How many times

[kugss]

How many climbs did it take to get over being a little shakey and getting use too new gear?

 

[canopyboy]

How many climbs did it take to get over being a little shakey and getting use too new gear?

Well, it depends what you mean. I've been climbing countless times since I started a few years ago. I never got that shaky down low, but there are times even now when I'm high enough out at the tips where I can still get a bit nervous. Especially when the wind kicks up. My buddy still doesn't like to leave the main trunk or biggest branches, or go above 50-60'. I'm sure there are others that have few issues after only a few climbs. My opinion is that it's ok to push your comfort level a little bit, but progress slowly and carefully. Getting too comfortable can lead to carelessness and mistakes.

As for new gear or techniques, keep it low until you know it well and are very comfortable with it. After that, taking it higher shouldn't be an issue at all.

 

[masiman]

.....My buddy still doesn't like to leave the main trunk or biggest branches, or go above 50-60'. .....

I'm working on that

I think of it like parachuting. If you're not nervous, you shouldn't be doing it because it means you are not constantly thinking about safer ways to do things. I still get nervous, not deer in the headlights nervous, but if my lanyard or safety failed right now, would I be ok. If my saw cuts my line am I going to be okay, where is this limb going to swing, is my line clear, will the tail of my lanyard get snagged by the piece I am cutting. Things like that.

 

[beowulf343]

I'm working on that

I think of it like parachuting. If you're not nervous, you shouldn't be doing it because it means you are not constantly thinking about safer ways to do things. I still get nervous, not deer in the headlights nervous, but if my lanyard or safety failed right now, would I be ok. If my saw cuts my line am I going to be okay, where is this limb going to swing, is my line clear, will the tail of my lanyard get snagged by the piece I am cutting. Things like that.

I don't know if i agree with the "if you're not nervous, you shouldn't be doing it." I haven't been nervous in a tree in probably over a decade. There comes a time when you just have to trust in yourself, your ability, and your gear. A nervous climber will never be a great climber imo. This is probably why climbers are such #######s-we have a ridiculous amount of confidence in ourselves and our abilities.

 

[moss]

I haven't been nervous in a tree in probably over a decade. There comes a time when you just have to trust in yourself, your ability, and your gear. A nervous climber will never be a great climber imo. This is probably why climbers are such #######s-we have a ridiculous amount of confidence in ourselves and our abilities.

There's being aware of where you are (up in a tree) and there's nervous. And then there are nervous moments. If you don't ever have them you may not be human.

When I was a young'un many moons ago the craziest mofo's became tree climbers. Nowadays you see a more diverse group, some are insanely confident, others more cautious, some in between, just mildly deranged

To answer the original question, the more you climb the better you feel in the tree. Some days are better than others, the most confident /experienced climbers can have a day when they'd rather not be up in a tree.
-moss

 

[beowulf343]

I realize this is rec climbing, so not going to argue too hard here. My problem is not with being nervous in a tree, it's with masiman's statement that if you aren't nervous then you shouldn't be climbing. Let me try an example. You get into your car every day to go to work. A vehicle that weighs several thousand pounds, traveling at high speeds, filled with moving parts than can fail at any time, on roads with who knows what kind of drivers, and that kill thousands of people every day. Are you nervous? Most people aren't. Why? They spend hundreds of hours behind the wheel and gain confidence? Some climbers spend hundreds of hours a month in trees and gain confidence. Drivers realize if they do stupid things like veer into the wrong lane, it will cause problems and so by habit they stay out of the wrong lane? Some climbers realize that if they don't keep their rope tail out of the way it can cause problems, and so do it by habit without even thinking about it. Drivers realize that sometimes things happen without warning like a brake failure, but they realize that regular inspections can help cut down on these types of failures? Some climbers realize that sudden situations will pop up, but there are steps that can be taken in advance learned from experience that can seriously cut down on the rate of unexpected situations or cause them not to occur at all.
Nervousness is not a word i like to use. Back to the car example. You stop at a traffic light and when it turns green, you go. But someone coming the other way isn't stopping and you have to react fast. Are you nervous? Probably more scared at the moment, maybe nervous for an hour or two, but most people seem to get over it quick. Something similar for some climbers. Example: last year, had a redwood top out west catch a gust of wind and want to go over the wrong way. Nervous? Not really, my heart rate did jump for a couple seconds, but was able to avert the situation. Thought about it for a couple hours afterward, but didn't keep me from dropping two more tops that afternoon. Nervousness really isn't the right word to use.
I don't like nervousness, because it leads to indecision, and indecision is what can lead to problems. Example: i am a little nervous about driving in nyc. Only do it a couple times a year. So what happens? I get nervous trying to make a left hand turn across five lanes of traffic and hesitate. Then i'm stuck when the light turns and that's when accidents happen. Yet thousands of people make that turn every day without feeling a bit nervous. Why is that? Some climbers can climb 120 feet up a tree then flip upside down in their saddle for fun without feeling nervous. Why is that? Maybe because some people make that left hand turn every day or some people spend 10 hours a day in a saddle?

Ok, now i may get a little harsh. Tree climbing is nothing to be nervous about for some. We had the bad things happen or seen them happen. (I could tell you a story about a guy i had to rescue out of tree a few years back that got a top tangled in his line-he lost a leg.) Does it make me nervous when dropping a top-not a bit, i've learned from the situation and now take steps to prevent it that are so ingrained after tens of thousands of repetitions, they aren't even thought about. I have an extreme amount of respect for tree climbing and take it very seriously, but am not nervous about it.
I think a problem with some rec climbers is that they know in theory that their gear will keep them safe, but it's never been proved to them. I started out with some sob foremen that had a few "interesting" ways to prove to a new climber how safe his gear really was. My rope has saved me from hitting the ground on five different occasions. Why would i be nervous in a tree when i know for a fact that my gear will keep me safe?
I also don't think guys who aren't in trees every day should be making statements about how if you aren't nervous you shouldn't do it. Just because i'm nervous about making a left across five lanes doesn't mean every else is, and just because you are still nervous up a tree doesn't mean everyone else is.
Of course, most of this will just go in one ear and out the other of the rec climbers so i'll shut up now.

 

[moss]

Of course, most of this will just go in one ear and out the other of the rec climbers so i'll shut up now.

Not at all, as a rec climber this has been my big argument with some experienced work climbers. I've been told I must always be nervous in a tree, I argue that's it's ok to be very relaxed in a tree. Always must be alert while climbing (unless you're intentionally asleep in a tree) but nervous is when it happens, not required.

There have been times where I was maybe too comfortable and had to remind myself for instance that if I dropped my rope I may be permanently stuck, since I was way too high in the tree to be able to exit the tree without my rope and was too deep in the woods to get help and too far out of cell phone signal range to call for help... in other words you want to be alert to what the implications are for your actions are in a tree, rec climbing or otherwise.
-moss

 

[masiman]

I debated with myself about the nervous part too. I didn't think it was accurate either but didn't feel like expounding. Probably more accurate to say you need to be aware, concerned, confident, practiced, skilled, analyzing, etc. And you use different skills at different times. Experience lets you better judge when you need to use any of the skills.

If you don't get "nervous", great. I think it is better to not get nervous, it takes too much energy and can cause its own problems. I think the advice was and is more about not becoming complacent.

PS Canopyboy wasn't talking about me with the "won't go above 50-60' ". That's another buddy, but we don't fault him at all for that.

 

[nikontrans]

I debated with myself about the nervous part too. I didn't think it was accurate either but didn't feel like expounding. Probably more accurate to say you need to be aware, concerned, confident, practiced, skilled, analyzing, etc. And you use different skills at different times. Experience lets you better judge when you need to use any of the skills.

If you don't get "nervous", great. I think it is better to not get nervous, it takes too much energy and can cause its own problems. I think the advice was and is more about not becoming complacent.

PS Canopyboy wasn't talking about me with the "won't go above 50-60' ". That's another buddy, but we don't fault him at all for that.

exactly..taking off being 'nervous' just enjoying your ride while climbing and facing what comes to you is all about...this is my personal experience too...

 

[RacerX]

How many climbs did it take to get over being a little shakey and getting use too new gear?

In answer to your question I would say it took me a good ten times before I had confidence in my gear and knowledge about what I was doing and able to hit a comfort zone. (At that point I was able to reach the top of the 75' oak in front of my house). Not to say that my confidence hasn't waned at times. Once I slipped with too much slack in the climbing line and ended up hanging inverted from my flip line. That's when the marriage between me and a one way mechanical flip-line adjusters ended.

 

[lync]

Sharon and Angel should , Check out the New York Botanical Garden, they offer a few tree climbing classes close to you. You guys are the best!
Corey

 

[MBDiagMan]

What a GREAT thread! It's reassuring to see that folks taking on such challenges are adequately introspective about it.

I am new to the climbing world, sorta, at least tree climbing. In fact I haven't done any serious rope climbing in my life. I am getting ready to climb a few really tall Oaks on my place before a pipeline comes through. I will also be doing some other climbing in the course of logging some great hardwood before the bull dozers get here.

I have a lot to learn and reading this thread is a great way to begin the mental preparedness portion of the challenge.

 

[RacerX]

Sharon and Angel should , Check out the New York Botanical Garden, they offer a few tree climbing classes close to you. You guys are the best!
Corey

I checked their website but couldn't find anything related to tree climbing. Do you have a link or a phone number?

 

[treemandan]

What? Me worry?