florida climb.....

[budroe69moni]

has anyone ever tried to organize
a rec. climb on this site before?????
there seems to be more and more
climbers from florida here and i know
that the rest of y'all are getting tired
of the cold. what do you think?????
good or bad idea?????
budroe

 

[treeclimber165]

I've been meaning to contact Seminole County parks department and find out what might be involved in getting permission to climb The Senator. I stopped by over the weekend and it isn't as tall as I remember- only 126'. But it's 17.5' diameter and doesn't get much skinnier for the first 90'. And it IS the biggest cypress tree in the USA.

 

[monkeypuzzle]

VERY GOOD

 

[mikecross23]

???? Right! I'm game.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

DO it wah the rec guys call a Ninja climb.

Get a small group togetheron Saturday to get the gear together and get everyone on the same page.

Early sunday morning you go out to the park and do a climb, maybe getting any hazard deadwood out of the tree while your there

Make sure everyone has proper PPE and atire so you look lik a bunch of pro tree people out for a little cross training.

I seen it once where the cops came up thinking it was a bunch of kids, after I talked to them a while they thought it was so cool they would like to do it too. Never got the chance to help them out though.

 

[treeclimber165]

Hmmmm- I like the idea of a Ninja climb.

 

[TREETX]

I thought the biggest Taxodium distichum was in Cat Island Louisiana. I think it is short but a real fatty.

The biggest Taxodium muncronatum is El Tule in Oxaca.

I think one of the most important organizational steps is finding the right person to ask for permission. You do not want to ask too low but not too high either.

 

[monkeypuzzle]

Mike, you work with the state,pull some strings man.

 

[Greg]

I'm up for a fun climb!! Tell me when and where???

I'll be in Tallahassee on 2/22 taking the ISA cert arborist test, and also doing some work for a relative who lives just outside of Tallahasse, I've been meaning to get in touch with one of you guys in the area who can do some chipping for me.
Greg

 

[mikecross23]

Originally posted by monkeypuzzle
Mike, you work with the state,pull some strings man.

Yeah puzzlemonkey (he he) I'll get right on it. My eager staff of do gooders are always ready to do back flips for me. Maaannnnnn, I ain't got no strings to pull. I'm tha low man on the totum poll just tryin' to get up out of hear and do some work I really enjoy. I did get a phone # for the Seminole County parks dep. but they are closed. I'll keep you fellers (get it) (ha ha) posted!

 

[mikecross23]

Hey folks,

Here is the web site for "The Senator".

http://www.co.seminole.fl.us/parks/bigtree.asp

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I got an email from Champion Trees. Guess asite is too buisy now to plan ninja climbs on

One concern brought up is that the Senentor tree is not physicaly sound. The pictures on the site Mike linked look that way to me.

Looking at the park rules it is not expressly unlawful to climb trees in the park, but they can get you for breaking twigs. Best find a less public tree that is better suited to group climbing

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Why don't you guys go to Greg's relative's house and do some actual tree work?

 

[mikecross23]

WORK!?!?! What's that?

 

[Greg]

Multiple climbers actually doing work sounds expensive to me. I want to keep expenses down --mainly get my test paid for. But I've never been there, when I see what they want done I may need to call in some help. E-mail me some phone numbers please!!!
Thanks
Greg

 

[mikecross23]

Houston, we have contact. . .

I called the parks dept. in charge of Big Tree Park "The Home of the Senator," and spoke w/ someone. I was suprised that I did not get a negative response about a recreational climb. Too bad the lady I spoke w/ is not in charge. The manager is out until Monday so I will call then and speak w/ him. Wish me luck!

 

[mikecross23]

I called and spoke to the manager of the parks department about climbing "The Senator". WOW! What a jerk! ! ! ! ! ! ! I just got off the phone and man, am I ticked off. He raised his voice at me and said that it would be degrading and a disgrace to this 3,500 year old tree to have people just climbing it like it's a rock. He had no room to hear me out and might as well have told me to go stick my rope where the sun don't shine. I introduced myself as an arborist from Tallahassee and stated that I have a # of arborist from around the state that would like to participate in a educational recreational climb. He stopped listening when he heard recreational climb and started on and on about how the only people to climb this tree are those taking "scientific samples for cloning purposes." He said, "The scientists are truely doing a wonderful thing and no one will climb this tree just to climb it." I told him that our climbing would not hurt the tree in any way and that we will use ropes to access the top. He said, "Yeah, the scientists use ropes too." I told him that we would remove any dead wood or overhead hazards from The Senator in good will for the use of the park. He didn't like that either. I told him that we have 1/2 mill liability insurance coverage too, but he didn't like that either. I told him that the printed rules of the park did not say anywhere that climbing was not allowed. So when all seemed final, and I was ready to tell him to F off, I said, "I don't understand." The only answer he had was, "That it is just degrading to this tree to have people climbing it just to climb it."

Ok, I understand his love for this tree, but he obviously doesn't understand our love for trees.

I see two options. . .

1. We could wait 2 months, have someone else call back and play Dr. Treeman. We'll bring white lab coats and yellow rubber gloved and big goddy eye goggles. Maybe then he'll let us climb it!

2. Or, we could just plan the ninja climb as previously mentioned!

Sorry folks, I tried! ! !

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Why don't one of the areas boys go over there with some 'binos and inspect the tree first.

I've had a few emails from concerned people about climber risk with this tree. The trunk is hollow and the last risk assesment taken had arbo's rapping down into the cavity to inspect the inside.

The pictures linked to this site lead me to beleive that I would not climb it.

I'm not saying don't do it, just have a qualified person scout it out. Maybe go do some other trees first and get your group coordination down before atempting something difficult.

BTW, those people associated with the tree are watching the site...

Maybe you could show them the Smithsonian article with Pete, Gerry, and the other rec climbers.

 

[mikecross23]

Thanks JPS, I've cooled off now. I think it would just be better to find a different location if we want to do something like this. The manager of the parks department made it very clear to me that we can not climb this tree.

Anyone have an idea of any good places to meet at?
Orlando's centralized location would have been great!

-Mike-

 

[budroe69moni]

nice try mike! if not "the senator".......
how about the florida champion live oak.

http://www.championtrees.org/champions/oakliveFL.htm

i've got no idea where this is but it looks like a great
climb. any know where in florida this beauty is?????
let us know!!!!
budroe

p.s. it's hard to keep a good climber down
we'll find one!!!!!