Fear of height

[trevmcrev]

I think with fear & heights its just a matter of what your used to. If the average gomer who doesnt climb starts to freak at about 30 feet as some one else mentioned. If you work at 30 feet every day, 60 seems high and fear starts to creep in, if you regularly work 60 footers, the odd 90 seems big & scary, and on & on & on. 100 upwards is high in nearly anyones language and when you push towards 200..... well that is BIG.

As for nightime climbing, we had to do a job the other week at night to avoid a busy supermarket carpark. The owners were happy to pay a premium so as not to disturb their customers and we we happy to charge them for it! We hired a light tower which was better than i expected, didnt really need the little helmet lights i bought especially for the job.

Trev

 

[moss]

I think any arborist should be able to tie all their knots with eyes closed & behind the back, that before even starting in the tree.

For sure. I mentioned it more as a reminder that you don't actually need a light to tie knots since you already know how to do it blindfolded. Try it in a tree in the dark sometime at 65 ft., you'll double check it by feel after you tie the knot that supports you. Having the helmet light gives you the ability to deal with tangled throwline and other fine handwork sometimes required in the tree. I've also used the helmet light in the dark when making pruning cuts with a handsaw so I can see where branch collar is.

 

[9th year rookie]

Wierd

Here's a wierd one.

I'm comfortable in the tree with a good tie in spot.
I used to do bridge inspections - some high steel work.

A few years ago I was in a tourist attraction.
A tower, about 100-150 feet high.
All open on the inside with stairs to climb to the top attached to the interior walls. Half way up you can see all the way up and all the way down.
I almost froze and hugged the walls back down.
I don't want to know why.
Still climb trees without hesitation, just never returned to that tourist tower.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

100 upwards is high in nearly anyones language and when you push towards 200..... well that is BIG.

With me it's not so much the hight as the mass you start working with on the truely big trees.

The more room I have to swing them out, the bigger I'll rig them, but I work with people who do not understand rigging from time to time and I've come close to having my head taken off twice this month

With me, as long as I have a good tie in, I'm OK. I've become such a firm believer in mechanical contact that when I'm not tied in I pucker up.

That vid of the speed climber... those dynamic moves give me the willies. I wonder how many times he climbs a rout before going gonzo? I noticed that the handholds were pretty chalkey.

 

[BigJohn]

No fear here. I find that focus and concentration on what your doing, focus on the tree. I never have any sort of conciousness of the ground or the height. I have fallen twice in my life, both times about 40 feet. Each time I was able to get back up and climb a few more trees that day. I think the best thing to do is to relax and find your peace in the fall, except your fate and you'll be better off.

I heard that people who pass out and are limp rathter alert frightened and stiff end up with less injuries. Keep your cool.

 

[RedlineIt]

It would be cool to be one of Big John's groundies.

"Here he comes again! Heads up!"

THUMP!



RedlineIt

 

[xtremetrees]

haha yeah big john does fall alot. alot being more than once,.

 

[treeseer]

I'd leave that limb for sure.

I would leave it too, but I'd reduce several of the sprawling side branches. Simple pruning job; 5-8' off the heaviest-ended ones.

""Just say what you think would you cut it or not, "

Life ain't that simple, man. Neither are trees.

Can you post a closeup pic of the fork?

 

[oldugly]

I am deathly afraid of heights, yet still climb, day or night, rain or shine, whenever needed. Though now that I am my own boss the rain, and night work is very minimal.

I thought for years that climbing would cure me of what I consider a totally senseless fear, but it never has. Instead I just became good at working scared, and to some extent I enjoy the adrenaline rush my fears give me.

My kids think I am crazy though, because I will NOT go on a ride in an amusement park, and get really nervous looking out the windows of tall buildings. I did some repelling from helicopters in another lifetime, but to this day I do not know HOW I ever did it...seems like I always did what I needed to do....but really never enjoyed it.

I now own a bucket truck, and it scares me back to Jesus every time I get in the thing, but I run it as well as any other in this area. Whenever I try to tell people that I suffer from a fear of heights, they think I am joking with them.

It is interesting that someone else would deal with the same thing in this business. In 30 years I have never found a cure, but have always done the job.

Thank you Xtreme for sharing that I am not alone in this mindless acrophobic paranoia...but that others too have found the intestinal fortitude to work through it.

 

[Bermie]

I'm usually OK with heights, I respect how far above the ground I am and take care to check my kit, anchor points, etc. once thats ok, I can settle in.
However today I was a bit uneasy, climbing an ebony over a tarmac driveway, fresh in my mind was the chap that died here on Monday, I had to take my first 15 mins or so nice and easy, I had to set up some rigging out on a branch, didn't have a high TIP (these trees spread out) so it took me a while to settle into the job, set up a redirect on a smaller branch for my line to get it a bit higher than the main TIP, etc...
Some days go like clockwork, others give you pause, say some prayers, carry on. I don't think anyone is totally nerveless.

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

Yep another one here who has to deal with being not at ease with height,5 mins in a tree and my fear stops ,evolution I guess,we're not meant to be up 80' trees..

 

[clearance]

Went to work today, long drive, mountain side exposed to the wind with just ocean for 90 miles untill the mainland. Lots of fog, gusting winds, climbed a big spruce to about 120' and topped it, branches and tops flying back into the bush, shut 'er down. I knew the tree wouldn't blow down, but still, rocking around up high like that, it wasn't a walk in the park. It isn't the hieght, and I have climbed over 170' now, its the tree that matters.

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

understanding tree problems/faults etc is a much more scary thing than height

 

[Buzzlightyear]

Yep another one here who has to deal with being not at ease with height,5 mins in a tree and my fear stops ,evolution I guess,we're not meant to be up 80' trees..

I thought you got Steve in for them 80'ers lol :biggrinbounce2:

 

[JAM]

Falling

Height and falling does not bother me that much, now stopping and impact are 2 words that scare the living sh#t out of me. :biggrinbounce2:

I think I have to agree with that one

 

[JAM]

I guess you could call it a fear. A required fear to keep your mide sharp and aware. It is un natural, like being under water. A bit uncomfortable feeling first climb of the day. Once I'm in the zone, adrenaline harnessed, feeling is good. Feel stronger than normal kinda buzzed.

Anybody try sleeping on one of those hanging platforms? Was wondering if it might help with getting compfortable off the ground. Thinking about getting one and startin in the yard not too high up to get used to it. That would be a fun new way to go camping, tree camping. No flat ground needed, sick views.

Homemade strap-on deer stands seem to help

 

[jazak]

For the first 5 years I sweated bullits now I just got used to it. (I've been doing it for 20yr.s) My son who is just starting to climb (16) is sweating bullits.

 

[rebelman]

Trees topped previously are extra shaky. I listen extra close for a crack. I see all the destruction after storms and trace much of it to improper pruning. Often I know the person that did the pruning, know they know it's wrong. Gratuitous stubs and fluch cuts make my job much harder. I think flagrant violations of code should be criminal. Off topic I'm sure but what the hell, it goes hand in hand.

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

I thought you got Steve in for them 80'ers lol :biggrinbounce2:

I've done my fair share of 80's and a few 100' footers,your tractor loader wouldn't reach any of them LOL

 

[Seachaser]

Deathly afraid of hieghts, but love bieng in a tree, go figure!!!! Always have to look for those "de-acceleration points" also
Andy

I’ve climbed in tree stands to deer hunt up to 30’ feet or higher. But a ladder or what y’all guys do would scare me to death.