# How did you guys get over heights



## Stgcutter (Jan 3, 2017)

So I've been climbing on and off for going on maybe 2 years now. A guy that taught me everything from the beginning, has 20 years under his belt climbing. But I'm curious how any of you guys got over being up that high, like being a little nervous. I'm mean 65-70 ft +

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## Zale (Jan 3, 2017)

Don't look down. Seriously. Concentrate on what's in front of you and not below you. Also, smoke a lot of cigarettes.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Jan 4, 2017)

Fawk that! I cut trees while staying on the ground!


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## ncpete (Jan 4, 2017)

rapelling, while in the Army. Especially the Helo rapell. Nothing like having NOTHING below you but 100 ft of rope, and a bird above you _cannot_ climb back up to.

That being said, I still hate the climb obstacles, but not because of the heights. As a runner (not quite the upper strength of some of my peers), with somewhat poor depth perception, I hate hurdles, and climbing obstacles.


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## Del_ (Jan 4, 2017)

30 years and scared shitless.


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## ncpete (Jan 4, 2017)

Del_ said:


> 30 years and scared shitless.


Yeah, but I don't think the fear is the same? first time up a rock wall, and first time down a wall or out a helicopter were awful, but after that, heights were not so bad. I did forget to mention that it is entirely different when in a tree, but manageable.


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## Stgcutter (Jan 4, 2017)

Yes I find if I just stay concentrated at first I'm fine. I just know what I'm trying to do and try to ever think about how high I am. I've heard guys tell me it didn't bother them a bit. Others say they're nervous the whole time but they get comfortable

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## JeffGu (Jan 4, 2017)

I learned to deal with it climbing towers. If vertigo starts to set in, you stare at the rusty bolts and try to figure out if you could loosen them with a wrench, or if you'd need an impact tool. Literally, stare at something right near your face... count the carpenter ants or try to teach them sign language... anything that you can concentrate on. When the feeling subsides, slowly move on, thinking only about what you're up there to do, and nothing else. Don't watch the clouds (they move) or look at the ground (thing you're climbing is moving, your brain thinks the ground is, and panics a little) and keep doing that for awhile. Even if you're terrified of heights, if you stay focused on the task at hand, your brain will adjust and teach itself to ignore the height.

Oddly enough, the height doesn't bother me much in a tree. It still does on the roof of a tall building if I get near the edge, and it still bothers me quite a bit on a tower. I have to use the same trick, again, if I haven't been up on those things in awhile. For some odd reason, trees feel safe to me and knowing that the climb line really will hold me is enough that I just ignore the height. I still avoid looking down or at the clouds if I'm nervous (like spurring up a leaning stem, where I feel like I might spin and take a beating on the bark). It's natural to be nervous... helps keep you from thinking you're Tarzan and doing something stupid.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Jan 4, 2017)

Heights don't bother me, it's the fear of falling that does!

After I broke my back from a fall in 2010 I had real bad nightmares for a long time. Ripped apart pillows and sheets even.


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## DLEngele (Jan 4, 2017)

Del_ said:


> 30 years and scared shitless.


Yeah man. I don't have 30 in but in my little 11 years I still pucker up tighter than a knats ass with a fence post.


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## greengreer (Jan 4, 2017)

Nothing wrong with being afraid of heights. That is your brain's natural reaction to an unnatural situation. I would be more worried if you are not afraid. 
It's about managing your fear and not letting it consume you. Fear is a potentially dangerous tool, just like a saw, it's all in how you use it that keeps you safe. 
Trust your gear, trust your experience, and most importantly learn when to listen to your gut and not let pride put you in danger.


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## DR. P. Proteus (Jan 4, 2017)

Was not really ever scared of heights, I am more afraid of doing something that rips me in half and leaves me dangling in pain and agony while I die.

I sure as hell would not do this if there were venomous snakes up there.

But in SE Pa the trees are not that tall and the nasty critters have all been chased away.


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## pro94lt (Jan 4, 2017)

Heights, you'll get over it, what should scare you is a ground man on a Porta wrap that doesn't let a big piece run and sends you for a shake...


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## AGoodSteward (Jan 4, 2017)

The one that gets me is transfering from the bucket into the tree. If I climb it from the ground I'm a lot more comfortable.


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## david1332 (Jan 4, 2017)

I just try no to think about it so much. Spikes alone still bother me but if I'm on a rope I feel pretty good at any height. I think it helps to know that ion being held by something with a 5500 or 6500 pound break strength so even if I nick a few strands or fall a few feet somehow I would be perfectly alright. 
Im doing a lot better with spikes now though compared to when I first started. I think a lot of it just comes with experience


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## Stgcutter (Jan 4, 2017)

I've had a ground guy not let it run on small pine top. Let's just say me being new I almost pooped my pants. This was about a year a go

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## pro94lt (Jan 4, 2017)

70ft up on a windy day absolutely you pucker up a bit but the ground man is who you need to worry about. Will he fill the gas with oil? When you need 3 wraps will he give it 1, will he rock the back leaning top and let go of the rope and hollar I can't pull it over. Will he forget to latch the trailer... I'm scared of them. Hey hand me the 200t and you see him looking at the starter cover of a 660


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## DR. P. Proteus (Jan 4, 2017)

Jeff had good ideas but how did we come back to blaming it all on the groundguys? I know its their fault and all but they are down there so why should they be scared?


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## jefflovstrom (Jan 4, 2017)

I never had a problem with heights, guess that is a good thing, I am afraid of flying tho,
Jeff


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## Stgcutter (Jan 4, 2017)

My main thing is landscaping and lawn care so that's what I train my help the most on. I have had several people that was just there to help carry wood and load branches. One whispers to the other "I could have just cut it whole, that cement wouldn't break."

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## david1332 (Jan 4, 2017)

I train all my ground guys personally. Then I have my head ground guy keep an eye on whoever I'm Taining while I'm up in the tree. 
Whoever I have on ropes I trust with my life because honestly they have it in their hands sometimes


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## CanopyGorilla (Jan 5, 2017)

Being skerd of heights is fer pussies, knowing how to identify consequences is fer tree climbers.


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## DLEngele (Jan 5, 2017)

I've always been lucky to have good people around me. Oh yeah and common sense. Like to have that guy around!


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## jefflovstrom (Jan 5, 2017)

If I was afraid of being deep down in the ocean, I would not take the job of a scuba diver or being on a submarine,
But if I did, how would I get over that fear, there are no ants to look at!
Jeff


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## benjo75 (Jan 5, 2017)

I fly a Powered Paraglider so heights don't really bother me. I enjoy climbing and being in a bucket. But I run for my life when I see a ladder. They're about the most dangerous thing in the world. I hung a metal star on the house this evening for my wife. Had to go up 3 rungs on my ladder. Almost got my bucket truck out.


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## JeffGu (Jan 6, 2017)

jefflovstrom said:


> ...there are no ants to look at!



Just concentrate on counting how many teeth are in those sharks circling you....


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## ksvanbrunt (Jan 6, 2017)

It's already been said but I just focus on what's in front of me. When I used to do large pines everyday I kind of missed out because I didn't take a moment to enjoy the view from the top. Got work done and didn't freak myself out. Also learn to trust your gear. Learn the ratings so you understand how safe you really are. Learn the forces at your TIP so you don't tie into something too small or defective. When you start to grasp this it all becomes pretty fun


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## formationrx (Jan 6, 2017)

pretend you are a tree sloth... they are masters....


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## JeffGu (Jan 6, 2017)

...and they're fast as hell! Well, compared to me, anyway...


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## redneck09 (Jan 7, 2017)

Stgcutter said:


> So I've been climbing on and off for going on maybe 2 years now. A guy that taught me everything from the beginning, has 20 years under his belt climbing. But I'm curious how any of you guys got over being up that high, like being a little nervous. I'm mean 65-70 ft +
> 
> Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk


It's even worse when the first limb is 40 feet up that's what I had a hard time with. Two half inch flip lines helped me I felt much more secure when going over limbs. Don't get me wrong though anything above 50 or so feet when the tree starts to narrow out still scares the **** out of me. My boss and the other climber would always tell me to just stare right at the tree or looknow out at the view and just relax for a minute, and never get in a hurry, better to get a tree done slowly than to make a mistake and die.


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## miko0618 (Jan 8, 2017)

You'll settle down the more you do it. I still get nervous from time to time. 

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## TheGoodFellers (Jan 9, 2017)

Working off a crane did it for me... Im a bigger guy so I don't tie into anything to small.. haha I see some of you guys tie off to suckers. 
Trust your gear & your knots.. nothing like alittle extra slack coming out to shake some confidence.


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## iclimbtreesbro (Jan 10, 2017)

Before I started tree work at age 22, I was hitting ollies with a skateboard down 7-stair sets, getting hangtime off big jumps on a snowboard, and gapping thw wake on a wakeboard. I am an adrenaline junkie by nature.

My first few removals on spikes were unnerving when it came time to notching out the final top, but what I still slightly dislike is spiking down a narrow stem right after dropping/rigging the top out, especially if it's slick or has really tough bark. There is geney not much to hang onto or gain friction from. It's a rush for sure, and I am no longer bothered by looking straight down. Gaffing out at the very top is always a heart-stopping moment haha

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## Pelorus (Jan 10, 2017)

Getting shaken like a chew toy in the jaws of a Rottweiler is far far worse. After the fear subsides, commission of homicide enters my mind. Rage.
Tossing lsundry down the basement stairs sometimes results in the sensation of me falling. Not good.


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## ncpete (Jan 10, 2017)

Pelorus said:


> Getting shaken like a chew toy in the jaws of a Rottweiler is far far worse. After the fear subsides, commission of homicide enters my mind. Rage.
> Tossing lsundry down the basement stairs sometimes results in the sensation of me falling. Not good.



Vertigo. It's a *****. Also a decent movie. Get that checked out, maybe by a good ENT. They can help.


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## miko0618 (Jan 10, 2017)

iclimbtreesbro said:


> Before I started tree work at age 22, I was hitting ollies with a skateboard down 7-stair sets, getting hangtime off big jumps on a snowboard, and gapping thw wake on a wakeboard. I am an adrenaline junkie by nature.
> 
> My first few removals on spikes were unnerving when it came time to notching out the final top, but what I still slightly dislike is spiking down a narrow stem right after dropping/rigging the top out, especially if it's slick or has really tough bark. There is geney not much to hang onto or gain friction from. It's a rush for sure, and I am no longer bothered by looking straight down. Gaffing out at the very top is always a heart-stopping moment haha
> 
> Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


Use a lifeline.

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## miko0618 (Jan 10, 2017)

Pelorus said:


> Getting shaken like a chew toy in the jaws of a Rottweiler is far far worse. After the fear subsides, commission of homicide enters my mind. Rage.
> Tossing lsundry down the basement stairs sometimes results in the sensation of me falling. Not good.


I got hit by a hung up top last fall. It busted me up pretty good. My spikes were buried into the tree. I was essentially nailed into the tree. My hand got smashed through the grip on my 201t. Without a helmet and ear protection it would've ripped my ear off. It tore it from my head a little. I was pretty juiced after that. And, I have it on video.

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## jefflovstrom (Jan 10, 2017)

yeah, life is hard,,,,
Jeff


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## 802climber (Jan 22, 2017)

The best way to not get scared while climbing is to not run the damn bucket truck so much!

But really..It gets easier. Honestly after awhile it is a struggle to not get complacent. In the beginning, I had to learn not to overthink things too much.

If you haven't already, try out some SENA bluetooth communication helmets for your crew. We have been running them for a year and a half and the difference in safety and efficiency is amazing! Everyone that has used them with my company agrees that they should be required for tree work.


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## Weston (Jan 22, 2017)

Easiest way to get over it is keep pushing your limits. Keep yourself on your toes. Soon enough you will be like many on here....addicted to the fear/adrenaline rush.


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## Ben Williams (Jan 23, 2017)

I think its something you just get used to as you start to really trust your kit and abilities, I still get a bit nervous when things get really big (for me) about 100ft+, just put it to the back of your mind and focus on the task at hand.


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