Take to the Trees
Fun for all at TAG’s Treetop Adventure
I swear even the trees are joining in on the fun on The Adventure Group’s (TAG) treetop adventure course on Cougar Mountain. With their boughs quivering softly in the breeze, a multitude of tall western red cedar, Douglas fir and western hemlock trees serve as the foundation for a host of incredible adventures taking place up in their canopies. If you look up, way up, you’ll see people balancing (securely, thanks to a harness and clip system) on platforms that perch, at times, eighteen metres above the ground. Their concentration is fixed on crossing to the next tree, and words of encouragement from their companions propel them onwards. Add to the scene hoots of laughter and whoops of surprise as they come face-to-face with a series of exciting challenges along the course, and you’ve got a good idea what to expect on the treetop adventure. In a nutshell, it’s an obstacle course on steroids. The full course offers up a whopping seventy different obstacles from rope swings to balance beams, and it’s all done up in the trees. With a mix of elements designed to test your balance and coordination, the treetop adventure is a great workout and a team-building activity rolled into one. “This is the activity that people keep coming back to over and over again to do it more efficiently the next time around,” says The Adventure Group CEO, Joey Houssian. “It’s great exercise because it’s so different and will sharpen your balance and dexterity.” Don’t be fooled into thinking this fun is exclusively for adults—there’s also a kids’ treetop adventure course earmarked for rambunctious young monkeys. This is a great intro course for the little ones, giving them an opportunity to learn the ropes through doing what kids do best— play and have fun. Recent renovations have upgraded eleven course features between the trees including two “leap of faith” auto belay drops, plus an extended finish, which brings you right back into the Cougar Mountain base camp, ready to embark on your next adventure.