- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
Today I got a note from my brother who told me that a ground is on his team made his first climb today. Markers keep popping up for me that have links in my career.
What I realized is that this guy is fourth generation climber. So many changes from how my teacher Marc used. Since he was a lineman for Bell System his gear and techniques approached trees a spokes with leaves. When it came time for me to do my first climb Marc gave me his saddle and spurs. He’d taken a Econ’s strap to make a lineman’s saddle into a butt strap saddle. Never us d a climbing rope except for long limb walks or being lowered out of a tree. That was a belay not a closed working DdRT system either. He’d coached me a little about spur climbing. My first climb was more badgering than coaching. The ten inch Siberian elm came down in pieces. I must have done well enough because Marv had me climb more and more. A college classmate worked for a company doing DED removals. He taught me DdRT using Manila rope
Fast forward to around ‘82 or so. My brother Jim had been doing groundie work for a long time. I asked if he wanted to climb, he did. The climbing and in tree stuff would be easy for him. He was a dang good gymnast in high school. His first tree was a willow removal in my front yard. Spikes on and up he goes. Jim did fine! He was in a closed system the whole time. Arborplex or Safety Blue 12 strand by then.
Jim facilitating Mark’s climb makes Four! Jim had him setup SRT with a Uni. He talked about a Pantin but I don’t know if he used a knee ascnder too.
Quite a timeline for 45 years!
What I realized is that this guy is fourth generation climber. So many changes from how my teacher Marc used. Since he was a lineman for Bell System his gear and techniques approached trees a spokes with leaves. When it came time for me to do my first climb Marc gave me his saddle and spurs. He’d taken a Econ’s strap to make a lineman’s saddle into a butt strap saddle. Never us d a climbing rope except for long limb walks or being lowered out of a tree. That was a belay not a closed working DdRT system either. He’d coached me a little about spur climbing. My first climb was more badgering than coaching. The ten inch Siberian elm came down in pieces. I must have done well enough because Marv had me climb more and more. A college classmate worked for a company doing DED removals. He taught me DdRT using Manila rope
Fast forward to around ‘82 or so. My brother Jim had been doing groundie work for a long time. I asked if he wanted to climb, he did. The climbing and in tree stuff would be easy for him. He was a dang good gymnast in high school. His first tree was a willow removal in my front yard. Spikes on and up he goes. Jim did fine! He was in a closed system the whole time. Arborplex or Safety Blue 12 strand by then.
Jim facilitating Mark’s climb makes Four! Jim had him setup SRT with a Uni. He talked about a Pantin but I don’t know if he used a knee ascnder too.
Quite a timeline for 45 years!
