A ropes course is a challenging outdoor personal development and team building activity which usually consists of high elements, low elements, or some combination of the two. Low elements take place on the ground or above the ground. High elements are usually constructed in trees or made of utility poles and require a belay for safety.
Example of a high ropes course at night
Rope climbing at the Alpine Center Bottrop, built by insight-out, Germany
Adventure Park in a forest
Two boys climbing on the Palisades Climb Adventure, an indoor rope course at Palisades Mall, West Nyack, New York
In climbing and mountaineering, the term belaying refers to techniques used to create friction within a climbing protection system, particularly on a climbing rope, so that a falling climber does not fall very far. A climbing partner typically applies tension at the other end of the rope whenever the climber is not moving, and removes the tension from the rope whenever the climber needs more rope to continue climbing. The belay is the place where the belayer is anchored, which is typically on the ground, or on ledge but may also be a hanging belay where the belayer themself is suspended from an anchor in the rock on a multi-pitch climb.
A demonstration of the belay device with rope and carabiner without a proper locking gate
Belay device held in the "locked off" position.
Leader and belayer climbing in Joshua Tree National Park
Lead climber and belayer (in a hanging belay position) on the multi-pitch El Niño 8b (5.13d), El Capitan
