Redwoods,climbing and laws?

[beastmaster]

I have a desire to climb a 300 +ft. tree. I live in Calif. and those redwoods are only a few hours a way. If my buddy and I drive up there and we go into the forest and find a really tall tree, and use noninvasive techniques(SRT)are we in violation of any laws?
It has always been a dream of mine to climb one of these and spend the night up there. Beastmaster

 

[moss]

I have a desire to climb a 300 +ft. tree. I live in Calif. and those redwoods are only a few hours a way. If my buddy and I drive up there and we go into the forest and find a really tall tree, and use noninvasive techniques(SRT)are we in violation of any laws?
It has always been a dream of mine to climb one of these and spend the night up there. Beastmaster

Deal is if you climb in a national park (where redwoods are) you'll be breaking the law. There are also some state redwood parks that are also no climb zones.

I would look at national forest locations for big trees, much less restrictions. I don't think it's legal to climb trees in any national park anywhere in the U.S., they are highly regulated.
-AJ

 

[RandyMac]

The Forest Circus has no Redwoods left, all been run through the mill. They had very few to begin with, most were on private lands. Find an active protest site, you can visit one of the weirdo tree sitters.

 

[beastmaster]

I'm not so much a tree hugger as I am a want a be adventurer. My quest to climb a 300ft + tree, isn't necessarily going to be put off because of laws and regulations. I mostly wanted to know if I should keep it secret or not.
RandyMac, You live in one of the most beautiful places on earth. I was right next door in the mid 80's in Siskiyou Co. fighting fires on a falling crew We worked along side a D9 Cat cutting fire line a 100ft wide right through the forest.
Felling those big trees, along with images of the fog shrouded forest, and 300ft flames crowning through those trees are some of the best memory's I have.(The situation was screwed up though)
I wanted to move up there then, but that was when that spotted Owl thing was in full swing and there just was no work. I remember seeing a logging truck full of logs with a sign on the back,'' spotted owl limo''. Beastmaster

 

[RandyMac]

There are many places that would allow you to go unseen, try the Wilson Creek drainage north of Klamath, it's owned by Green Diamond, but they are busy elsewhere.
I did USFS time in Happy Camp in the '70s, also did contract jobs for them.

 

[2chops]

Sshh...

If you want to go up, then go up. Think commando climb. Don't ask, don't tell. I only say go ahead because you're not too concerned about the legality of it. It's no different than when doing a ninja climb on a locally posted/city/state owned tree. Just don't do anything to hurt the tree, disturb the site or otherwise get caught. Have someone drop you off, hike in, and haul all your gear up with you. Good luck.

 

[Gologit]

If you want to go up, then go up. Think commando climb. Don't ask, don't tell. I only say go ahead because you're not too concerned about the legality of it. It's no different than when doing a ninja climb on a locally posted/city/state owned tree. Just don't do anything to hurt the tree, disturb the site or otherwise get caught. Have someone drop you off, hike in, and haul all your gear up with you. Good luck.

Good advice. I might add one thing...when you're trudging through the woods, schlepping all the gear you need to climb one of our massive trees, don't be surprised if the Park Rangers nail you. They watch for climbers and in some areas they watch real close. They take illegal climbing very seriously. It's not like you're the first person to think of doing a stealth climb...it happens constantly. When you're up in the tree and you see people on the ground wearing Smokey-the- Bear hats watching you and taking pictures you can consider yourself busted. They can also confiscate all your climbing gear. You usually don't get it back.

And if for some reason you need to be rescued or even assisted you'll pay some very heavy assistance costs in addition to the fines imposed.

From what I hear the food in the Humboldt County Jail leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[Sagetown]

Gologit ~ don't be surprised if the Park Rangers nail you. They watch for climbers and in some areas they watch real close.

I once read of a team wanting to scout a certain mountain that was off-limits. Noting that roads leading into the area were guarded as was the mountain itself, they journeyed miles off the beaten trailway around to the mountain's backside, climbed the mountain, took their pics, and left unseen.

 

[beastmaster]

I recently watch a program called, ''Climbing the Red Woods'', a National geographic production. There is a whole Eco system up in the crown of those trees.
I would never do anything to hurt one of those giants. I have lots of respect for them and trees in general. I can understand why they don't want a bunch of yahoos going out and using them for their own amusement.
I'm a law abiding citizen. No one is above the law.
Well I'm off to the local reservoir to go fishing. I think its dark enough I can make it over that fence with out being seen. Thank you all for your input. Beastmaster

 

[Veteran]

See PM

Sorry had to do it.

 

[Sagetown]

Gologit ~ When you're up in the tree and you see people on the ground wearing Smokey-the- Bear hats watching you and taking pictures you can consider yourself busted.

Yeh; they've probably gone high-tech like everything else. Sensoring devices in specefic trees giving flashing notification on computer screen identifying tree #0001 tampering, and remote cameras snapping away. May even have satellite coverage. Who knows?

 

[Gologit]

Yeh; they've probably gone high-tech like everything else. Sensoring devices in specefic trees giving flashing notification on computer screen identifying tree #0001 tampering, and remote cameras snapping away. May even have satellite coverage. Who knows?

I don't know if they've gone quite that far...yet. Low tech seems to be working quite well. I mean, just think about it. Two or three guys park their car, start dragging climbing gear out, pack everything on their backs and wander off into the woods trying to look innocent and nonchalant. By the very nature of what they're carrying they're definitely not day hikers, bird watchers, or your garden variety big city tourist type. They stand out like a sore thumb.
The park rangers, FS employees, deputy sheriffs, or whoever has jurisdiction over that particular part of the woods have seen it all before. While stealth climbers might spend a day or two trying to find ways to outwit the forest watch-dogs, the watch-dogs themselves spend years learning ways to keep the climbers on the ground. They don't always succeed. But consider...free climbing a redwood isn't a ten minute job. You might be up in that tree most of the day. If you're in the tree that long your chances of being caught go way up.

I don't have much to do with government ground and we very seldom get sport climbers where I do most of my logging so the whole thing isn't really of any great interest to me. I don't care one way or the other if people want to climb redwood trees but I don't have any sympathy for them if and when they get busted, either.

And the sensing devices and remote cameras and such? They do exist. We use some on our own ground as an aid in stopping trespassing, theft, and vandalism. I know for a fact that they're also used on government ground for the same purposes. Just a heads-up, ya know?

 

[kweilss143]

hi

have a desire to climb a 300 +ft. tree. I live in Calif. and those redwoods are only a few hours a way. If my buddy and I drive up there and we go into the forest and find a really tall tree, and use noninvasive techniques(SRT)are we in violation of any laws?
It has always been a dream of mine to climb one of these and spend the night up there. Beastmaster

 

[Sagetown]

kweilss143
hi

have a desire to climb a 300 +ft. tree. I live in Calif. and those redwoods are only a few hours a way. If my buddy and I drive up there and we go into the forest and find a really tall tree, and use noninvasive techniques(SRT)are we in violation of any laws?
It has always been a dream of mine to climb one of these and spend the night up there. Beastmaster

Read the quote from moss ~

Deal is if you climb in a national park (where redwoods are) you'll be breaking the law. There are also some state redwood parks that are also no climb zones.

I would look at national forest locations for big trees, much less restrictions. I don't think it's legal to climb trees in any national park anywhere in the U.S., they are highly regulated.
-AJ

 

[beastmaster]

O.K. I have a question. I type in recreational climbing of Redwoods on You Tube and I see whole groups of people and clubs climbing giant Redwoods. They can't all be blatant law breakers. How are they getting permission to climb?
Also Them tree hippies are climbing them and living up there to prevent logging. They go up and down regularly to shower and what not. Thats straight trespassing They don't seem overly concerned about getting arrested.
So how do some get permission to climb a redwood? Could you ask for permission on private land? I'm just curious is all. Beastmaster

 

[Grace Tree]

I got The Wild Trees by Richard Preston on MP3 while I was on vacation. Pretty interesting book about Steve Sillett and his redwood climbs. 5 hrs. 41 min. of listening.
Phil
The Wild Trees byRichard Preston

 

[moss]

O.K. I have a question. I type in recreational climbing of Redwoods on You Tube and I see whole groups of people and clubs climbing giant Redwoods. They can't all be blatant law breakers. How are they getting permission to climb?
Also Them tree hippies are climbing them and living up there to prevent logging. They go up and down regularly to shower and what not. Thats straight trespassing They don't seem overly concerned about getting arrested.
So how do some get permission to climb a redwood? Could you ask for permission on private land? I'm just curious is all. Beastmaster

The tree sitters are willing to be arrested, they're not climbing with permission.

Are you referring to this redwood rec climb video?
[video=youtube;NMiGEMx-ENU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMiGEMx-ENU[/video]

That's with permission on private land.

Definitely, you can always ask for permission to climb on private land. Many land owners will ask if you have insurance coverage in case you're injured. They're afraid of being chased by lawyers if something happens.
-AJ

 

[beastmaster]

Yeah Moss, that is one of the videos I was talking about. I also remember a poster a while back of a night scene of a Redwood and it was full of these lite up tree tents.
I really don't want to break no laws, but I also really want to climb a 300 + Redwood. I'm 52 years old and climb almost every day. I have lots of experience, but I'm running out of time, Call it one of my bucket list things.
I'm not above a stealth climb, but I would much prefer to do it above board. Maybe some club would like to include me in their climb? I'm currently working on my degree in horticultural science, if some School or group is doing research on Redwoods and their reading this, they are welcome to contact me. (I have 600 yards of 10.5mm dynamic rock climbing rope) Thanks, Beastmaster

 

[treemandan]

Yeah Moss, that is one of the videos I was talking about. I also remember a poster a while back of a night scene of a Redwood and it was full of these lite up tree tents.
I really don't want to break no laws, but I also really want to climb a 300 + Redwood. I'm 52 years old and climb almost every day. I have lots of experience, but I'm running out of time, Call it one of my bucket list things.
I'm not above a stealth climb, but I would much prefer to do it above board. Maybe some club would like to include me in their climb? I'm currently working on my degree in horticultural science, if some School or group is doing research on Redwoods and their reading this, they are welcome to contact me. (I have 600 yards of 10.5mm dynamic rock climbing rope) Thanks, Beastmaster

Just look online for what you are looking for. I am sure you are bound to find something that works. I would NOT climb a tree if it was against the law NO SIR ! Its not worth the risk and by doing so you are making a negative statement about yourself and the trees. There has to be a way to do it legally.I mean you don't drive drunk do you?

 

[treemandan]

I gave a quick check online and it appears there are options for you. I typed in "redwood recreational climbing".