StockBridge Climbing Preparation

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Yep, that's how it works, if you've done a lot of free climbing it's a little tough to get used putting your weight on the rope not the tree. I had trouble with the transition at first because my instincts said keep close to the trunk. Once you learn to trust the gear more you can get your weight off the tree, then you discover you have much greater mobility than you ever had free climbing.
-moss

This sounds so awesome, I know what you mean by stay safe to the frame(trunk). I'm a footage junkie when it comes to archiving things so I'll be using this to my potential for getting that money shot during my filming... climbing everything with a harness to get aerial shots.

I spent all week raking this huge yard for $100 so I'm going to buy a throw line & weight set I think. I'm not good at throwing things that high in a tree very accurately so I might take a trip to NH for a miniature cross bow like I saw in one of your videos, such a good idea.
 
Vertigo

I'm so dead on StockBridge I have started practicing overcoming my Vertigo because I realized I have it, really bad and I knew I would because my dad realized a long time ago I may be the older brother but I'm not going on the roof with him. I've been reading things like walking along the edge of the roof clapping your hands and consuming ginger in all forms really help it, who knows but I have to figure this out because I'm not going to let it stop what I like doing. Plus I've heard nothing makes you feel better than overcoming a life long fear and heights is mine. Must feel great to overcome a fear :)
 
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oh ok that's smart im at stcc getting some of my gen eds out of the way and taking landscaping. Just got my letter on Saturday and ill be up there in the fall.

When i started climbing i went out an got a saddle, rope, prussic, throwline and all the hard where about a year ago. After that i got my spikes and started doing a few removals with an arborist. Start small and dong push yourself to hard at first because you will get discouraged. i know i did for a while but these things take time. I talked to Dennis up at umass and he said that the guys who come in knowing the basics of how to climb are way better off than the other guys who think they can just show up. Start climbing and ill see you up there some time when you get there.

Gotta watch those typo's. all it takes is one wrong key... lol.
 
I'm so dead on StockBridge I have started practicing overcoming my Vertigo because I realized I have it, really bad and I knew I would because my dad realized a long time ago I may be the older brother but I'm not going on the roof with him. I've been reading things like walking along the edge of the roof clapping your hands and consuming ginger in all forms really help it, who knows but I have to figure this out because I'm not going to let it stop what I like doing. Plus I've heard nothing makes you feel better than overcoming a life long fear and heights is mine. Must feel great to overcome a fear :)

So... to be technical about it, vertigo is not fear of heights. Vertigo means you have trouble keeping balance. Vertigo will certainly make you afraid of height, it's the correct response when you can't balance very well. If you think you actually have vertigo you might want to chat with a doctor about it, you might have a fairly easy to correct (not surgical) inner ear problem for example. Diabetics get vertigo when their blood glucose levels are running too high. You get the idea, there can be various physical causes of vertigo none of which can be fixed by walking on rooftops clapping hands or consuming quantities of ginger :)

A good thing to know is that being on rope reduces vertigo because the rope balances your body position (assuming your harness is well adjusted etc.)

If you don't actually have clinical vertigo you'll be able to overcome fear of height by gradually increasing your tolerance for it.

I hate being on roofs by the way, although dropping onto a roof from a tree while on rope is cake. Rope makes a huge difference how you feel at height.

Good idea to pick up a throwbag and throwline and start practicing. An unsolicited tip for you: after you throw into the tree, assuming that the bag comes down, untie the bag before pulling the throwline back out. Pulling the bag back through the tree when you first start throwing will sooner or later result in a hung throwbag. Once you start climbing getting a stuck throwbag can be a good thing, it gives you a challenge to go get it.
-moss
 
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So... to be technical about it, vertigo is not fear of heights. Vertigo means you have trouble keeping balance. Vertigo will certainly make you afraid of height, it's the correct response when you can't balance very well. If you think you actually have vertigo you might want to chat with a doctor about it, you might have a fairly easy to correct (not surgical) inner ear problem for example. Diabetics get vertigo when their blood glucose levels are running too high. You get the idea, there can be various physical causes of vertigo none of which can be fixed by walking on rooftops clapping hands or consuming quantities of ginger :)

A good thing to know is that being on rope reduces vertigo because the rope balances your body position (assuming your harness is well adjusted etc.)

If you don't actually have clinical vertigo you'll be able to overcome fear of height by gradually increasing your tolerance for it.

I hate being on roofs by the way, although dropping onto a roof from a tree while on rope is cake. Rope makes a huge difference how you feel at height.


Good idea to pick up a throwbag and throwline and start practicing. An unsolicited tip for you: after you throw into the tree, assuming that the bag comes down, untie the bag before pulling the throwline back out. Pulling the bag back through the tree when you first start throwing will sooner or later result in a hung throwbag. Once you start climbing getting a stuck throwbag can be a good thing, it gives you a challenge to go get it.
-moss

I pretty much just have the same symptoms at heights as people on the ground have with vertigo. I had tubes in my ears about 10 years ago and such.

Your right I can relate to this (assuming)

And I will keep that in mind, sounds fun.
 
get an office job, it will become clear then.

Haha, that's so true. I'm pinned to a computer 4 long days a week, by the time Friday rolls around I'm desperate to climb a tree. From the minor tree work I've done here and there I've learned a couple things:
1. I probably wouldn't last, too physically demanding day-in day-out
2. Ok say I did last, by the end of the week I'd probably have zero interest in climbing on the weekend for fun, I'd just want to alternate between sleeping and soaking in a tub.

For the daily work climber, what with stress from being in sketchy trees, messing around with huge chunks of wood over houses, dealing with customers, the boss, the weather, etc. etc. you might sometimes forget how great it can make you feel to get up into a fine tree and hang in the top with a nice breeze. I'm guessing that many of you don't ever forget that.
-moss
 
Haha, that's so true. I'm pinned to a computer 4 long days a week, by the time Friday rolls around I'm desperate to climb a tree. From the minor tree work I've done here and there I've learned a couple things:
1. I probably wouldn't last, too physically demanding day-in day-out
2. Ok say I did last, by the end of the week I'd probably have zero interest in climbing on the weekend for fun, I'd just want to alternate between sleeping and soaking in a tub.

For the daily work climber, what with stress from being in sketchy trees, messing around with huge chunks of wood over houses, dealing with customers, the boss, the weather, etc. etc. you might sometimes forget how great it can make you feel to get up into a fine tree and hang in the top with a nice breeze. I'm guessing that many of you don't ever forget that.
-moss

That's a really good point, I got further off the ground... still no rope. When you get up high it really takes some getting used to I have to admit. This thing sways in the wind! Don't worry I'm not going to climb it again I just wanted a taste of heights.
8-06-091.jpg
 
PF when i started climbing albeit on rocks not in trees when i was in highschool i was mortally terrified of heights i mean i froze up and got the spins you name it, but i loved the rush as i got bigger and got more intune with my abilities i grew to love the feeling of hanging in a saddle with nothing above or below i started to enjoy the rush of taking big wippers the freedom you get from climbing and being on rope is better then any drug you can imagine and im sure the other members here would agree with me on that, weve all been there at some point every one gets scared but thats kindof the fun of it its always good to scare yourself once in a while just make sure your safe when you do it.
 
PF when i started climbing albeit on rocks not in trees when i was in highschool i was mortally terrified of heights i mean i froze up and got the spins you name it, but i loved the rush as i got bigger and got more intune with my abilities i grew to love the feeling of hanging in a saddle with nothing above or below i started to enjoy the rush of taking big wippers the freedom you get from climbing and being on rope is better then any drug you can imagine and im sure the other members here would agree with me on that, weve all been there at some point every one gets scared but thats kindof the fun of it its always good to scare yourself once in a while just make sure your safe when you do it.

Rocks I just could never trust with those wedges they connect to stuck in rocks. Connections and anchor sites I have to double, triple check, just like my front door when I leave my house. I'm hoping slowly over time I can get over it because I am not getting any bigger haha. I definitely lock up at a certain height and get the spins like I have alcohol poisoning or something. As long as I am confident on my connections I think it will help, you see... I have NEVER climbed on a rope or with a saddle. Totally free climber, as Moss said the trunk is my best friend but hopefully not for long :D
 
Look what I bumped into this weekend, this may give me a better taste for heights! :hmm3grin2orange:

IMG_1976.jpg
 
Probably illegal to climb that is what I think and being a timid little fellow like yourself would only compound the danger.

I think this thread belongs in the "Arborist 101" forum as this a little embarrassing reading this stuff to me. Go join the Marine Corps or another branch of service if they will take you at 20 years old and 115 lbs and come back when you grow up.:cry:
 
Probably illegal to climb that is what I think and being a timid little fellow like yourself would only compound the danger.

I think this thread belongs in the "Arborist 101" forum as this a little embarrassing reading this stuff to me. Go join the Marine Corps or another branch of service if they will take you at 20 years old and 115 lbs and come back when you grow up.:cry:

Aw, man...come on. We all know I was joking, there is a fine line with my humor and some of you just don't get it. I'm not training to be a pilot I'd never ever need to get even close to this high....

:monkey:
 
Aw, man...come on. We all know I was joking, there is a fine line with my humor and some of you just don't get it. I'm not training to be a pilot I'd never ever need to get even close to this high....

:monkey:

Let me get this straight ..... this is the "Commercial Tree Care and Climbing" forum...

You have never done any commercial tree care or commercial climbing.

I get it I think....you are a Sponsor and you are paying Arboristsite to advertise that video you have being flapping about forever? You think us seasoned arborists will drop a ten spot on your knowledge about the American elm. :dizzy:
 
I get it I think....you are a Sponsor and you are paying Arboristsite to advertise that video you have being flapping about forever? You think us seasoned arborists will drop a ten spot on your knowledge about the American elm. :dizzy:

You know, your starting to become a real a**hole. I'm sorry I did not fall out of my mothers **** like you with a rope, saddle and a Arborist Certification. D***
 
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Um... I went to the Stockgbridge school... unless things have changed RADICALLY, there is a 1 credit climbing lab, which for the most part works on the basics... and then a chainsaw class which I believe was 1 or 2 credits. All the rest of your time is spent in lecture halls, labs, discussions, and doing some walks, field trips, etc.
 

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