Occoneechee Climbing program offers a complete package of opportunities to every range of Scout, from Cub Scout up through Venture Crew. With our bouldering wall, our 45 tower, and gear for off-site climbing, the Council can support almost anything your troop will want to do.

The bouldering wall provides the opportunity for young Cub Scouts to experience the thrills of climbing in a safe and challenging environment. The boulder wall also serves as a training facility for learning climbing techniques as well as skill challenges for experienced climbers.

The Climbing tower is a four sided structure incorporating climbing and rappelling challenges. There are four climbing routes and six rappelling stations. Each climbing route offers a variety of options to get to the top. One of the climbing faces is a 45 foot vertical surface. The other side has a variety of angles to negotiate along the way. The climbing difficulties range from 5.3 to 5.11+ within the climbing rating system.

Rappelling is done from all three levels of the tower. Participants may rappel from the first level of the tower down a 20 foot vertical wall. The second level has a unique window rappel station. At the top participants can choose from a vertical wall 45 foot rappel or go over a ledge for a 45 foot free air rappel.

The Council provides a full set of climbing gear (helmets, harnesses, ropes, and even climbing shoes for 18 climbers). With this gear, and Council-trained climbing instructors, your Boy Scout Troop or Venture Crew can top-rope anywhere in the state.

All facility reservations are made at the Occoneechee Council Scout Office in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The climbing tower requires a minimum of two BSA Climbing Instructors for an individual unit to open the tower. District and Council events also require a BSA Climbing Director be present. The general guidelines for tower use, is a limit of no more than 18 participants at any given time. The ratio of Climbing Instructors to participants is 1 instructor to each 6 participants. Typically a two to three hour session is an ample amount of time to challenge a group of participants. Groups larger than 18 should consider splitting a day up into two sessions.

Occoneechee Council offers Instructor Certification training during summer camp and generally around the first weekend in April and the last weekend in September. The summer camp training sessions are for tower certification only. The spring and fall sessions include both tower and natural rock instructor certification.

Units wishing to use the tower are encouraged to arrange for their own instructors. However, if needed, the council will assist in identifying individuals to serve as instructors for their event. There is an additional cost for council provided instructors.

The boulder wall maybe operated within the guidelines of certified Climbing-On-Safely leaders. See Climb-On-Safely requirements in BSA document Climb-On-Safely 20-099

Important forms for making reservations are:

The following fee structure is developed to help support the cost of maintaining the tower and boulder wall as well as the cost of certified instructors.

Units wishing to share the cost of a days activity with another unit may do so. The units are responsible for coordinating all the fees. All fees are due at the council office 1 week prior to the scheduled event.

Non BSA groups may request use of the facility. The following requirements apply:

The group must have proof of a $1 million liability insurance policy covering the activity.

Facility use fee is $400.00 per day for up to 18 participants. All staff will be provided by the council.

NOTE:

A $100 deposit is due at the time of the reservation with the balance due 3 weeks prior to the scheduled event.

Any questions about use of the climbing facilities can be directed to the Council Office.  They will make arrangements for a council climbing director to contact you if the questions are of a technical nature.