Story
Inside Arbor Adventure
Blackberry Mountain is a dynamic destination where guests can enjoy epic sightseeing while hiking, relax during a quiet soundbath or spa service, experience unique and thoughtful cuisine and settle into a home away from home. But, to add a little adventure, we’d like to dare our guests to check out our Arbor Adventure course! Arbor Adventure is an on-property activity where you immerse yourself in nature, test your balancing skills and brave the Mountain from a new perspective. With 26 different elements, every skill level is sure to enjoy our challenging and rewarding trail of wood, rope and vines. Your Arbor Adventure experience is capped off with a bird’s-eye view as you zipline from the course. Intrigued? Nervous? We asked Adventure Guides Alan Frisco and Annmarie Stewart to share some insider info on how guest experience the adventure course.
How do you assist a guest with overcoming common fears they may have such as heights or agility experience levels?
Alan Frisco: Whenever a guest has a concern or a fear during their experience, I find it helpful to personally demonstrate how the element works or to remind the guest of the effectiveness of the safety systems that they are attached to. I feel that growing a guest’s trust in the systems can greatly relieve any hesitations they might have and assists in their confidence in conquering the course.
Annmarie Stewart: When a guest feels overwhelmed or scared, I always start to encourage them. Myself and all of the other guides like to see guests be comfortable and successful out on the course. Success looks different for everyone as well. Once connected to the course, I work with guests and try to gauge the level at which they want to be challenged, so I know where to encourage and guide. I also try to seek out their overall goal for the course. If a guest does feel scared, the most important thing to let them know is that completion looks different for everyone and no single trip is the same. Sometimes it’s just about overcoming a fear or trying something new that may take them out of their comfort zone a bit.
What is an obstacle that guests feel the most accomplished once they tackle it? Why do you think this is?
Alan Frisco: There is one element called the high-low beams. This is one of the more physically demanding elements, and it is often one of the first few elements that guests will experience. The element seems underwhelming when viewed from the ground, but when confronted with the first big step down followed by the sensation of hanging onto the element itself, guests then understand why we say it is so difficult. When a guest steps onto the next platform, I can often tell that they feel like they have accomplished more than they thought they could in the beginning, which is a rewarding feeling for both myself and the guest who achieved it.
Annmarie Stewart: From what I’ve noticed, the element I see guests experiencing the most accomplished feeling is when they tackle the rope ladder. It is unlike most of the other elements in that it is one of the only two elements that go in a vertical direction, so once you begin to climb, your body is slightly inverted and going up in addition to the ladder being loose. This is arguably one of the most challenging elements on the course.
What has been one of your favorite guest experiences since becoming an Arbor Adventure Guide?
Alan Frisco: My favorite part of the guest experience is when they finally see the course for the first time and then getting to see their progress from start to finish. Many guests have a vague idea of what to expect, so getting to see their initial reaction to how the course is laid out and how it’s blended into the forest is definitely a highlight of leading these trips. I also really enjoy how the course seems to bring out different aspects of ourselves as individuals that we ordinarily don’t get to see. If we do have a fear or something that we don’t necessarily enjoy, we tend to avoid it. The Arbor Adventure course allows guests to experience some of these aspects in a safe and controlled environment but still allows some struggle to grow from.
Annmarie Stewart: I always love to tell my favorite guest experience. There was a woman in her early 80’s who came to the course with her adult children and her grandkids. She was very agile and very determined to get to the ziplines and have an experience with the rest of the family. With determination and sheer will, she did it. She made it to the ziplines and completed all of the elements with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen across her face. Getting to interact with guests in this way, and surround myself with the atmosphere of the outdoors no matter what season we’re in, is extremely rewarding as well. I always brag to my friends and family that I truly have the best job and best office in the world. Who else can say they have an office 45 feet in the air with a spectacular view, surrounded by amazing people?
Next time you’re at Blackberry Mountain, make sure to squeeze in time for the Arbor Adventure course so you too can challenge yourself. You never know what fears you’ll overcome!