Teaching myslef to climb...... Advice?

[AOD]

This is a good thread, as I am a wannabee climber too. I have a couple friends that climb and want to show me a few things. My big concern is I think I am too big and heavy and I might not find gear that fits me well.

 

[sawinredneck]

This is a good thread, as I am a wannabee climber too. I have a couple friends that climb and want to show me a few things. My big concern is I think I am too big and heavy and I might not find gear that fits me well.

I am 6'1" and 270ish. The gear is out there, having the ability to pull all of it up a tree is the problem!

 

[tree md]

I am 6'1" and 270ish. The gear is out there, having the ability to pull all of it up a tree is the problem!

I'm 5'11" and 225#. I'm getting to be a fat bastard but I still get up there and I do some huge removals. I'm getting a little older but I still get it done. I was hell on wheels when I was 180#.

John Paul Sanborn is like 6'6" and like 250# I believe. He has no problems getting up a tree. LOL, I had to meet him when he came to town. I just had to see a 6'6" climber. He looks like hell on wheels.

 

[Raymond]

I've giving hands on training to a few guys in the last 10 years. It takes alot of time from getting jobs done but man the laughs sure make up for it. :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[tree md]

I've giving hands on training to a few guys in the last 10 years. It takes alot of time from getting jobs done but man the laughs make up for it. :hmm3grin2orange:

Ever had one lock up on you and have to talk them down... Funny stuff!

 

[Adkpk]

Gee, how about this Saturday?

Indianapolis Climbing Class


2009 Indiana Tree Climbing Class
What it is: A range of tree climbing techniques taught and demonstrated by Rich Hattier of Anchor Bridge Ropeworks. Hosted by Metro Arborist Supplies and TreeStuff.com
When and where: The class will be held on Saturday, March 28th, 2009. Rain or shine. The class will take place at 3564 W. 71st Street in Indianapolis. (This is one mile east of the Metro Arborist Supplies shop).
The anticipated schedule is as follows:
9:30 am to 12:30 pm Beginner and Intermediate Techniques, including:
Overview of climbing gear and gear inspection
Planning the tree
Throw line use and manipulation
Climbing Hitches and Systems
Movement in the tree
30 minute break for lunch (on your own). Drinks will be provided.
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Advanced Techniques, including:
Planning the tree
Ascent systems
Anchoring systems
Advanced climbing hitches
Self Tending climbing systems
Registration fee is $20 If paid in advance we accept: Cash, Check or Credit Card.
If paid on the day of the event we accept Cash only please. The $20 registration fee is good for admission to the entire day. You are welcome to participate in one or both sessions. CEUs will be available for certified arborists.
Questions? Please contact: Luke Dunlevy of Metro Arborist Supplies
(317) 293-3401
[email protected]

That's great, Dave.

When are you coming to New York?

You will be posting pics and or video?

 

[Raymond]

Ever had one lock up on you and have to talk them down... Funny stuff!

Yeah...On just running to the top and setting a rope for a notch and drop. Thanks for the reminder I needed a good laugh.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Raymond]

LOL..Reminds me of another one.

Had a groundman just last summer wanted to climb and drove me crazy bugging me about it. Then one day he wanted ME to run up a pole in his back yard and illegally hook up his cable.

I again laughed and told him here's your chance, put my gear on and do it yourself. He got half way up and locked up, with his wife and two kids watching. You know he hasn't mentioned climbing sense. :hmm3grin2orange:
Did I do it for him? I ain't saying. :taped:

Anyway by no means am I saying someone can't learn but you'll have to excuse us from laughing. They did when I was learning.

 

[tree md]

I believe JPS has mentioned he is 6' 10".

Yeah, I think your right. I was thinking 6'6". I think he also said he is like 275# but wanted to air on the light side. Didn't want folks to think he is a fat bastard like me.

He's actually pretty slim looking. One thing is for sure, when he goes to the top he has less distance to go than most of us.

 

[tree md]

LOL..Reminds me of another one.

Had a groundman just last summer wanted to climb and drove me crazy bugging me about it. Then one day he wanted ME to run up a pole in his back yard and illegally hook up his cable.

I again laughed and told him here's your chance, put my gear on and do it yourself. He got half way up and locked up, with his wife and two kids watching. You know he hasn't mentioned climbing sense. :hmm3grin2orange:
Did I do it for him? I ain't saying. :taped:

Anyway by no means am I saying someone can't learn but you'll have to excuse us from laughing. They did when I was learning.

I was pretty young and gullible when I started out. I found a skin that a snake had shed in the crotch of a tree when I first started climbing and got a little shaky. I told the guy I worked for there was a snake skin up in the tree and asked him if snakes lived in trees. He said yup, they sure do. There was a hollow spot in this tree that I was deathly afraid of approaching. I think that one of my fastest removals in my early years. I was teased for a month about "tree snakes".

 

[AOD]

I am 6'1" and 270ish. The gear is out there, having the ability to pull all of it up a tree is the problem!

No trouble here, although I do pull ups like Private Pyle in Full Metal Jacket. I could stand to lose a few lbs but I have a bad junk food addiction. I'm afraid I gotta drop some coin on properly fitting gear before I even start, I can't very well borrow a saddle thats 2 sizes too small.

 

[sawinredneck]

I do "so-so" on the ropes. There are days I can't get out of the tree fast enough! It never really bothered me that much "free climbing", but making sure I am doing as I "think" I should makes it uncomfortable. I am learning I can leave more slack in my rope than I have been and so on.
I finally did a TD on gaffs two weeks ago. First time I had ever used them. But I have watched others. Really "how hard can it be?"
Yeah, talk about taking the hard road on an easy day!! I need a LOT of practice!! I kept telling my feet to go further out, they just wouldn't do it!!!
Seriously, the guys that do it, and do it well, make it look effortless. IT'S NOT!!! They are GOOD and SKILLED, that is why it looks so easy.
Any idiot can strap on gaffs and a belt and shimmy up a pole, until they try it!!

 

[Raymond]

I was pretty young and gullible when I started out. I found a skin that a snake had shed in the crotch of a tree when I first started climbing and got a little shaky. I told the guy I worked for there was a snake skin up in the tree and asked him if snakes lived in trees. He said yup, they sure do. There was a hollow spot in this tree that I was deathly afraid of approaching. I think that one of my fastest removals in my early years. I was teased for a month about "tree snakes".

All this makes me want to show another guy the ropes.
Laughter's good medicine :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[newsawtooth]

Self Taught Climbing

Flashpuppy,

For what it's worth, the part that kills people is unsecured climbing and using saws aloft. If you are just going to learn to climb look for some rec. climbing groups. Realize that tree climbing involves work positioning more than fall protection. This means that you should be spending most of your time hanging directly on the gear. It is important to make this distinction from rock climbing where the climber can have several feet of slack between themselves and their anchor.

I recommend not integrating a chainsaw into the operation for sometime. Saws and rigging increase the consequences of mistakes exponentially.

 

[flashpuppy]

I recommend not integrating a chainsaw into the operation for sometime. Saws and rigging increase the consequences of mistakes exponentially.

I had kinda taken that as a given. I still haven't mentioned the word chainsaw in this thread yet.

Gee, how about this Saturday?

Indianapolis Climbing Class


2009 Indiana Tree Climbing Class
What it is: A range of tree climbing techniques taught and demonstrated by Rich Hattier of Anchor Bridge Ropeworks. Hosted by Metro Arborist Supplies and TreeStuff.com
When and where: The class will be held on Saturday, March 28th, 2009. Rain or shine. The class will take place at 3564 W. 71st Street in Indianapolis. (This is one mile east of the Metro Arborist Supplies shop).
The anticipated schedule is as follows:
9:30 am to 12:30 pm Beginner and Intermediate Techniques, including:
Overview of climbing gear and gear inspection
Planning the tree
Throw line use and manipulation
Climbing Hitches and Systems
Movement in the tree
30 minute break for lunch (on your own). Drinks will be provided.
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Advanced Techniques, including:
Planning the tree
Ascent systems
Anchoring systems
Advanced climbing hitches
Self Tending climbing systems
Registration fee is $20 If paid in advance we accept: Cash, Check or Credit Card.
If paid on the day of the event we accept Cash only please. The $20 registration fee is good for admission to the entire day. You are welcome to participate in one or both sessions. CEUs will be available for certified arborists.
Questions? Please contact: Luke Dunlevy of Metro Arborist Supplies
(317) 293-3401
[email protected]

Well, lets see what Dad wants to do for his Birthday! I'll probably be at this one. At least I will be able to see if I like it or not...

 

[MonkeyMan_812]

I would recommend "The fundamentals of general tree work" by G.F. Baranek. Excellent book for beginner or experienced climber.

 

[Dave's TLC]

I used to work for a tree trimming company, and the owner taught me alot. first time he took me to a nice straight pine tree and gave me a lesson on how to gaff in not to hard, but enough to bite and hold you. if you slam it down like your kick starting a bike it'll get stuck. its like skiing until you get used to it its hard on the legs. anyway. he let me climb about 5 feet and told me to come back down. until you do it, you don't realize how hard it is. thats what your decending rope is for. unless you want to take that tree down you've gotta learn a good descending knot. I recommend the blake' hitch. get used to climbing and using your lanyard first. go up a few feet clear of branches and kick your gaffs out from under you to hang on your lanyard this will help you place your trust and safety in your lanyard. always use your lanyard when not ascendind or descending. ok take at least 150 ft of rope which will allow climbing about 70 ft. (it not like repelling which is a blast also). attach a free snapping caribiner 3ftfrom end using a clove hitch. climb and wrap rope around tree in a good v branch, snap rope to your belt, take loose rope (3ft) and tie a blakes hitch to the rope going to the ground and thats how you desend remember always have a freind that can support your weight in case you can't remember how to tie a blakes hitch and only climb half the distance of your rope. i recommend 10 to 15 ft and all this only after climbing 5 ft about a dozen times. for knots google climbing knots and try Grog's. Im starting my own business and its even harder cause all my equipment was provide before. Trust me, even a simple set up is pretty expensive. hope this helped:monkey:

 

[familytreeman]

climbin

Do you have your own trees to climb ? That way you are on your own property.
Buy a harness and a rope and learn how to use them.

 

[Bearcreek]

Learning from a pro is usually a great way to go, but not always. I worked for one company that did most of their work with a crane, including trimming. They had no idea what a split tail was, let alone a swabisch or vt. The climber still used a tautline hitch instead of a blakes. After i'd been climbing for a while I worked for an old guy that couldn't drop a tree to save his life. He had me standing on spikes 2 foot off the ground chunking pieces off when I could have easily dropped the tree 20 feet ago. Every chain he had was dull and he didn't sharpen them himself. The point is, get the professional training if you can but be smart about it.

 

[Tree Pig]

Learning from a pro is usually a great way to go, but not always. I worked for one company that did most of their work with a crane, including trimming. They had no idea what a split tail was, let alone a swabisch or vt. The climber still used a tautline hitch instead of a blakes. After i'd been climbing for a while I worked for an old guy that couldn't drop a tree to save his life. He had me standing on spikes 2 foot off the ground chunking pieces off when I could have easily dropped the tree 20 feet ago. Every chain he had was dull and he didn't sharpen them himself. The point is, get the professional training if you can but be smart about it.

Those guys that were teaching you probably taught themselves how to climb.