Look up – way,
way up And hang on tight BY JULIA SISLER The forest floor is more
than 20 metres down and I’m clutching a log that hangs vertically, with little notches at the bottom for my feet. My arms are shaking with exhaustion, and every gust of wind swings me away from the treetop platform where I can rest.
This is “La Rafale,” the highest and longest aerial course in Quebec – and I’m doing this for fun. At Arbraska Treetop Trekking in Rigaud, the workout was worth the view – one usually reserved for birds and squirrels – and there are many such aerial adventure sites around Ottawa where you can get that natural high, in all senses of the word.
Think of treetop climbing like a jungle gym for Tarzan. The challenge is to move between wooden platforms fixed to tree trunks along a series of tightropes, bridges, swinging steps and ziplines.
It’s safe if you wear a helmet and harness and take in a demonstration of carabiners (heavy-duty clips) that keep you attached to a cable at all times. Once you complete a practice course, you can choose from a number of offerings to get one at your comfort level. For small children there’s an
area with a shorter course closer to the ground. Beginner and intermediate levels are between six and 14 metres up, while the extreme reached 25 metres and required some endurance. There is also a full zipline course for those who want the rush without the muscle ache – you just buckle up and hang in your harness, “downhill” all the way to the next platform. Marc-André Roy, the manager at the Rigaud park, says visitors of all ages find something in the trees. “They learn communication, leadership, they learn to respect others … so they’re learning a lot about themselves too.”
8 ottawaoutdoors Bilingual staff – with nicknames
like Banjo and Bazooka – are there to help when needed, but they don’t guide you through each step. Sandra Claude is one of them, and she says, “A lot of people come down and say, ‘oh my gosh, if you weren’t there I never would have made it, but now I’m really proud of myself.’” There are a few scary moments,
like trusting all your weight to the zipline for the first time. But Roy said the rigging is checked every week, and there has never been a serious injury. And he said, it’s not just about protecting you – it’s also about the trees’ safety. “Trees are the bread and butter
here so we’re really, really careful with the environment,” Roy said. For example, cables and platforms
are attached with steel cables around the trunks, but there are shims to prevent them cutting into the bark. Engineers make sure every tree can support the weight of the course and zipliners, and check each tree’s health regularly, Roy said. For families or serious thrill-
seekers, it is that treetop view that makes this activity different than rock climbing or a high ropes course. “It’s a natural experience,” Claude says. “We let you discover the forest.”
www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50