Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation employees climb a rope ladder as part of their orientation of the staff training for course facilitators at the Odyssey Challenge Course at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.
(Photo Credit: Fort Huachuca Public Affairs ...

Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation employees climb a rope ladder as part of their orientation of the staff training for course facilitators at the Odyssey Challenge Course at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.
(Photo Credit: Fort Huachuca Public Affairs ...

Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation employees prepare to ride the zip line after climbing a rope ladder and obstacles as part of the staff training for course facilitators at the Odyssey Challenge Course at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.
(Photo Credi...

Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation employees assist in releasing a zip line participant from the line as part of the staff training for course facilitators at the Odyssey Challenge Course at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.
(Photo Credit: Fort Huachuc...

FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz. -- The Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation has a new adventure for FMWR patrons located behind the batting cages on the corner of Hatfield and Bissel Streets

FMWR has been preparing for months to open the Odyssey Challenge Course, a high ropes obstacle course, and recent staff training for course facilitators was one of the final steps to prepare for future customers.

Doug Reed, Alpine Towers trainer for the challenge course, delivered three days of instruction to FMWR staff to learn how to use the course and assist customers.

"This is a course that combines several different types of structures for a very broad, deep experience for the challenge course participants," Reed said. "We have a high course called an Odyssey and that has a finale event at the end where you go off on dual zip lines."

Reed explained the course had some "low elements which are team building and communication building pieces. And those are low enough to the ground that you're not using the ropes and other safety systems to do these team building activities."

Reed said that the course was suitable for a wide range of participants including different levels of physicality, ages and different size groups.

"It's got a pretty broad range," he said.

Dave Start, chief of the Business and Recreation Operation Divisions, participated in the obstacle course training and said patrons interested in the course can call MWR Rents to schedule their adventure. Start said MWR Rents can customize the experience based on the customer's desired objective. MWR Rents will schedule orientation times and practice with the participants for using the course.

Start explained FMWR staff will carefully guide users all the way through the course ensuring security equipment and measures are all in place throughout the course.

The obstacle course opening has been anticipated for years, Start said.

"It's been a dream since 2012 [and] got approved funding in 2015," he explained. The course has been under construction for the last two years.

Start said that this obstacle course is perfect for "any group of people who either want to challenge themselves or get to know themselves a little bit better. This forces you to work together as a team to keep each other safe."

Working through the course requires a lot of teamwork, he added.

To learn more about the course and how to use it, contact MWR Rents at 520.533.6707.