average age of arborist

[steve yorkshire]

38 years old,and still out performing the 22 year olds ,working easier and faster ,only problem is the wet horrible winters over here in england,makes staying in bed a viable option some days ,mind you depends who im in bed with ,have a friend 56 years young who can match the best ,although he is pretty selective in his choice of trees ,some call it wisdom ,i call it ,being the boss,,,,,good diet ,good sleep ,and good life style will hopefully keep me going into my fifties ,

 

[topnotchtree]

Started at 18. I will be 31 in Jan.

 

[kurtztree]

Did you notice it seems like there are more old climbers then young ones That is good in a way when they retire us young guys wont have as much competition then then we can inflate the prices for tree work that isnt accessible to a truck or crane.

 

[Ax-man]

Oh heck I might as well get in on this too,

49 and still going strong ( most days). Even though I don't climb as much as some as the regulars here, I can still do it no problem, any time any tree. With todays gear it is so much better than the " good old days ". Where was all this stuff twenty years ago. I'm much better today off spurs than I was twenty years ago, due to all the improvements in climbing gear.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

I came up with a reason for the upper end of the age spectrum being represented better. It could be that the young climbers have something else [better?] to do with their spare time than spend it talking shop with a bunch of other guys When I was in my twenties I wasn't home many evenings and if I was, I wasn't going to be found watching TV or some other layabout activity.

Tom

 

[MasterBlaster]

As unbelievable as it may sound, Tom, I don't agree with you. I truly feel that there aren't as many career climbers coming into the industry as their are older ones may be going out.

And when I was a 25 year old I remember sacking out at 8pm cause the climbing that week had been quite intense. Partying hearty and diving for clams were a Sat night kinda thing.

I think a LOTTA young climbers start.

A minority of them follow it through as a career.

 

[Nickrosis]

A mature juvenile @ 21. I was nominated last night for the person who changed the most in college, and I had to accept it. It's totally true... never stop changing....

Nickrosis

 

[Ax-man]

Also consider this the computer field was in it's infancy, there weren't as many oppurtunities in this field as there are today, which is siphoning off the younger generation that would normally have to enter the more traditional job market.

 

[rumination]

Now I may be wrong here, but I get the feeling that professions that involve physical labor, especially agriculture, landscaping, and tree care, don't get the kind of respect that they used to. I think many people see physical labor as something you do when you can't do anything else. You know, who would want to go and get dirty and sweaty and work real hard and get tired when you could go sit in an office and aspire to be a highly paid executive or dotcom millionaire and then and go and work out in an air conditioned gym with a personal trainer. I'm not trying to get on anyone's case for doing that, but I think there's been a great loss of respect for folks with learned skills, like craftsmen, farmers, tree workers, etc.

Of course, I'm only 28 years old, so what do I know!

 

[Tree Machine]

I'm not feelin so old anymore

Just passed the 40 year mark. The cat in the photo next to me taught me how to use a Husqvarna chainsaw when I was 9 yrs old. Held off introducing me to cheap beer until I was 14, which I've long since grown out of (life's too short for cheap beer). -TM-

 

[okietreedude1]

I know of Charlie Pottorf in Manhattan Kansas. I think he's near 60-61. Don't know for sure. He still climbs and has started climbing redwoods. Some one correct me if Im wrong.

Personnally - 31.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Hamm's...the beer refreshing, Hamm's the beer refreshing...

Can't you just see the two bears doing some treework and then sitting down for a cool one?

Tom

 

[Ax-man]

I can , brings back memories

Remember when gas was 25 cents per gallon ?? They did the wind sheild and checked the oil and you didn't have to pay extra for it at the pump.

 

[Greg]

32 ---but it still seems like I just graduated highschool, might be caus my highschool sweetheart(wife) looks just as good or better than she did back then.
Greg

 

[Tom Dunlap]

21/per gallon with my Mom's 10% Sears discount made for some cheap cruising on Friday night. Of course, I was making $1.08.5, yes, a dollar eight and a half cents per hour, bagging groceries.

Tom

I'm starting to sound more and more like my Dad who sounded a lot like Grampa when I was [much] younger

 

[TREETX]

Originally posted by Ax-man
I can , brings back memories

Remember when gas was 25 cents per gallon ??

Did you have to walk to school 10 miles in the snow, up hill both ways......??



I think age, experience, and education are all important. I can think of a handful of local tree guys in their 40s-50s. They claim 20-30yrs experience but after watching them and listening to them, it is clear they have ONE year of experience 20-30 times......

Make your experience count, learn something new every chance you get.

.02

 

[monkeypuzzle]

Hell, most of the guys I went to high school with are fat asses now. I have no sympathy for folks being overweight,hey put the pizza down and move your butt. You didn't have to eat it right.

These types can't do the work we do. 60% of the pop. is FAT, good god. So us guys who have the spunk get out and do it. Bet any of you guys could travel the planet and get work anytime you wanted to make a few bucks. The chunk at the bank would starve.

Or are we fit because we do this type of work?

I'm not a betting man but when it comes to the pines here in N. Fla. my 60 yr old father could run circles around 90% of the guys who climb trees for a living.He loves this stuff, and he is scared to stop I think, he is slowing down a bit.

Now he is spurs only...and does NO pruning. About a tree or three per day, about 10-15 hrs. per week of actual work.

I spiked everything until 1997, the year I left home and went to work for a cert. arbo. so I do all the pruning now. I'm 34, and like Greg said,I still feel like I did in high school. Born to climb.

 

[mikecross23]

Originally posted by TREETX
I think age, experience, and education are all important. I can think of a handful of local tree guys in their 40s-50s. They claim 20-30yrs experience but after watching them and listening to them, it is clear they have ONE year of experience 20-30 times......
.02

I used to claim 6 yrs experience. After dedicating ALL of my time to trees exactly one year ago, I realized my 6 years of weekend hack work was not real experience. I've got a long way and lots of learnin' to do, but I'm only 25 so there's plenty of time.

-Mike-

 

[TREETX]

Originally posted by monkeypuzzle

Or are we fit because we do this type of work?

I think not, I think we are fit because we are not afraid of hard work or physical exertion. I see a spot in a parking lot, I think "cool, park there" not, "Maybe there is one up close so I don't have to burn 2 extra calories...."

When I have to get to the 3rd floor and there are stairs, I go up, I don't think, "where is the elevator so I can get fat..." (In the case of most Americans, FATTER)

Hold your arm out with your elbow bent at a 90 and roll your wrist towards you. See that muscle that sticks out at the top of your forearm?? I had a college kid at the gym ask what exercise I do to develop that muscle - "Dude, I work it isn't from the gym..."
BTW - friggin kid called me "sir" - I am only 28!!

Speaking of which, It is almost 9:30. My short day will be a long day if I don't put the coffee down......

 

[Curtis James]

I just turned 27 and quit smoking in an attempt to prolong my carreer. A guy at work has been battling cancer and is so close to retirement that it's sickening. 30 years at the same job and now smoking is flippin it all up.