ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a historical overview of the industry and defines the traditional challenge course experience. It describes the growth of the profession through the advent of associations and international standards. The chapter also provides an overview of challenge course industry research and development, along with discussion concerning the future growth and direction of the industry. The challenge course industry has evolved into big business and seems to be driven by the pervasive, neo-liberal value system that drives modern economics. Three primary goal orientations are related to the broad purposes of challenge course programming: recreational, educational, and therapeutic. Traditional challenge experiences typically consist of obstacles constructed of cable, rope and wood, anywhere from 0.3 to 18 metres off the ground. The USA experienced significant growth of challenge course programmes in the 1980s. Challenge course programmes used for educational purposes originated from the military obstacle course. The group of challenge course professionals met formally at the North Carolina Outward Bound School.
