StockBridge Climbing Preparation

[PinkFloydEffect]

Hi I am very interested in getting into the trees and would love to get some hands on before I make it into StockBridge School of Arborculture. What should I buy to start off with and practice climbing, I know there are many techniques and many forms of gear but I am terrified of heights and allergic to bees I do not want to panic while I am in a tree. I must also stress I DO NOT want to harm a tree in any way so where do I start?

 

[tree md]

You can climb with just a rope and saddle. I did it for years. You can tie a friction hitch on a traditional closed system and hip thrust up the tree. If you want to get fancy you can learn to foot lock. You will need a throw line and throw weight to set a line but that is very affordable. A saddle and rope will be your biggest expense. Get the Tree Climber's Companion too. It's meant to be used as a field guide. It has both ascension methods I mentioned in there.

And be very careful if you are allergic to bees. Have your shot with you. If you decided to do this stuff for a living chances are you will encounter bees at some point in your career.

 

[Tree Pig]

you may want to try the recreational climb forums also there are some knowledgeable guys down there that are in your area I believe. If you could hook up with them and get some tips it would be a home run for you.

 

[tree md]

Here's the thing, there are many more efficient, modern methods of climbing but I personally think it is best for a climber to learn the minimalist, traditional method before moving on. It's learning the basics. It could save your life someday.

 

[PinkFloydEffect]

tree md- So looks like I'm going saddle shopping. I want one I can use in the future for jobs that is certified. Right now I am recreational. I've seen the foot lock technique in a youtube video I agree the basics is a good thing to know when your equipment fails.

Your throw line is used before you pull your climbing rope into the tree right? A bag of sand or something on a string.

Is there a standard thickness or gauge rope that all or most equipment uses? I weight 115lbs so lucky for me all my equipment will be over rated for what I am using it for (no complaints)

I don't carry my epipen its expired and I haven't requested a new one because I won't use it. I have been there and cannot bring myself to use it nor do I trust anyone not in the medical field to do it so I kind of run to the nearest house and dial 911 usually.

Stihl-O-Matic- That's what I figured but it appears more people post here. I hope someone chimes in from the recreational side.

 

[tree md]

Y

Yeah, the throw line is basically a bean bag that you attach to a slick line and sling it up into the tree. Once you have a limb isolated and a climbing rope installed you can take off.

Do yourself a favor and buy the TCC like I recommended. It goes over all the basics in detail with diagrams. You can start out low and slow and keep yourself out of trouble.

Lot's of options for saddles and ropes. Depends on how much coin you want to spend. If money is tight and you wanted to go with the econo plan you could probably get yourself setup for between $250 and $300 for a bear minimum, economic rope climbing kit. That would be rope saddle and throwline/weight.

Just make sure that your rope is rated for arborist. Check out the sponsor links above. Lots of gear shopping to be done there. Search feature is your friend around here.

Good luck!

 

[tree md]

Here's the thing bro, I like shopping with other peoples money.

I want to tell you to go ahead and buy one of the climbing kits if you're going to go to school for climbing anyway. Thing is, do you think you're going to stick it out. I mean have you ever been up in a tree? Do you have any problems with intense labor or ever experienced vertigo and froze up. Climbing is not for everyone. I would hate to tell you to drop a bunch of coin on gear and you decide it's not what you want to do.

That being said, if I were soon to go to school for climbing anyway I would go ahead and get geared up. Have you checked to see if the school has any program to help you buy gear? I mean do they foot the gear for you and let you pay it off as part of your tuition or something? Have you checked on that?

With that being said, I would be looking at the climbing kits that Sherrill and Wesspur offers. They didn't have stuff like that when I started out so I have always bought my stuff piecemeal. I've got to admit that the climbing kits do look like a pretty good value for a beginner. If your heading to school for climbing anyway and you think it's something you're going to be able to handle and want to do, go ahead and buy as much of the best as you can afford. I would buy the best kit I could afford. You might as well get spurs with your kit as well because I am sure you will be taught that in school.

Anyway, glad I could offer my opinion and try to help you spend your money.

 

[PinkFloydEffect]

I am very afraid of heights and yes I spin and lock up, what doesn't look high looks twice as high when you get there. I am going to try though, learn trust in the equipment and tree. Wether they teach me it or not I refuse to use spurs I'm in it for the care.

I have to attend my local collage to get my Math and English 101 done along with SATs and a few other classes before I can attend StockBridge so I'm not sure if they pay for it but climbing in the mean time will keep me focused. I figured get myself a throw line and weight, along with a harness then learn foot locking until I get board enough to by some sort of rigging device to climb with. Oh and obviously a rope and friction saver, definitely a friction saver. That is allot of money right there

 

[tree md]

Well, it sounds like you've got the right attitude. Nothing wrong in using spurs for removals. It is pretty standard operating procedure. I would agree that it is a very good idea to learn rope climbing first. I wish I had learned it first instead of spur climbing. It will make it easier on you in the long run to climb on a rope and not use the spurs so much as a crutch. Bad habits are much harder to unlearn.

As for fear of heights, just believe that God has a plan for you and will not let you down if you are so inclined to believe in God. If not, believe in yourself and that instinct and a good healthy fear of death will keep you from falling... LOL,

Best of luck to you!

 

[PinkFloydEffect]

Well, it sounds like you've got the right attitude. Nothing wrong in using spurs for removals. It is pretty standard operating procedure. I would agree that it is a very good idea to learn rope climbing first. I wish I had learned it first instead of spur climbing. It will make it easier on you in the long run to climb on a rope and not use the spurs so much as a crutch. Bad habits are much harder to unlearn.

As for fear of heights, just believe that God has a plan for you and will not let you down if you are so inclined to believe in God. If not, believe in yourself and that instinct and a good healthy fear of death will keep you from falling... LOL,

Best of luck to you!

Very good point with removals, I will leave the spurs for a treat when I am very high in a tree a bit scared on a removal

You wana talk god haha, I am lucky I'm even continuing with collage for all I know I'm dead Dec 21 2012.

 

[tree md]

Very good point with removals, I will leave the spurs for a treat when I am very high in a tree a bit scared on a removal

You wana talk god haha, I am lucky I'm even continuing with collage for all I know I'm dead Dec 21 2012.

LOL, hey, every day above ground is a good day! Believe me on that one.

Spikes aren't all they are cracked up to be. They are great for removals but they suck to wear. I'd much rather climb on a rope and leave the spikes on the ground. Much more enjoyable.

BTW, what is your favorite Pink Floyd song??? Mine is "Several species of small furry animals gathered together in a cave grooving with a pick"

 

[PinkFloydEffect]

LOL, hey, every day above ground is a good day! Believe me on that one.

Spikes aren't all they are cracked up to be. They are great for removals but they suck to wear. I'd much rather climb on a rope and leave the spikes on the ground. Much more enjoyable.

BTW, what is your favorite Pink Floyd song??? Mine is "Several species of small furry animals gathered together in a cave grooving with a pick"

The "Celestial Voices" breakdown of the Saucerful Of Secrets off of Live At Pompeii

 

[outofmytree]

Interesting thread.

When you have your gear sorted out and you have read the Tree Climbers Companion untill the print blurs across the page, put on your kit, enter a tree and vertigo will blow your mind. You will forget all you have crammed into your head and lock up. So before you do this, set up a cambuim saver in your shed, garage or a tree with a limb no more than double your height and sit in your saddle a metre off the ground. Then bounce for all your worth. Learning to trust your gear is vital in the tree. When you get that cramp of fear that turns your guts to water and your legs to jelly you will need all the help you can get.

I love heights. As a kid I climbed everything from trees to rocks and buildings too. Still I have felt fear in a harness when things go wrong. Assume you will be tested and put in your "apprentice" time on the ground, then a metre off the ground, then 2 metres, then 3 and so on.

Learn to let go of the tree.

Use a simple but reliable friction hitch like an English prussik.

Overengineer everything.

Climb with a buddy. Actually this rule should be at the top of the list. Never ever ever climb alone. Even if you are fooling around in your own yard at very least have someone with you who can talk you down or call 911 if you are stuck beyond self rescue.

Climbing trees is no more dangerous than racing cars, parachuting or scuba diving.

Welcome to the asylum.

 

[PinkFloydEffect]

Interesting thread.

When you have your gear sorted out and you have read the Tree Climbers Companion untill the print blurs across the page, put on your kit, enter a tree and vertigo will blow your mind. You will forget all you have crammed into your head and lock up. So before you do this, set up a cambuim saver in your shed, garage or a tree with a limb no more than double your height and sit in your saddle a metre off the ground. Then bounce for all your worth. Learning to trust your gear is vital in the tree. When you get that cramp of fear that turns your guts to water and your legs to jelly you will need all the help you can get.

I love heights. As a kid I climbed everything from trees to rocks and buildings too. Still I have felt fear in a harness when things go wrong. Assume you will be tested and put in your "apprentice" time on the ground, then a metre off the ground, then 2 metres, then 3 and so on.

Learn to let go of the tree.

Use a simple but reliable friction hitch like an English prussik.

Overengineer everything.

Climb with a buddy. Actually this rule should be at the top of the list. Never ever ever climb alone. Even if you are fooling around in your own yard at very least have someone with you who can talk you down or call 911 if you are stuck beyond self rescue.

Climbing trees is no more dangerous than racing cars, parachuting or scuba diving.

Welcome to the asylum.

I will have to get my gear and learn my knots. I'm not in it for the asylum as the least haha I just want to help these beats I stare at no matter where I go they are all different like cars. When your on a road trip its a fun game to play and make people think your crazy, "what kind of pruning style each tree has undergone" or identifying the species.

 

[Saw Dust Smoken]

climbing

Any arborist in your area that can rec climb? Or have you watch at a job work day? A job prune or tree removal is a lot more involved. Just do some rec climbing for height and rope climbing. Get the hang of things before moving to more complicated situations!
Some people never get over the height thing. Stay outa dropping the big coins until ya know it for you.

 

[PinkFloydEffect]

Any arborist in your area that can rec climb? Or have you watch at a job work day? A job prune or tree removal is a lot more involved. Just do some rec climbing for height and rope climbing. Get the hang of things before moving to more complicated situations!
Some people never get over the height thing. Stay outa dropping the big coins until ya know it for you.

I'm trying to get some hands on work (free labor for experience) especially towards my Arborist Certification but knone will get back to me. I would love to just try things out and see if maybe root work or something like that I should go into. It is a very new technology with the air spade and root crown correction, seems to be proving to be a successful operation with some patience.

 

[PinkFloydEffect]

I got into a tree today and did some pruning, actually a full pruning but anyway it was a small tree. Once I got up there with a bow saw everything changed, every move I made every cut I made everything I did took at least twice as long. Couldn't get comfortable at the right angles to make proper cuts safely, constant repositioning. However once I took a lunch break I popped back into the tree with no problem (I think I was just used to the crotch of the tree and foot positioning)

 

[outofmytree]

Low and slow is the way to go....

You may want to trade that bow saw in on a decent handsaw though..... I'm a silky fan but I am sure if that is more than you want to spend that you can find local product cheaper.

 

[tree MDS]

Low and slow is the way to go....

You may want to trade that bow saw in on a decent handsaw though..... I'm a silky fan but I am sure if that is more than you want to spend that you can find local product cheaper.

The curved corona hand saw is an excellent buy at something like $24.

 

[oldirty]

you cut everything you could reach i see. lol.

lion tail is not a compliment when they think of your pruning, young fella. are you up there free climbing or did you get a saddle?