites are even available on top of the cliffs along the Little St. Francis River or near Castle Rock at S bar F.
Reserve the S-F rock climbing cliffs HERE.
Become a Challenge Course Instructor
Challenge Courses test Scouts both physically and mentally. The low courses are all about team building and problem solving. The high courses are about getting of the ground and testing your grit. By becoming an instructor you can lead your Scouts through these amazing experiences.
The Course
Our council has two Challenge Courses, one each at S bar F Scout Ranch and Beaumont Scout Reservation. The Challenge Course is a program for youths and adults that includes a series of outdoor challenges — beginning with basic group initiative games and progressing to more complicated low-course and high-course activities. Some of these events involve a group effort while others test individual skills and agility. Participants climb, swing, balance, jump and think through solutions to a variety of challenges. Most participants find that they can do much more than they initially thought they could.
Initial Weekend Training Schedule
Wednesday Evening Session
7pm at Beaumont (Emerson Center, downstairs in Theatre Room): You will get trained on knots, receive a detailed equipment list, and training about equipment and what to bring for the weekend training and camping at S Bar F.
Saturday
Meet at Nim’s Lake Overlook parking lot at S Bar F Scout Ranch at approximately 7:30am. We hike out of the parking lot at 8am sharp.
Sunday
We will finish the training about 5pm.
2023 Training Course Dates
Spring 2023: Wed. May 10 & Sat.-Sun. May 20-21 Register Here
Fall 2023: Wed. Sept. 6 & Sat.-Sun. Sept. 16-17 Register Here
Challenge Course 1-Day Orientation
Take this orientation to become eligible to be qualified for Beaumont’s Challenge Course as well as the Challenge Course at S-F Scout Ranch. While both of the Challenge Courses have the same procedures and equipment they have different events and layouts.
*You must have successfully completed the Initial Challenge Course weekend training at S bar F to be eligible for the one-day orientation and to become qualified as an Instructor for the Beaumont course.
2023 Training Course Dates
Summer 2023: Sunday, June 25, 2023
Fall 2023: Sunday, June 19 2023
Meet at the Emerson Center Parking Lot at the Beaumont Scout Reservation at 8am and the course will be completed by 4pm.
Course Fees
Initial Training Weekend: $25 - This includes a bandana, notebook, and two patches
One-Day Orientation: $5
FAQ's
Age: You must be at least 21 years old to take the training.
Fitness: The training is very active and high energy. There is not sitting around and take place outdoors, rain or shine. This course is not lectures and classroom work.
Be Prepared for a great outdoor training experience so that your Scouts can have a sumer Challenge Course experience!
Other Questions?
Contact:
Marie Schmich
Challenge Course Training Director
314-805-9928
gslac.challenge.director@gmail.com
Bob Backer
Challenge and Climbing Training Director
314-852-0682
gslac.cc.training@gmail.com
A PDF flyer of this information is available HERE.
Become a Rock Climbing & Rappelling Instructor
You will receive site specific training for the natural climbing areas at S Bar F Ranch, and for the climbing towers at Beaumont, Camp Lewallen, and Camp Warren Levis. Climbing training qualifies you to take your unit climbing at our council’s climbing program sites and to lead rappelling on the Beaumont Tower (Scouts BSA or Venturing only, Cub Scouts are not allowed to rappel). S bar F Scout Ranch has permanent anchors installed for climbing and rappelling.
The Wednesday night and weekend training course is required to become a Qualified Rock Climbing/Rappelling Instructor for the Greater St. Louis Area Council sites.
Training Schedule
Wednesday Evening Session
7pm at Beaumont (Emerson Center, downstairs in Theatre Room): You will get trained on knots, receive a detailed equipment list, and training about equipment and what to bring for the weekend training and camping at S Bar F.
Saturday
We’ll meet at 7:30 am on Saturday at the Castle Rock parking lot at S bar F Scout Ranch.
Sunday
Training on the cliffs at S bar F will finish around noon on Sunday. The training will reconvene 60-90 minutes later at the Camp Lewallen or Beamont Climbing tower (see below on schedule). You will learn the operations of the Beaumont, Camp Lewallen and Camp Warren Levis towers. We plan to finish up by 4pm.
2023 Training Course Dates
Spring 2023: Wed. May 24 & Sat.-Sun. June 3-4 - Beaumont Tower Register Here
Fall 2023: Wed. Aug. 16 & Sat.-Sun. Aug. 26-27 - S-F Scout Ranch | Register Here
Course Fees
Initial Training Weekend: $25 - This includes a bandana, notebook, and two patches (If you have take Challenge Course Training, bring your notebook and the fee is only $5.)
FAQ's
Age: You must be at least 21 years old to take the training.
Fitness: The training is very active and high energy. There is not sitting around and take place outdoors, rain or shine. This course is not lectures and classroom work.
Be Prepared for a great outdoor training experience so that your Scouts can have a super climbing experience!
Other Questions?
Contact:
Jason Dill
Climbing Training Course Director
314-494-3325
gslac.climbing.director@gmail.com
Bob Backer
Challenge and Climbing Training Director
314-852-0682
gslac.cc.training@gmail.com
A PDF flyer of this information is available HERE.
Become a Climbing Tower Instructor
Lead your Den, Pack, Troop, or Crew on a day of climbing at one of the Greater St. Louis Area Council's 3 climbing towers at Camp Lewallen, Camp Warren Levis, and Beaumont Scout Reservation!
The Course
This Saturday morning training course is required to become a Qualified Climbing Tower Instructor for the Greater St. Louis Area Council sites. You will receive site specific training for the climbing towers at Beaumont, Camp Lewallen, and Camp Warren Levis. Tower training qualifies you to take your unit climbing at all council climbing tower sites.
Training Schedule
We’ll meet at 8:00 am on Saturday at the parking lot beside the climbing tower at Beaumont (to the right once you enter Camp May, past Cub World, before Emerson Center). You will learn the operations of the Beaumont, Camp Lewallen and the newly refurbished Camp Warren Levis towers (Camp Warren Levis tower opened June 2021).
The training lasts until 1pm; bring lunch and plenty of water. Starting at 1pm, everyone participating in the training will need to have TWO YOUTH arrive, who will give participants the opportunity to demonstrate the climbing instructor skills learning in the morning. We expect to wrap up by 5pm.
Upon completion of the training and skills demonstration, participants will receive a 2 year certification card to be a Climbing Instructor for our 3 towers.
2023 Training Course Dates
Spring 2023: Sat., March 25 @ Taste of Venturing @ Warren Levis
May 6 @ Beaumont or Camp Warren Levis
Fall 2023: Sat., October 7
Age: You must be at least 21 years old to take the training.
Fitness: The training is very active and high energy. There is not sitting around and take place outdoors, rain or shine. This course is not lectures and classroom work.
Youth Participation: Everyone participating in the training will need to provide TWO YOUTH from their den, pack, troop or crew so that the participants can demonstrate instructor skills (starting at 1pm).
Rappelling: Instructors interested in leading rappelling on the climbing towers will need to complete the separate Rock Climbing & Rappelling Training (Scouts BSA or Venturing only, Cub Scouts are not permitted to rappel).
Be Prepared for a great outdoor training experience so that your Scouts can have a super climbing experience!
Other Questions?
Contact:
Jason Dill
Climbing Training Course Director
314-494-3325
gslac.climbing.director@gmail.com
Bob Backer
Challenge and Climbing Training Director
314-852-0682
gslac.cc.training@gmail.com
A PDF flyer of this information is available HERE.
Instructor Re-Qualification
The Course
If your Instructor card for Challenge Course, Rock Climbing or Tower Only is expired or about to expire you may get re-qualified for one or both programs on one Sunday afternoon. Easy to do – pay a $5 fee, please register on-line or bring to training – bring check or exact $. The re-qualification is rather simple; we give you a pile of gear and ask you to set up a climb, rappel, high course or whatever. It is much like a merit badge review. We’ll also tell you about any changes in procedures or equipment.
Your card does not need to expire before being re-qualified. If your card has already expired, you can also be re-qualified.
If you were never qualified for one of the programs you can’t be re-qualified.
Training Schedule
All re-qualifications take place at the Beaumont Scout Reservation. The group meets in the summer camp tent frame area (staff row) behind the Emerson Center. (Please do NOT check in with the Ranger.)
10am - 2:30pm - Challenge Course Re-qualification
1:00pm - 4:30pm - Rock Climbing/Rappelling & Tower Only Re-qualification
*The two course intentionally overlap in time. The last half-hour of the Challenge Course re-qualification and the first half-hour of the Rock Climbing re-qualification will cover administrative details. This is so participants who are being re-qualified for both programs won't have to listen to the same information twice.*
Please arrive 15 minutes before your session to check in.
Re-Qualification Dates
Spring 2023: Sunday, March 5
Fall 2023: Sunday, Oct. 1
Questions?
Bob Backer
Challenge and Climbing Training Director
314-852-0682
gslac.cc.training@gmail.com
A PDF flyer of this information is available HERE.
Helpful Forms & Resources
