It's in my purse.

[beastmaster]

In thirty years of climbing that's the first time a fellow climber has asked,"get it out of my purse, please." Then again it's the first time I've worked with a women climber. When I drove up a few days ago to my new job and seen one climber had on a pink sling shot , I was a little taking back.
She's not no girl, but only a few years younger then me,(I'm an old bastard) and she can hang. It's been over 105 degree's here in the Inland Empire this last week. Two new grounds men have walked off the job after 1 day of working. Were doing a big complex and non-stop trees. I may of walked my self, except she never stops, and has such a good attitude, I'd feel like a chump.
I know there have been a few threads about Women climbers, but their rarely seen, so I just want to say I am impressed. The only negative thing is I have to watch my filthy mouth now because I am a gentlemen.
It all hit home today when she asked me to get here silky saw cover that was attached to her purse in the truck. Welcome to the 21st century.

 

[tramp bushler]

That is impressive. Don't see why they couldn't, they climb mountains.
Can't really see one running a 3120 Husky with a 50" Cannon on it but its rare when they are needed ..

 

[imagineero]

Whenever people hear about, or see a female climber, they trip all over themselves to congratulate her and high five each other over how great and awesome it is. I'm not sexist or anything, I treat all people as equals, so on the few odd occasions I've seen a female climber or (even rarer!) female groundie, I just look at her as I would if she were a guy rather than seeing her through rose colored glasses. If you are viewing the outcomes of females work as being more favouable than if that same work were produced by a guy, then congratulations; you're sexist.

I've yet to be impressed. In most cases, if the girl was a guy, you wouldn't hire him. There are certain jobs in the world that men just do better. It's not that we're smarter or anything... to be honest, I've got no idea what kind of idiot a woman would have to be to take a crack at most of these professions. They're truly awful jobs, and in most cases low paying, high risk, filthy, difficult and thankless. If ever there were jobs deserving to be automated by robots, most of these would make the list; groundie, tree climber, boilermaker/welder, soldier, deep sea fishing, logging, and most types of hard labour..... add to the list in your own time ;-)

Funny enough, I don't think it's so much the 'climbing' aspect of tree climbing that gives women trouble. I've been rock climbing for about 20 years and have climbed in a few different countries, with some truly top class climbers. The best climbers I've ever met have been men, but women weren't far behind, and I've met many women that outclassed me as climbers. There are a lot of excellent female mountain climbers out there that have absolutely got what it takes to climb at a world class level.

But tree work is something else. The climbing part of it really isn't that hard, it's when you combine it with rigging, planning the work, running the saws, swinging big sections of tree around, working long hours, hurting yourself, getting dehydrated and skipping a lot of meals that it starts to look pretty unattractive. Then get up every day and do it, day after day, with no ladder to climb up - metaphorically or literally. You'll just be back there the next morning, doing another tree. It grinds the soul.

Yet some women just can't wait to have a go at these types of jobs. It's certainly not that they're better at it than anybody else, they're generally way down low in terms of output/skills/durability. I can honestly only think that women take up these kinds of jobs due to daddy issues or having been abused as a child. If they were the smarter sex, they'd choose to do something else. These are poor life choices. These are the kinds of jobs that most half intelligent men stay away from. Rather than being sexist and encouraging them, why not tell them to quit it? That's the advice you'd give to a guy who sucked at it. You'd say to him "seriously mate, this probably isn't for you. Nothing personal, but maybe you should try something else." Why give so much encouragement to women to keep at it?

Shaun

 

[tramp bushler]

Well said . . Beins I'm also a Union Laborer. I have to work with women fairly regular. Most of them do it for the money, health insurance, retirement.
Some of them are good hands when they don't have a chip on their shoulder. The ones that do think they are the same as a man that I have to work with, I just work them into the ground. They either quit and go back to the Hall. Or start listening and paying attention.

They do make good Flaggers. Good go fers too once they learn the tools of the trade ect.

 

[Zale]

Its so refreshing to read the comments of enlightened individuals. So much knowledge and understanding.:bang:

 

[LarryTheCableGuy]

...I have to work with women fairly regular. Most of them do it for the money, health insurance, retirement...

And the men that you work around do it for what? Money, health insurance, retirement?

 

[KenJax Tree]

I used to work with a female groundie and she worked harder and could run ropes better than some of the guys could. Women are capable of pretty much doing anything, one of my wife's good friends is a U.S. Marshal but you'd never guess it by looking at her.

 

[Tree Pig]

I used to work with a female groundie and she worked harder and could run ropes better than some of the guys could. Women are capable of pretty much doing anything, one of my wife's good friends is a U.S. Marshal but you'd never guess it by looking at her.

Most US Marshal's I know are not exactly manly men either, as a matter of fact most of the Federal guys are wussies

 

[no tree to big]

this one road crew we drove past the other day had like 4 or 5 chicks working. a couple running big front end loaders two digging holes , bustin ass, and the last was the one with the white hard hat they was def lookin good, not gonna lie I went around the block and went through again

the guys on the crew looked like lazy bums or maybe they were just distracted, the chicas were def the ones making the co. the money though

 

[tramp bushler]

And the men that you work around do it for what? Money, health insurance, retirement?

Men work because men are supposed to work. Some of them get some benifits.

Women tend to work for the benifits

 

[KenJax Tree]

We did a crane removal last week and the crane op was a girl i admit i was very nervous at first but she did a good job she put the slings right in my hand and put the right amount of tension on the piece being cut we didnt really have to communicate a whole lot she knew what to do.

 

[treeclimber101]

I don't care if it's a girl or boy , I worked with a woman signalman when I was a iron worker , she was a 50 year single mother of 5 kids and she did her job better then I could have done it , never got me hurt , and she would always bring something freshed baked or cooked from home , so she was good. People foe sure

 

[Zale]

I worked with a woman on and off for ten years on a production crew. There wasn't anything she could not do. She went to four ITCCs and won or placed in several events. She would outwork just about everybody on the crew. At the end of the day, no one doubted wether or not she belonged on the crew.

 

[cowtipper]

Think Pink: Construction company uses colored bulldozers

[video=youtube;CSVJpkN3yIs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSVJpkN3yIs[/video]

 

[beastmaster]

With all said, I'd work with this lady anytime. She's one tough old broad. Plus she's very knowledgeable about trees and tree science, more then I can say for most people I work with and for. I have worked with a lot of climber who are not no where near as skilled as she is. Can she do what a top male climber can do? Maybe, maybe not, but from the pool of climbers I see for the most part day in day out, she's running neck and neck, and is way smarter.
I maybe a little sexist my self. Sure working with some dainty,24 year old blond girl who wore hot pants and halter tops to work might be cool for a little while, but if I had to pick up her slack and she wasn't carrying her load, I'd be the first to send her down the road.(after a few weeks:msp_tongue But that isn't the case with this lady, she's a pro at what she does. Would I be as impressed if she was a man, by her performance? Maybe not, but I would still respect the skill and knowledge.