# Climbing a Good Career?



## Betard_foosier (Oct 17, 2012)

Im a 27 year old account manager in an office job, and im just fed up with the office drama and boredom. Ive always had a Love for trees and the outdoors, and now have an opportunity to join a reputable company as a climber. Of course i will be trained on the job, its year round work with stable pay. Is this a good career to get int, or should i run?


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## Lil Red (Oct 17, 2012)

I was in a similar situation as you a couple years ago, I didn't go straight into climbing but I did find a job working outdoors as that is what I enjoy. For me it was a great decision, but fighting the natural elements can make you want your nice office chair back :biggrin: I no longer get bored and watch the clock or all antsy being inside on a nice day. Don't make as much as I used to but that's ok, I will catch back up to where I was financially soon. Tree work has a lot of opportunity that is for sure.

I haven't experienced this yet but I hear its pretty hard on the body, I think it's just a bunch of old guys whining


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## Haulinwood (Oct 17, 2012)

I am not a climber. I am Sales Manager thinking the same thing. I went to school for Forestry, but that was some time ago. So I started a company stump grinding and tree removal, things start a little slow, but word gets around. I do the best job I know how to do, and be respectful, and tread lightly. I do just weekends at this time, but I love it, and I will grow. At one time or another I will have to jump in with both feet, and make it work. And I will. Good luck to you and do not give up. If it is a job that you can get up every morning and enjoy going to do, then you have the best job. The money will come.
Haulinwood


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## Betard_foosier (Oct 17, 2012)

Del_ said:


> Run.
> 
> Go back to school.



Any specific reason why?


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## Tree Pig (Oct 17, 2012)

Betard_foosier said:


> Any specific reason why?



The works hard, your body takes a beating, people look at you like your trash, there is a lot of trash in the business, its overflowing with people out of work trying to do the same thing, you now get about 1/2 maybe 2/3 of what you got 5 years ago for the same tree and it cost twice as much to run the business. Obama is the president and no one should have to work... 

other then that its all cherries, go for it.


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## Zale (Oct 17, 2012)

Give it a shot. Every job has its drawbacks but if you enjoy the outdoors and aren't afraid of hard work, try it. Buy some gloves. Your "office" hands will get trashed.


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## Zale (Oct 17, 2012)

Lil Red said:


> I was in a similar situation as you a couple years ago, I didn't go straight into climbing but I did find a job working outdoors as that is what I enjoy. For me it was a great decision, but fighting the natural elements can make you want your nice office chair back :biggrin: I no longer get bored and watch the clock or all antsy being inside on a nice day. Don't make as much as I used to but that's ok, I will catch back up to where I was financially soon. Tree work has a lot of opportunity that is for sure.
> 
> I haven't experienced this yet but I hear its pretty hard on the body, I think it's just a bunch of old guys whining



Talk to me in twenty years and let me know how you're feeling.


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## Betard_foosier (Oct 17, 2012)

You guys are starting to make me think twice! I think it comes down to which will suffer more, my physical health in the tree, or my mental health in the office.


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## Grouchy old man (Oct 17, 2012)

You could split the difference. There are other opportunities out there like the forestry service.


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## imagineero (Oct 18, 2012)

If you've got to ask the question, it probably isn't for you. For the most part, good climbers aren't made; they're born.

You'd have to define 'good career' to get a better answer. If you mean money, stability, opportunity for advancement and the option to diversify, then mostly not. On the surface it seems like there's money, but you're not going to find too many climbers being chaufferred around in their bentley. There are many hidden costs, and guys fail to take into account things like retirement, income protection, holidays, ongoing expenses, repairs, sick time etc etc... I think a lot of experienced climbers would be surprised if they found out the truth on how their real hourly rate compared with any other industry after all that stuff is taken out.

The work is quite seasonal, and unpredictable. While you can (and many do) keep climbing into your old age, it is hard on your body as others have noted. Physically you peak pretty young. Old climbers have to make up for it by working smarter, but brains can only do so much. It takes longer to recover as you get older. You can progress on to running your own small company, but then you're back in white collar world stresses, and it sucks up basically your entire life for not a brilliant financial return.

I think most of us do it just because we couldn't do anything else. Like deep sea fishing, if it's in your blood then that's what you'll do.

Shaun


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## sgreanbeans (Oct 18, 2012)

Word

@LilRed, WHINING, YOU SAID WHINING! Ha! Good luck, like said before, come see us in 20, hell, screw 20, come see us after a year of doing this, then lets see what you say. I have hired many guys who talked a good game and broke them off in a week, some, in a day.


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## Guran (Oct 18, 2012)

sgreanbeans said:


> Word
> 
> @LilRed, WHINING, YOU SAID WHINING! Ha! Good luck, like said before, come see us in 20, hell, screw 20, come see us after a year of doing this, then lets see what you say. I have hired many guys who talked a good game and broke them off in a week, some, in a day.



Whoa! And I'm going to attend training to be certified both for advanced felling on ground now in november, and another for climbing/removing in feb next year. Lot's of time and money will be spent and invested in this. I'm planning on starting a small business. Sound like a bad idea after reading this. Oh crap...... :bang:

Question; you guys who work in areas where there's cold winters and snow; can you still climb and do tree work in the winter season?


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## smokey01 (Oct 18, 2012)

Betard_foosier said:


> Im a 27 year old account manager in an office job, and im just fed up with the office drama and boredom. Ive always had a Love for trees and the outdoors, and now have an opportunity to join a reputable company as a climber. Of course i will be trained on the job, its year round work with stable pay. Is this a good career to get int, or should i run?



Can't help myself, but I have to add a couple of comments. 
You can't ask these guys this question, they can't even agree on which rope to use or if DdRT or SRT is best...........Down guys, hear me out. I can't answer this question either, not because I'm not a professional arborist, but because the only person to answer this question is YOU. These guys work hard, most of them are passionate about their work, they hold it in very high regard, they are proud of what they do, the methods that they use, the tools and equipment they carry, (just try to get them to carry a cheap little rope saw) they know that few others can do what they do, and what most would be too afraid to even think about doing. They make a living at it. They are good at it. They fricking put a GoPro camera on their head just to share to the rest of the world how cool it is what they do. How many other people can put a camera on their head for a day and share it with the world. 
So if you think you want what they have, can be good at it and can make enough to live on________(fill in the blank, just don't expect an answer from them). 
Now just for fun, ask them which kind of shoes you should buy. :bang:



imagineero said:


> ........
> I think most of us do it just because we couldn't do anything else. ....
> Shaun


I disagree, I think it is because they couldn't *think *of doing anything else...


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## imagineero (Oct 19, 2012)

Guran said:


> Whoa! And I'm going to attend training to be certified both for advanced felling on ground now in november, and another for climbing/removing in feb next year. Lot's of time and money will be spent and invested in this. I'm planning on starting a small business. Sound like a bad idea after reading this. Oh crap...... :bang:
> 
> Question; you guys who work in areas where there's cold winters and snow; can you still climb and do tree work in the winter season?



I can't answer the question, our winters are very mild here with no snow and I love climbing in the cold.

RE: the courses, geting training is always a good idea, but certification and experience are two different things. A lot of us started without papers, worked under someone, picked up both good and bad habits, worked for different companies and got different perspectives but generally picked up what worked and what didn't. Then we went and got certified. Here in aus, we have 2 levels of certification for climbers; cert II in arboriculture is the basic one, and cert III in arboriculture is the more advanced one. Each course takes a year, one day a week. 

They are practical courses, that hold your hand and take you through the motions of setting a line, working a canopy, making cuts, rigging. They start you off spikeless and with a handsaw. Towards the end of the year you get to do a little spike work, and use chainsaws. It's almost entirely practical lessons with a few classroom days. When I did my cert II, there were guys in the class who had never used a chainsaw in their life, and guys who had been contract climbers for 20 years. The more experienced guys thought a lot of the course stuff wasn impractical because nobody works like that. If you used those methods, you could never get treework done in time to make a dollar. There were guys at the end of that cert II, who still couldn't do even the most basic of removals.

When I did my cert III, it was the same story. There were guys even at the end, after 2 years of training, who couldn't hold a climbing job for a day. It would take them 6 hours to get into the canopy, and remove a single branch; I kid you not. Getting experience working with a tree company is one of the best things you can do. Pick someone good though. Even a month will teach you a lot.

Don't get me wrong, the certification is a good thing and worth having. You'll pickup a lot of good safety info, and get some good understanding of tree work too. It certainly doesn't prepare you for running a tree company any more than getting a basic fallers ticket prepares you to be a full time faller.

Shaun


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## sgreanbeans (Oct 19, 2012)

Guran said:


> Question; you guys who work in areas where there's cold winters and snow; can you still climb and do tree work in the winter season?



Absolutely


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## troythetreeman (Oct 19, 2012)

i climb, have for 16 years, at some point im going to need to come out of the tree
this is something you need to love to do, this is not, i want a good job, ill climb
its brutal, its dangerous and its hard flippin work, there are lots of other, better jobs out there, not many guys do this as long as i have
climbing is not a career, tree work can be, but you cant climb forever, and 27 to me, seems like a little late in the game to jump into this
we should all be lucky to have a job we love, and most days i do love my job, occasionally tho, its hateful


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## Guran (Oct 19, 2012)

> Don't get me wrong, the certification is a good thing and worth having. You'll pickup a lot of good safety info, and get some good understanding of tree work too. It certainly doesn't prepare you for running a tree company any more than getting a basic fallers ticket prepares you to be a full time faller.
> 
> Shaun



Thanks Shaun. I totally agree. I won't be quittin my daytime job in the near future, so this will be more an opportunity to actually do what I really enjoy in my spare time, initially, and hopfully get paid for it. And if I can do it in a safe way after my training I'll be happy.


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## Youngbuck20 (Oct 19, 2012)

Im almost 26 and I have 7 more weeks of school left (Arboriculture) already completed urban forestry. Im feeling myself like ive started a bit late. My everything is in pain everyday but Im not about to sit in an office or in walmart greeting people! Im sticking to it because i enjoy it and the view while your up a nice tall tree almost makes your achy back worth it. If your gunna do it you should get on it cause it takes a toll on ya. Good luck!


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## smokey01 (Oct 19, 2012)

Youngbuck20 said:


> Im almost 26 and I have 7 more weeks of school left (Arboriculture) already completed urban forestry. Im feeling myself like ive started a bit late. My everything is in pain everyday but Im not about to sit in an office or in walmart greeting people! Im sticking to it because i enjoy it and the view while your up a nice tall tree almost makes your achy back worth it. If your gunna do it you should get on it cause it takes a toll on ya. Good luck!



If I hear you 20 something's say one more time "I'm too old for this" I'm gunna puke! Then I'm going to come down from my lounge chair 40' in the tree where I'm enjoying a nice peaceful night in the dark and bring my 60 year old ass over and kick the #### out of yours!


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## FanOFatherNash (Oct 19, 2012)

I could and have had lot worse jobs
Give it a shot...I just took a job as forrester for a city municipality...took a pay cut but money isn't everything...(side job once a week it evens out) 

Sent from my LG-MS910 using Tapatalk 2


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## Finch12 (Oct 20, 2012)

I'd totally love to get into the forestry/arbourist gig, but as a union electrician making $38 an hour I doubt I could match that as a tree guy. I'm provincially chainsaw certified through courses that my local gave, as well as fall protection certified, so I just trim and fell on the weekends for firewood or family looking to rid themselves of the odd tree. So far it's kept the itch away for wanting more time on the saws. If I didn't already have 8 years put into a trade I'd totally go for it regardless. I love the work. Good luck in your decision making!


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## formationrx (Oct 20, 2012)

Betard_foosier said:


> Im a 27 year old account manager in an office job, and im just fed up with the office drama and boredom. Ive always had a Love for trees and the outdoors, and now have an opportunity to join a reputable company as a climber. Of course i will be trained on the job, its year round work with stable pay. Is this a good career to get int, or should i run?



...its funny to me how people talk when they got their legs on the ground.... compare that....to when they are up that tree... ass shaking... eyes bulging... hugging a tree for dear life... taking 5 ##### in their pants at the same time... ill tell you right now you are going to think you made the worst decision of your life... and you really ###### up this time... now if you can repel this fear... fight a war with this fear both mentally and physically... and learn to walk right thru this fear... you got a shot... and ill give ya a cigar...


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## Lil Red (Oct 20, 2012)

I have done some pretty intense things (motorcycle road racing, supermoto, dirtbike, mt. bike - all things with wheels, speed, heights, close quarters racing). Working in a tree ranks pretty high up there in the, "what the F**** was I thinking" category. Every time, it never fails. Good to know I'm not the only one :msp_biggrin:


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## Youngbuck20 (Oct 20, 2012)

smokey01 said:


> If I hear you 20 something's say one more time "I'm too old for this" I'm gunna puke! Then I'm going to come down from my lounge chair 40' in the tree where I'm enjoying a nice peaceful night in the dark and bring my 60 year old ass over and kick the #### out of yours!


Im certainly not "too old for this" although my body sometimes thinks so. Ive had a hard manual labour jobs since i was 14 keeping up with the "men" so Its something I can handle some more of. 

Sounds like ole smokey has another personality!

Also climbing up a tree to work and climbing up a tree to sit are two different things.


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## Greener (Oct 21, 2012)

I have been a parttime subcontract climber for about 10 years and here is my two cents. If you are able the try it out and keep the office job then do that as a first choice. Someone in this thread said "climbers are born" and that is very true. My humble take is that good climbers do not just decide to get into the business without any experience in it first. They get a taste of it then decide it is for them. I am not sure of your experience, but if you have not done the work a lot and are just deciding to quit the white collar life and start climbing, I would caution against this. See if you can get on parttime, get some work and training in, then decide whether to pursue it fulltime. This would be the best course of action.


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## Saw Dust Smoken (Oct 21, 2012)

Keep your current job. Work into the tree side on the wkends or when you fit it in your schedule. Climbing is not for everyone. Cold and windy days are brutal at times. When the wind moves the tree top 12-18 inches each gust. You are in for a ride. Some climbers cant handle this and walk.


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## beastmaster (Oct 21, 2012)

I always wonder why everyone doesn't want to be a climber. Everyday I go to work it's something new. I like doing challenging trees, I like climbing out further then any one else on a branch, The feeling of catching a big top or chunk, hoping the tree don't break and feeling relief when your still there, adrenaline pumping through your vains, priceless. I like the looks I get when I go into a store, covered in saw dust, twigs and dirt, smelling like gas and oil and tree. I like all the responsibility I have, one mistake, there goes the roof of that house, one missed judgement me or someone could die. I'm not lieing I love that sh_ _ . Do I want my kids to do it, hell no, I want better for them.
Only a few tree businesses are successful in any giving area. Only a small percentage of climbers will break a way from the pack and move on to good wages working for good companys. It a crap shoot at best.
I liked doing trees from the first day, but some claim I may have a few screws loose also. It helps. 
I dropped out of school at a young age, didn't have a lot of options, lot of people I grow up with went to prison, were on drugs. 
If I had it all to do over again, I would of stayed in school and got a real job, have nice things, have security, retirement, ect.
You have to ask your self is this for me? Am I going to be in the top 20% and make a real career, am I going to like all the things in this buisness that most people shy a way from in a career? I am happy with my job, will you be? 
You sound like a smart young man, their are a lot better careers out there.


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## troythetreeman (Oct 21, 2012)

beastmaster said:


> I always wonder why everyone doesn't want to be a climber. Everyday I go to work it's something new. I like doing challenging trees, I like climbing out further then any one else on a branch, The feeling of catching a big top or chunk, hoping the tree don't break and feeling relief when your still there, adrenaline pumping through your vains, priceless. I like the looks I get when I go into a store, covered in saw dust, twigs and dirt, smelling like gas and oil and tree. I like all the responsibility I have, one mistake, there goes the roof of that house, one missed judgement me or someone could die. I'm not lieing I love that sh_ _ . Do I want my kids to do it, hell no, I want better for them.
> Only a few tree businesses are successful in any giving area. Only a small percentage of climbers will break a way from the pack and move on to good wages working for good companys. It a crap shoot at best.
> I liked doing trees from the first day, but some claim I may have a few screws loose also. It helps.
> I dropped out of school at a young age, didn't have a lot of options, lot of people I grow up with went to prison, were on drugs.
> ...



indeed.


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## Guran (Oct 21, 2012)

sgreanbeans said:


> Absolutely



So under which conditions is it OK to cancel a job? Pouring rain? Really windy? Lightening?
Just curious.


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## BlackOakTreeServ (Oct 21, 2012)

Guran said:


> So under which conditions is it OK to cancel a job? Pouring rain? Really windy? Lightening?
> Just curious.



Yes, all of the above....safety first!!


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## chucknduck (Oct 21, 2012)

woodsman44 said:


> Yes, all of the above....safety first!!



You can make a good living if you have a couple good climbers working for you or with you. and a Good accountant/bookkeeper. If you are a one man show and do all the climbing you will have a hard time making decent money and its a hell of a lot of work.


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## chucknduck (Oct 21, 2012)

chucknduck said:


> You can make a good living if you have a couple good climbers working for you or with you. and a Good accountant/bookkeeper. If you are a one man show and do all the climbing you will have a hard time making decent money and its a hell of a lot of work. climbing is fun, but if you can grow your company to the point where you dont have to climb yourself, you can make good money without taking a toll on yourself.


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## pro94lt (Oct 21, 2012)

I don't think anyone will ever "choose" to do this, most are forced do to this by not being able to work in corporate america or lack of work and end up making a career out of it. like said I truly beleive they are born. I climb but i'm not born to climb. I'll do whatever i can to get my truck in their and if i can't their is always some hack who will undercut everyone with bills and do it for less than he should. I have a couple questions for you. list the kind of work you have done in your life, like laying brick, finishing concrete, framing houses, bailing hay, loading hay... if you've never been on a labor intensive job site you probly won't make it to your first check. these old timer don't like clean cut guys that drive clean trucks without dents... I'm not saying thats what you are but i've seen it way to much. Good luck man...


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## Goose IBEW (Oct 22, 2012)

You are going to have to take a hard look in the mirror and decide this one for yourself. I'm pretty much a rookie climber that's pushing 40 years old with a high mileage body...........yeah, I hurt at the end of the day. 

I am a firm believer in this: You aren't going to make money unless its your business. Whether you are a lawyer, doctor, accountant, landscaper, tree climber, doesn't matter. Unless it's your business, you are helping someone else to make money. With that being said, I am up at 6am, work until dark, come home to clean the equipment and sharpen the saws, and usually shut the garage down around 9:30 at night. I work on all of my equipment and trucks, most of everything is from the eighties. Whether its brake lines on a truck or fuel lines in a saw, It's my responsibility to do. Paying shop rate to repair this stuff or having payments on new equipment is not going to happen. This is a typical beginning of a business as far as I know.

I talked to the owner of a tree business that wanted out and was selling. He had a "great climber" and had been with him for 9 years. the climber's salary was up to an astonishing $16.50/hr. THAT does not sound like a good career move. Are you looking to climb for a company? I hope there are companies that pay better than $16.50/hr.


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## chucknduck (Oct 25, 2012)

Goose IBEW said:


> You are going to have to take a hard look in the mirror and decide this one for yourself. I'm pretty much a rookie climber that's pushing 40 years old with a high mileage body...........yeah, I hurt at the end of the day.
> 
> I am a firm believer in this: You aren't going to make money unless its your business. Whether you are a lawyer, doctor, accountant, landscaper, tree climber, doesn't matter. Unless it's your business, you are helping someone else to make money. With that being said, I am up at 6am, work until dark, come home to clean the equipment and sharpen the saws, and usually shut the garage down around 9:30 at night. I work on all of my equipment and trucks, most of everything is from the eighties. Whether its brake lines on a truck or fuel lines in a saw, It's my responsibility to do. Paying shop rate to repair this stuff or having payments on new equipment is not going to happen. This is a typical beginning of a business as far as I know.
> 
> I talked to the owner of a tree business that wanted out and was selling. He had a "great climber" and had been with him for 9 years. the climber's salary was up to an astonishing $16.50/hr. THAT does not sound like a good career move. Are you looking to climb for a company? I hope there are companies that pay better than $16.50/hr.



Goose is right . Only the owner will ever make a good living. and lots of the time they make less than you would think. If you think you have what it takes to run a company. You would be better off to stay in your field and try to work your way up. wear nice clothes, work inside a nice office, most of the guys who climb for us wish they could have a job like that.


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## Blakesmaster (Oct 25, 2012)

It's weird reading about people "choosing" to be a climber, or taking climbing up at an old age. More power to ya, but if ya have to ask, "Is it a good idea?", it probably ain't...for you. I climb, because it's what I do, I do it better than anything else I can do. Kinda sad in a way, but also satisfying...hard to describe. I'm 31 years old, been doing this a decade or so, climbing for at least half that full time. I couldn't even fathom doing anything else with the rest of my life. Some days that's a good thing, some days that's a bad thing, either way, it is what it is.


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