FAQ’s

A non-refundable $50 registration fee reserves one of the limited spots for the Habitat Challenge! Your registration fee applies toward the $1,000 fundraising minimum every participant must reach in order to get harnessed up on event day. You have until the rappel date to submit your donations, everyone with balances below $1,000 will be asked to self-pledge the difference – ensuring that all participating participants have (or will) fulfill their $1,000 commitment to Habitat for Humanity-Spokane. All funds received by Habitat for Humanity-Spokane are non-refundable regardless of participation on event day.

Completely! Our event partners, Over the Edge (OTE), supply the equipment and expertise for this rappel event; their technical staff are highly trained, certified industrial ropes specialists. Each event site has a comprehensive Site Inspection & Safety Plan prepared by one of OTE’s senior technical staff. This is Habitat’s second year rappelling off the Bank of America building and the OTE technical staff is very familiar (and comfortable) with it. Globally, OTE has a history of over 64,000 descents at 362 buildings with no safety incidents.

Over the Edge uses a unique two-rope system of rigging and harnesses, very similar to that of professional window washers. As an Edger, you will wear a full-body harness and use an industrial descender. Getting your weight off the roof and into the harness is the hardest part for most people. Once you’re over the edge of the roof, you can breathe easy, knowing that the technicians above and below are there to help and can give you directions over the walkie-talkie attached to your harness. Pulling a handle makes you go down; letting go makes you stop. To a certain extent, you can control your speed. Should you go too fast, or should the equipment fail, the back-up device will engage. You can stop to rest, or switch hands, if you need a break. If you find yourself unable to finish your rappel on your own, a technician can lower you to the ground. Once you’re within 20 feet of the ground, an Over the Edge staff member will assist your landing.

Donations to the Habitat Challenge will help Habitat for Humanity-Spokane continue to make affordable homeownership an attainable dream for hardworking families in Spokane County who earn between 30-80% of the area median income. Learn more about Habitat at https://habitat-spokane.org/about-us/

Costumes are encouraged! But, the harness goes around your legs, waist, and shoulders, so it is best to avoid anything too bulky. Plan to wear long pants and a long sleeved shirt. Athletic pants, tights, and jeans are suitable. Shirts should be comfortable and without draw cords or embellishments that could get caught. Well-fitting sneakers, light hiking boots, or other closed-toed soft soled shoes are recommended. No sandals, slip-on shoes, slippers, flip flops, high heels, or steel toed boots will be allowed. Long hair should be tied back. You will be required to leave droppable items like keys and cell phones or jewelry at check-in, either with a friend/family member or with the volunteers at check in.

Participants should allow at least a 90-minute window for their rappel. Check-in times are scheduled every half hour from 9am to 4:30pm, with your actual rappel time occurring within a 30 – 75 minute window following registration. For example, if your check-in time is 10:30am, you may rappel anytime between 11am and noon. Rappel spots are assigned in the order fundraising is achieved. Once you raise $750, you will have your pick of available rappel spots.

The Habitat Challenge has two ropes – one blue and one orange. The time it takes for someone to rappel varies widely by person and can take up to 15 minutes. While it is possible that you and a friend will be scheduled to rappel at the same time, we cannot guarantee that you will start (or finish) your rappel together. It all depends on the flow of the day and how actual decent times align with the schedule. While we will do our best to accommodate your request, we will not hold up a rope’s schedule to accommodate side-by-side rappels.