What is Industrial Trekking?

Industrial Trekking (IndyTrek) is a planned path consisting of climbing/walking obstacles or evolutions inside a refinery, chemical plant, factory, water treatment plant or even a large office building whereby a person can use stairs and ladders to promote fitness. An IndyTrek typically consists of 8-10 evolutions, usually requiring an hour to complete.

Through simple route planning using a text editor (Microsoft Word, Notepad, WordPad, etc.) a route is configured with easy to follow instructions and posted or handed-out to those you feel will enjoy the challenge. A map may be included to clarify the route. It is not intended to be a competition, unless you are competing against yourself.

If a combination of stairs and ladders are available, it is advised that the course alternates between the two and if a flat-surface walk of one mile can be included during the middle and last portion (evolution), so much the better. An alternating combination of upper and lower body evolutions is the goal with a cool down walk on a flat surface ending the IndyTrek.

Depending on the difficulty of the IndyTrek, they should be labeled Level One, Two or Three; Level Three constituting the most difficulty. A time limit of one hour is set for Level One, 1:15 for Level Two and 1:30 minutes for Level Three. However, at no time is this to be considered a race and the limits are to allow a person to gauge when they are ready to move to the next Level.

Each participant is encouraged to keep a log of times and dates to record improvements in stamina and health. Participants are also encouraged to submit their own IndyTrek routes to further and vary the challenge. The route may include a local park of open office building or available structures, such as bridges and hills.

All IndyTrekkers are encouraged to listen to your bodies and take caution to not exhaust or endanger yourselves. A partially completed IndyTrek is still an advance in health and fitness and since you are not competing, completing the course is a goal, not an absolute. The time limit is simply a way to measure your fitness and there is no penalty for passing the limit. Some Trekkers may want to do the Trek in sections throughout the day.

Below is an example of a Level One /One-hour exercise.

Ø Exit N. Control Room door and walk to the chemical splitter - Climb it and return to ground.
Ø Climb stairs to top floor of chemical splitter structure including ladder and return to ground.
Ø Go East and walk at fast pace around ponds returning on south side of first reactor.
Ø Climb first reactor stairs (12 stories) walk around top and return to ground.
Ø Go West to 12 story structure and climb ladder to top of then descend via ladder to ground.
Ø Climb second reactor stairs (15 stories) walk around top and return to ground – repeat.
Ø Go West to end of road turning left and walk back to Control building and enter South door for cool down.