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Wonder Valley Ranch Resort unveiled its new, more than five story tall ropes course in 2019. Images via Wonder Valley

published on August 29, 2019 - 2:41 PM
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A reconstructed ropes course is lifting a Fresno County resort to new heights this summer.

Wonder Valley Ranch Resort revealed to the press this week what it had opened over the summer — a brand new circuit of poles, bridges and pulleys for their team-building attraction.

At over five stories tall, the course features a continuous network of seven “elements,” connecting them all back to a roughly 55-foot pole.

 

They’ve also expanded to two zip lines from one, also making them taller and longer. Additionally, they’ve replaced a climbing wall with a climbing tower.

Below what they call their “static” course is their dynamic course, which presents a little less of a challenge and allows facilitators to gauge whether participants are ready for the taller course.

They’ve included a “leap pole” where people leap and grab a rubber chicken on a pole. They also have a “pamper pole” where guests climb a telephone pole and leap onto a trapeze.

Hundreds of kids as well as adults have already experienced the new course, whether as part of their week-long River Way Ranch Camp or various church and business groups.

“We have all kinds of groups that come in, specifically to use our ropes adventure course,” said Roy Oken, president of Wonder Valley, in a press release, “church groups, youth groups, sports teams, outdoor education students, and especially corporate groups.”

Rebuilding the course came 26 years after constructing the original, when Oken himself was originally skeptical of the idea due to its safety, the release stated. Following the completion of the project, Oken then became the only board member to certify as a ropes course facilitator the release stated.

But when some of the poles began to wear, the company decided it was time to redo the entire course, Oken said.

“You can’t just replace one or two poles,” he said. “Each pole is a domino effect for the other poles.”

So they rebuilt the course, which began as a popsicle-stick diagram in Oken’s office.

“I said I want something better than ‘just the best’ in the Central Valley,” he said.

Wonder Valley Resort Ranch opened in Sanger in 1911. The 75-acre facility has private cabins, indoor and outdoor wedding facilities, a gym and horse trails.


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