Am I the only one who gets this scared?

rope-a-dope said:
I spent a solid 20 minutes throwing from my spikes today into a tree next to my skinny tall dead pine. I thought it would be fine to just climb it then realized how much it was moving and how high I would have to go up to pop the top out and how little I wanted to be tied in up there. I was cussing up a storm! But I love to Spread the Load! The more support the better, especially for those pucker situations.:llorando:
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Did you end up backing it up? If so, how did you do it?
Sounds scary. But also sounds like you worked through it. Props.

I meant to get a climb in this past few days but I really, really buggered up my back. I was even at the cabin, staring up at my least favourite trees (poplar) and had all day to conquer my fear of this tree. But if aaaanything would happen I wouldn't have had the strength (or be in too much pain) to rectify it. Not sure what I did to my back but I'm grounded until it's better...




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Sorry to hear your back is hurting. That's no fun at all.

The pine was backed up withmy climb line once I got it in the next tree! It was actually a pretty crappy tie in, over some small stuff but I knew I only needed it for a little stabilization and load sharing as I spiked up the rest of the tree and back down. In many situations two crappy supports can make a good climb. Spread your load!
 
I climbed today, first time in a while. Can't really report too much since we just braced some cedars, I pruned a basswood (bomber tie-in, that one was fun) and braced an ash. I switched out of the ash late in the game but not due to nerves. Although earlier in my climbing it definitely would have been. I tried focusing on things you guys said, today.

Oh, and my foreman read this thread. We had 'no pressure' climbing. What a revelation.


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Climbed a baby popular today for a removal. Little guy was about 40' max. Tied in at about 3'' in dia. It was tangled in a service drop a bit and I was working solo, so i needed that "high" tie in to get it out of the wires. Had to push my self to get that tie in as hate the skinny stuff. But once I did and I could sit back in my saddle, I felt at home.
 
Anyone else use the foreaem guideline for tie in? With trees I feel are bit stronger wooded I go about wrist/forearm size crotches or wood. Wrist size if I'm going thru a crotch, thats a little small for cinch anchors sometimes.
And then I go bigger from there. Some maples, ash trees, Linden's, and poplar are ones I'll go like around bicep or larger sized.
I know that's vague since we're all different and I'm like Bruce Lee cut (that's how I say I'm not a big dude....) But I've always thought that was reasonably solid guideline.
Either that km real gullable
 
96coal449 said:
Climbed a baby popular today for a removal. Little guy was about 40' max. Tied in at about 3'' in dia. It was tangled in a service drop a bit and I was working solo, so i needed that "high" tie in to get it out of the wires. Had to push my self to get that tie in as hate the skinny stuff. But once I did and I could sit back in my saddle, I felt at home.
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That's very similar to what I did today. I tied into a live one and took down 2 very dead ones right next to it. It was my first time being on something that dead, it was a real learning experience. I was surprised how much strength it had. Also the big pieces down want to hinge very well.

I felt nervous, but we're trying this new thing at work where we don't pressure the climber, I think that's a huge part of my most recent progress. That poplar I tied into was maybe 3"dia where my srt line went up and over the crotch.

After that we went back to the cabin and I rec climbed for the first time. Another poplar (my favourite [emoji107]), about 50-60' tall. I was tied into roughly the same size as the other one. That was probably one of my funnest climbs ever. I got nervous halfway up but kept going and didn't regret it when I got to the top. I'm using a lot of advice from this forum, so thanks again, guys, for all your input.

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Pardon the lack of saw pants and boots, that was the rec climb. Oh, and that's a genuine smile, I wasn't smiling for the camera.
 
That's awesome Mel! The more you climb the more natural you will feel about it. I discuss to myself in my head every move I make. Before making a cut I tell myself "climbing line/rigging line, and flip line clear."
"Keep an eye on that hanger", as I advance towards it. Things like that. It's become second nature.
 
96coal449 said:
That's awesome Mel! The more you climb the more natural you will feel about it. I discuss to myself in my head every move I make. Before making a cut I tell myself "climbing line/rigging line, and flip line clear."
"Keep an eye on that hanger", as I advance towards it. Things like that. It's become second nature.
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I haven't posted in a while, I just want to give an update for anyone who has read the thread in hopes of becoming less scared themselves. I'd say the biggest game changer was a shift in mentality, even before you leave the ground. I have alot less pressure on me by my foreman which makes for a more fluid and careful climb. I don't feel like I'm being pushed to advance anymore, it's just happening by itself and at my pace. You guys were right, you can't climb for anyone but yourself.

General Time in Tree helped alot obviously. I've probably doubled the amount of climbs I've done since I last posted and I feel that, that Mel compared to this Mel are two completely different climbers. I still get scared, but I am able to narrow down why and I'm never too proud to come out of the tree.

A trick the guys on here taught me was to fishpole the anchor side of your SRT line. I did this aloooot until I became more comfortable, and I'd say it was a very neat, easy trick that gave me that extra piece of mind. I saw that I completed alot of removals that I otherwise would have have been too nervous to do. That, in turn, gave me great experience. I got to know the trees alot more and that would then help me for the next challenge.

Another tip that I used often was to climb straight to you TIP, no matter what the job, and inspect it. That piece of mind would then stay with me for the duration of the climb, and I wouldn't ever worry about it again.

Those are just a few tricks, but I'd say I used all the ones the guys on here suggested. Great community...I'm not out of the woods yet, but I am way better off than I was even 1-2 months ago.

I owe alot to this forum, and the people in it. Thanks guys.
 
One of the things I've found can be good for nerves is to pop in your headphones and put on some good tunes. Obviously when it comes rigging time, etc. you need to be able to communicate with ground guys, but as far as work positioning, climbing, etc., I have found it a useful way to calm down, relax, and stay focused.
 
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evo said:
My Yale 5/8 steel core flip line has a snap that looks just like that. I inspected the crap out of it because it looked odd, never knew it was a over load.
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Thanks for mentioning this fact. That's a selling point going to waste, not being used by Yale.

Tim
 
I am fairly new to climbing as well, but I have come to enjoy it very much. At times it can be brutally terrifying, but I do trust the gear I'm using. I live in Florida, so the biggest trees we really have are 50' - 60'. There scariest things I really have to do is some of the really tall Palms, you can't spike them as for hurting the tree unless its a removal, so we use an extension ladder as high as it will go, and honestly the scariest part is going up the ladder in fear of it sliding off the tree. Once at the top though, I usually ratchet strap the ladder to the tree, throw my flip line around, stand on top of ladder and lean back and with a power pruner take the fronds off hanging at 10 and 2.... Now at least in a typical tree there are branches to hit or possibly grab if you were for god sake fall... I stay tied in 100% of the time with either my flip line or safety line in a typical tree, but the palms are a little different. Literally, if you were to go down, its concrete, grass, cars, drive ways, roofs, etc.... with nothing but you and air. Pretty much the first things I ever started in were really, really, tall palm trees, which really helped me get over the fear of being in anything else.... I will say at times, the fear is just natural, to say there is no fear would be a lie, yes I have a little more confidence in my gear and self with certain situations, but to say your fearless is a hazard waiting to happen. If anyone has any suggestions by the way for palm trees, I'm all ears
 
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