# First Time Cimbing



## Cupressaceae (Sep 23, 2011)

Greetings all! Been a lurker here for quite some time and this is a wonderful resource being a career-changer going to school for Forest Technology and hoping to get into Arboriculture and work from the ground up. So thanks for education here. That being said, I have a question, I have an opportunity to climb for the first time and wondering what I should expect? Will it be impossible? I see some skilled climbers out there and I want to be in their shoes. I know they have experience, but I just want to go into this opportunity without ending up being terrible. I imagine I will be using a simple system to climb, nothing advanced, so I just would love to hear people's experiences on their first time. I just would like to be able to get my butt up the tree somewhat.


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## RacerX (Sep 23, 2011)

We can start with the pretty universal advice which is buy a copy of the The Tree Climbers Companion and read it through a few times. We can discuss basic equipment but you need to mention how much money your looking to spend. The absolute minimum basics that you'll need to get off of the ground are:

1-Saddle
2-Rope
3-Carabiner
4-Flip line


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## Cupressaceae (Sep 23, 2011)

Thank you, I have purchased the book and have been reading it. It is a great book. I am now curious as to if I can actually do it. Haha. Hopefully I can do okay. All the gear will be supplied, as will basic instruction. So I guess I will be okay.


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## 046 (Sep 23, 2011)

welcome to AS... warning... grow thick skin if you ask beginner questions around here. 
nothing wrong with asking questions, but some folks around here act like they were born with it. everyone had to start somewhere... unfortunately some folks have forgotten that.


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## Cupressaceae (Sep 23, 2011)

Thanks for that bit of advice. I have read it first hand here. Appreciate it. I spent some years in the military, so I have grown thick skin and understand and respect those who have put their time into their profession and field. I am not some young punk kid who has big dreams and aspirations. I want to work with trees, keep my mouth shut, pay my dues and rise through the ranks and be skilled in my trade. But anyways, enough autobiography nonsense. I just want some tips on my first time being introduced to climbing so I can be better prepared and possibly have some sort of efficiency when climbing. Kind of wanting to know what they wished they would have known when they climbed for the firs time. I know it takes practice but mentally being prepared is important too. Thanks again for the advice!


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## Donald (Sep 23, 2011)

*Overcoming heights*

i've been climbing for about 2 years. The hardest part for me was to have faith in my "skinny" 1/2 inch climbing rope. Eventhough my bigfoot climbing rope is rated for 8,000 lbs, I just find it amazing that this rope can hold my 225lb body plus gear. Start small and work your way up. Pay absolute attention to your ropes and take care of them. I find myself getting out of my comfort zone when I climb higher than 50 feet. The more you climb, the more confidence you'll develop. 

Be safe.

Donnie


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## Zale (Sep 23, 2011)

Take your time and listen to your instructor. If you are not in shape, start working out. Get plenty of sleep and eat right. You are about to become a blue collar athlete. Be safe.


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## Cupressaceae (Sep 23, 2011)

Thanks a lot Donald and Zale. Encouraging thoughts for sure. 

I am glad to you mentioned being a bigger guy Donald, I am 225 too and have been given the impression that climbing is for the smaller guys. Nice to hear that. 

In the military we climbed ropes (old fashioned single rope attched to a bar) and I was one of the run of the mill rope climbers so I think that is why I am nervous, I just want to be able to hack it and make it. I am hoping that having a saddle and thinner rope makes things a little easier for basic body thrusting climbing. We will see.


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## RacerX (Sep 23, 2011)

There are guys here willing to help you even if you're a neophyte. Just ask questions, we all started not knowing how to climb (at least not the professional way). 

Just remember, _low and slow_. It's better to screw up 5' off of the ground than 50'.


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## 046 (Sep 23, 2011)

stick to a small set of knots ... which just happens to be the knots inside tree climber's companion. then learn to tie those knots really well! 

your life depends on your knots being correct. pick one knot, then keep practicing until you can tie that knot blindfolded. it's not necessary to know a large number of knots. but it's absolutely necessary to know those small set of knots cold. 

setting your knot can be just as important as tying it correctly. take the time to take all the twists out of your knots during setting. making your knots look "pretty" is for more than strength. it's to aid in identifying if knot is tied correctly with one glance. 

this is a properly tied triplefisherman. which should be your first choice for a termination knot. the lashing is not required.


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## TreeAce (Sep 23, 2011)

I agree with everything 046 just said. Although I have to wonder.....does the "new school" of climbing start with a closed system with a taught line hitch? Or do they just go straight into eye2 eye systems? Or split tail/ blakes hitch? I know that the taughtline is old news and not very efficient but I think its important to know cuz you can tie it one handed pretty easy. I dont mean to confuse the OP but I guess what I am getting at is that as good of a knot as the triple fishermans is..and its a good one...it may not be the best choice for just starting out, esp if you are using a closed system. 
As far as advice for first time climbing....well, low n slow...for sure. but I will say this cuz its what an old timer told me when I first started..."Never get mad and dont panic". Now, this may seem silly (and prolly is) but I still think about these words from time to time. Here is what I came up with after many years of pondering these words..."never get mad" is important cuz after awhile, when u get used to climbing alittle, getting frusterated can make you mad and getting mad can make you careless. As for "dont panic" well, thats pretty obv but sometimes it helps to just think about not getting to freaked out. Just...be coooooollll ...man...lol...it s all good. Thats no subsitute for some things, like good safe practices, but it is more about getting over thinking like "what if my rope breaks?" Otherwise , just pay attention to ur instructor and have fun! I am sure you will. Go learn alittle and come back and ask some "more specific" questions...I know many here, myself included, will be happy to help you as best as we can.

RIP John Bradstock


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## troythetreeman (Sep 23, 2011)

good stuff in there
when i first started i spent a lot of time thinking, i go over what i wanted to have happen, how to do it and all the different ways it could go wrong and how to react
im not really sure when i quit doing this but i pretty much have, and my reactions are all automatic now, things dont always happen the way you want, keep yourself safe first and then worry about whats below you
im also a big fan of control, i like to eliminate as many variables as possible in a tree
trust your gear, buy quality gear that is comfortable for you, makes sense to you and then take care of it
knots, knots are huge, i use like 6 different knots, i like the taughtline because it can be tied with one hand
every knot i choose i choose because i can tie it with one hand, with the exception of a figure 8 and the bowline, which i almost never tie in the tree
a knot needs to do two things, it needs to hold and it needs to come out again
simple is better imo
the other climber on our crew is much the same way, he only has a couple different knots he uses, and they arent the same ones i like, though he has adopted one of mine, something i took from the tree climbers handbook and modified slightly, i use it almost exclusively in rigging, it doesnt slip, doesnt tighten up and if you tie it in the middle of a piece it doesnt matter which end is heavier itll hold either way


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## chad556 (Sep 23, 2011)

From what I remember from my first few times climbing was the importance of the right gloves. My first climb I went up with heavy cowhide work gloves. Could not grip the rope at all and body thrusting was the name of the game. I literally only made headway up the rope with the movement of my body, my hands were worthless except for advancing the friction hitch up the rope. I got about 20 feet up and felt like I just did 1000 sit-ups, ouch. Second time up I did a little better but I used mechanic type gloves. Better grip, but they slipped so much I kept fumbling around with my feet to keep from slipping back down the rope and it became another energy inefficient activity.

The solution:





Don't let this happen to you! Lol, learn from my mistakes. I discovered atlas gloves on my own, but then later learned that a vast majority of tree climbers wear them. The difference is like Peter Parker turning into spiderman! They are like vice grips for your fingers. Try them out if you don't already have a pair, you'll never want to pull yourself up a rope without them ever again. Don't worry they are dirt cheap. You can get them off amazon for like 3 bucks (they wear out quick though so I would get a couple pairs.) : Amazon.com: Atlas Fit 300 Medium Rubber Coated Work Gloves 1 Pair: Home Improvement Hope this helps you out! Good Luck and be safe!


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## TreeAce (Sep 23, 2011)

Man...I really am getting old. I cant believe I am gonna say this, but here goes...When I first started climbing, we didnt have those fancy shmancy gloves....lol...man...but its true. You just keep at it until ,when your hand gripped the rope, all the callouses on your hand came together to give a solid grip on the rope! Thats no sh*t. But as far as good advice for a newbie....def get good gloves. I wear em most of the time. My hands arnt anywear near as rough as they used to be...thats a fact. Sometimes it makes me feel like a wuss... but I know my wife prefers it


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## troythetreeman (Sep 23, 2011)

i like to say gloves are for sissies and cold weather, but my hands are like old boots
my gf claims she prefers that....


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## RacerX (Sep 23, 2011)

The rubber palmed gloves are great, even the $2 cheap ones outlast the $20 leather gloves that I used to use. Just don't use them if the rubber starts to separate from the cloth. I had a big piece peel off and get stuck in the hitch. As you know rubber don't slide very well.


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## Zale (Sep 24, 2011)

Buy a good pair of boots! No Walmart specials. If you don't have the money, start saving now. I've tried a lot of brands over the years but a good quality boot will be $200-300. Your feet will thank you.


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## sgreanbeans (Sep 24, 2011)

All good stuff, just remember, it is YOUR life. Make damn sure you under stand how to tie in and dress your gear while you are up there, always checking your knots and biners as u work. 
Welcome BTW! What branch were you in?
Another good book is "The Art and Science of Practical Rigging" by ArborMaster


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## TreeAce (Sep 24, 2011)

troythetreeman said:


> i like to say gloves are for sissies and cold weather, but my hands are like old boots
> my gf claims she prefers that....


 
LOL I hear ya! I had some GFs back in my 20s who would agree with ur GF. I think my wife is happy with how they are now. You can sure as heck tell I work, n work hard, with my hands. But they arnt like sandpaper like they used to be.


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## Cupressaceae (Sep 24, 2011)

Thanks so much everyone. I like the advice, from the equipment advice such as gloves and boots, to learning knots and then the mental aspects of being calm and collected. It gives me a lot of digest and take to heart as I begin to learn more. 

The branch I was in, was the Army. 

Thanks again for the advice and I will let you know how my first time goes. Take care!!


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## sgreanbeans (Sep 26, 2011)

Good luck, be safe and have fun!


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## Greener (Oct 16, 2011)

For a very general question, I think you got a lot of good responses here, as there are so many variables to climbing. I'm no guru but here are my humble tips. First, always check, check and triple check where your lines are and where you are working, and don't forget to look up frequently, as it keeps you in tune with your process. Golden rule, always make sure you are tied on with two separate lines before you start the saw-EVERY TIME. It can seem tedious, but just ask Jeff Jepson about his fall when his glove got stuck in the throttle and he cut his single flipline and fell to the ground. This sounds crazy, but I talk to myself in the tree, about my process, what is tied, what is not and my plan (go ahead, laugh, but it is effective). This makes sure your awareness is acute. Try to identify a person you respect in the business, and who has been around for awhile, and pick their brain about various situations every chance you get. Books help, but experience is worth way more. Last, start with small lower risk jobs/trees first, and work your way up. Have fun and be diligence with your process on each job.


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## fraidofheights (Oct 19, 2011)

*Hiya Cupressacaea*

I'm in the same position as you, except about two months ahead in that I've been able to work with a climber and he's a wicked guy and teaches me lots and lets me work in the tree pruning one branch to his ten but then helps me chip brush.

Oh wait except youre in unviersity or something and so youre probably smarter so you'll be able to read the climbing book cover to cover and not have to bother your gf all the time about what this kis and that is. Well no jepson is pretty easy but i found it tough to read cover to cover it got a bit boring but the pictures were good. Very well drawn;.

Okay, so what I did before he let me in the tree is practice the knots in the Jepson book over and over again tied to a thing in the truck and then man I could practically tie them in my sleep. Then he let me use the old harness thats from the seventies and I did the classic, which is like a bowline to a figure eight to a blake to a stopper figure eight and everyone else is using valvotains but he says not to because a lot of the guys are a bit sketchy with those things and they sometimes dont know how to tie them so they leave them on the rope. Dont run before you can walk and we're just crawling so dont use valvotains for awhile. Other points of wisdom that I wrote down in my field book.

Keep a field book.
Treat your silky like a chainsaw.
Use a cambium saver.
Dont worry about being nervous. Its all about mileage.
Always check your rope before cutting.

Oh and man be careful about those silky's because my first and second day climbing I cut my hand and my arm and I was bleeding like crazy up there because the saw will cut and cut and be almost through the wood and then it just seems to jump out at you and slam you. You'll probably bleed like a stuck pig a few times until you remember point number 2. But if you get all bloody keep climbing unless you're going to pass out because if you come down or if you keep getting asked to climb and say no because you ate to much or aren't feeling it than they'll stop asking and think youre a p*ssy. dont even complain or say ouch or anything. Just bleed and zip it and i think the boys will respect you more.

Oh and don't tell people youre a climber either because we have a guy who tells everyone he's a climbing specialist and then all the boys say that he's not ever been up a tree and so I feel sorry for him a bit but still...

Oh and dont text. Last thing. I dont text anyway and you probably dont cause you were in the army, but if I ever get my own truck and then the groundie starts texting I want to take his phone from him and cut it in half with a chainsaw and then he'll learn his lesson. all the groundies do here is text and who the hell are they texting all time? Jeez. pet peef.

btw why is all the stuff here not in english?


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## Iustinian (Oct 20, 2011)

*trust your gear*

biggest thing to learn is to trust your gear. move around and get comfortable in one spot, tend your slack, back it up with your flipline. keep in mind that even if you lose your balance, you won't "fall" but swing. another thing that seems to help when you're limb-walking etc, is to position yourself so that the limb is between you and your tie-in spot and face your tie in, that way you can brace against the branch instead of walking along it trying to keep your balance. it helps


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