Cornell Launches New Indoor Adaptive Challenge Course

The first of its kind in New York, the new course at the Noyes Community Recreation Center includes equipment to allow use for people with limited mobility.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Cornell University has opened a new indoor adaptive challenge course at the Noyes Community Recreation Center, the first of its kind in New York state. The course includes specialized equipment and harnesses to allow use by people with limited mobility, including those who use wheelchairs. The course is designed to be team-oriented, with elements requiring 4-12 people to work together to succeed.

Why it matters

The new adaptive challenge course expands Cornell's accessible recreation offerings, providing more opportunities for students and the broader community to engage in team-building activities and challenge themselves physically. It aligns with the university's efforts to create a more inclusive campus environment.

The details

The indoor adaptive challenge course replaces a decommissioned course in Barton Hall. It was made possible by an endowment created by the Noyes family in the 1970s and a grant from New York state. The course includes four team-based elements and specialized equipment like harnesses and pulley systems to allow use by people with limited mobility. The course is open from March through mid-November, complementing the existing outdoor Hoffman Challenge Course.

  • The new indoor adaptive challenge course at Noyes Community Recreation Center opened on February 10, 2026.
  • The course will be open from March through mid-November each year.

The players

Noyes Community Recreation Center

A hub for student activities and recreation at Cornell University.

Jen Gudaz

Senior associate director of athletics, the Robert E. Browning '56 Director of Physical Education and the Helen Newman Director of Recreational Services at Cornell University.

Sylvie Froncek

The Tillemans Director of the Cornell Team and Leadership Center and associate director of outdoor education at Cornell University.

Cornell Outdoor Education (COE)

The department at Cornell University that provides outdoor recreation and challenge course programming.

Student Disability Services

The department at Cornell University that supports students with disabilities.

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What they’re saying

“Noyes has long served as a hub for students and we're excited to have something new and different. Noyes is a fantastic and welcoming place where students can come together and congregate, and I know the addition of this course will provide more opportunities for students to grow and challenge themselves.”

— Jen Gudaz, Senior associate director of athletics, the Robert E. Browning '56 Director of Physical Education and the Helen Newman Director of Recreational Services (Mirage News)

“Every element is built so that someone could be in one of these harnesses and get elevated up to as high as they feel comfortable going. We also have a system with pulleys that allows you to be seated in the harness and pull yourself up in a way that it's not going to feel like you're lifting your full body weight.”

— Sylvie Froncek, The Tillemans Director of the Cornell Team and Leadership Center and associate director of outdoor education (Mirage News)

“In the context of community building and building a sense of belonging at Cornell, the challenge course is the perfect way to do that. It's really amazing what a difference it makes to do these things with a group of people who might come in as strangers, but in two hours have built trust and friendship and have done things you might have never thought possible.”

— Sylvie Froncek, The Tillemans Director of the Cornell Team and Leadership Center and associate director of outdoor education (Mirage News)

What’s next

The new indoor adaptive challenge course at Noyes Community Recreation Center will be available for use by student organizations and staff members through reservations. Special sessions are also planned for upcoming university events like Reunion.

The takeaway

Cornell's new indoor adaptive challenge course represents an important step in expanding accessible recreation opportunities on campus. By incorporating specialized equipment and a team-oriented design, the course provides a unique way for the Cornell community to build trust, develop leadership skills, and challenge themselves physically and mentally.