Camp Thomas
Camp Thomas COPE course is located on 51+ acres of rugged and true West Texas topography. It is a very impressive COPE course, boasting an all inclusive array of challenge events second to none anywhere! The course was constructed by Rope Works Inc. and adheres to all Boy Scouts of America and Association for Challenge Course Technology standard.
Challenging
Outdoor
Personal
Experience
The COPE Experience
Picture, if you will, 10 people seriously immersed in the difficult task of fitting their teetering, clinging bodies on a two-foot square wooden platform. Picture them, one by one, falling backward from a five-foot high platform into the waiting arms of their “team”. These two “low course” events are a small part of what happens in a Cope course experience - 20 hours that change lives. “Learning to COPE” will turn a diverse group of strangers into a close-knit, trusting team, able to support each other as they face their final Cope challenges - to negotiate a series of elements 30-50 feet above the ground.
COPE, a Boy Scouts of America developed program, is an educational process based on structured activities which use challenging activities to identify individual and group intrapersonal strengths and weaknesses, and from this awareness promote positive personal growth. Some of the skills developed include self-confidence, trust, problem Solving, conflict resolution, cooperation, competition, leadership, and followership. These skills will be emphasized during exciting, fun-filled adventure activities in an outdoor environment to create an important transfer of learning to the individual’s daily work and social life. These challenge events allow them to break through their own preconceived limitations and achieve more than they would have thought possible.
Goals and Objectives of Project Cope
- Trust
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Problem Solving
- Decision Making
- Communication Skills
- Self-esteem
Participants
Camp Thomas COPE Course is open to corporate, civic, school, church, military (i.e. ROTC, National Guard, etc.), hospital, and law enforcement groups along with Boy Scout troops, Venture crews, and Explorer posts. Participants must be physically able to complete the prescribed course. A current physical or completed medical history form is required.
Elements at Camp Thomas
Low Elements
- Artesian Beams
- Moby Deck
- Criss Cross
- Nitro-crossing
- Drop Zone
- Whale Watch
- Islands
Spider Web
- The Porthole
- Tire on a Pole
- Mohawk Walk
- Triangle Traverse
- Wild Woosey
- The Muse
- Trust Fall
- Swinging Log
- T.P. Shuffle
- The Wall
- Cable Traverse
High Elements
- Balance Beam
- Sky Walk
- Burma Bridge
- Giant's Ladder
- Multi-Line Traverse
- Vertical Playground
- Centipede
- Hebee Jebee
- Slack Line Traverse
- Caving Ladderss
- Kitten Crawl
- Incline Rope
- Climbing Tower
- Rappelling Tower
How do I get to Camp Thomas?
Come into Big Spring on either I-20 or Highway 87 (Gregg Street). Head south through Big Spring on Gregg Street. At Loop 700, you will pass Wal-Mart and McDonalds, then Comanche Trails Lake on your right. Take the next paved road (Driver Road) to the left. You will pass on your right a baseball park and the VFW building. Almost immediately after the VFW building on the right is the entrance to Camp Thomas COPE Course. If you want to use an Internet based travel map, the address for Camp Thomas is 504 Driver Road, Big Spring, Texas.
Accommodations
Possible accommodations include on-site camping at Camp Thomas, local motels, and dormitories at Howard College (dependent on the time of year and availability). Varied food provisions are available upon request. New indoor restrooms are on site.
Costs
Participants pay a per person fee to take part in COPE and will vary depending on the type of groups. Rates are available for Scout groups, non-profits, as well as corporate rates. Fees include trained, professional personnel, and an opportunity for an experience that will not soon be forgotten. Costs for meals available upon request. Please call the Buffalo Trail Council at 432-570-7601 for current rates and scheduling information.
Weekend Camping
Camp Thomas is also available as a location for a Troop campout or a Pack overnighter. There is plenty of room to set up camp, cook meals, and enjoy a camping experience not too far from home! Indoor restroom facilities are available, and Big Spring is only a few short miles away. Reservations must be made in advance by contacting the Buffalo Trail Council at 432-570-7601.
Camp Thomas is owned and operated by:
Buffalo Trail Council Inc., B.S.A.
1101 W. Texas Ave
Midland, TX 79701
432-570-7601
For more information on the COPE course, rates, scheduling, etc, please contact the Buffalo Trail Council at 432-570-7601 or 877-570-7601.
Click here to download an informational flyer about the Camp Thomas COPE course. (Note: This is a new brochure - 3/17/2008)
Click here to view the COPE video (Windows Media Viewer required).
Upcoming Council Event
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