COPE & Climbing
Adventure Awaits: COPE & Climbing with Occoneechee Council
Step beyond the ordinary with Occoneechee Council’s COPE & Climbing programs—where Scouts discover teamwork, push personal boundaries, and create lasting memories through exhilarating outdoor experiences.
COPE: Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience
COPE invites Scouts and Venturers to step outside their comfort zones with a variety of low and high course challenges, hands-on games, and team-building exercises. Every activity is designed to foster communication, teamwork, trust, leadership, confidence, and creative problem-solving. Whether you’re swinging from ropes, balancing on beams, or tackling group puzzles, COPE is about growth and connection—without competition or pressure.
- Inclusive Fun: All Scouts can participate, regardless of skill or experience.
- Growth Mindset: Focus on process, collaboration, and mutual support.
- Adventure by Choice: Every activity is voluntary, challenging Scouts to explore their limits at their own pace.
- Positive Energy: Encouragement and respect are woven into every game and challenge.
Warm-ups and initiative games set the stage for trust-building events and course elements. On the low course, work together with your team—no belay required. On the high course, step up to individual challenges, belayed for safety, 30 feet above the ground!
Climbing: Go Higher, Go Farther
Reach new heights on our council’s climbing tower, bouldering wall, or on natural rock faces across North Carolina. The climbing program is open to all ages and skill levels, from first-timers to seasoned adventurers. Scouts develop strength, focus, and resilience while working toward national climbing awards, learning new skills, and celebrating each milestone.
Expert Guidance: All climbs led by certified instructors using council-provided safety gear
Council Climbing Tower & Bouldering Wall: Hands-on sessions to hone technique
Natural Rock Sites: Supervised climbs for real-world adventure
Skill-Building: Earn the Climbing Merit Badge or Venturing Mountaineering Ranger Award
Safety & Standards
Occoneechee Council’s COPE and Climbing programs offer Scouts exciting opportunities to challenge themselves, build teamwork, and develop leadership through engaging outdoor activities. COPE features group and individual challenges on low and high ropes courses designed to foster communication, trust, problem-solving, and self-confidence in a safe, supportive, and noncompetitive environment. Climbing experiences include sessions at the council’s climbing tower and bouldering wall, as well as supervised natural rock climbs, where Scouts can develop skills and earn merit badges under the guidance of certified instructors. Safety is a top priority, with all activities following Scouting America’s guidelines and led by trained staff, and units can reserve facilities or participate in open events to enjoy these adventurous programs that inspire growth and unforgettable memories.
If you have any questions, or would like a list of instructors, please reach out to us by email
Need a Trained Instructor?
Need one or more certified instructors for your group? Submit your request below! Please keep in mind that our climbing staff consists of dedicated volunteers whose availability varies throughout the year. Staffing needs depend on the size of your group and the type of event, and these requirements play a key role in confirming your reservation. To ensure we can pair you with the right instructors, please submit your request as early as possible.
Important: Submitting an instructor request does not automatically confirm your facility reservation. You must complete the facility reservation separately to secure your event date.
Thank you for choosing Occoneechee Council for your COPE and climbing adventures. We are committed to providing a safe, challenging, and rewarding experience that inspires growth, teamwork, and confidence. Whether you’re climbing a tower, navigating the COPE course, or tackling new challenges, our trained instructors and staff are here to support your journey every step of the way. We look forward to helping your unit create unforgettable memories and develop skills that will last a lifetime. Let’s climb higher together!
Words of Wisdom
A week of camp life is worth six months
of theoretical teaching in the meeting room.
