How to be an Excellent Climber---from the Groundie

Re: How to be an Excellent Climber---from the Grou

Bump

After being at the PNW-ISA, and interacting with a lot of climbers, I was trying to remember the less represented ground crew.

Remember that during dismantling operations, the climber often has more time to physically rest, while performing lots of mental tasks and climbing/ rigging, while the ground crew has both physical and mental tasks to fill their time.

Sorta like when people are hiking. If the group gets spread out along the trail, and the first hikers stop to rest. By the time the last person shows up, the less strained, first hiker has had the maximum rest time, and the more taxed, last hiker has had the least.
 
#1455- Lead by example. It inspires confidence.
(especially if the climber is also the crew leader/foreman-which is often the case where i work)

When I started on the ground, the climbers/aerial lift guys who impressed me the most were the ones who weren't afraid to do things like: come help me drag and chip when they came down if i got dumped on. (they also SHOWED me {groundman has to be paying attention for this to work}, and maybe explained a little after the task was done, the more efficient ways to do things..instead of screaming, cursing, sarcasm...etc when i was in the middle of breaking my gonads struggling)

-Those were the guys I felt like I could storm the gates of hell with OR work with takin down a monster whatever-tree,over the house, in a small backyard littered with shrubs and ornaments, with a 4'wide gate, uphill 1/4 mile drag to the chipper...and so on...you get the idea

P.S. When ya get into a jam up there, don't lose your head. take a breath and work it out. (advice I give myself)
P.P.S. don't be shy about pickin up a rake every now and then
 
This may not help make an excellent climber but it feels logical in my book:
Chip brush first - save a few to push stubborn logs, but get the mess dealt with as fast as possible.
What good is throwing away your box space on logs when the job isn't done?
Even if the box fills before you've cleaned up, if need be, a neat pile of logs might actually be negotiated a new home thus saving the chipper teeth, gas and hauling. Use a pickup rather than the dump for the rest. FREE WOOD. COME & GET SOME!
 
rope god i gave your nickname to a friend of mine and my rope man in memphis. he is 56 years old and smooth as silk on a rope big stuff small stuff it doesn't matter, he makes a bad climber look good.
 
Re: How to be an Excellent Climber---from the Grou

[ QUOTE ]
Barn, I'm a Glock 29 type of guy. ;)

#90... stop trying to communicate wit me while the chipper is running full blast. It may be quiet where you are, but it's noisy as hell down here.

[/ QUOTE ] add to this standing near running bucket truck, I can see your lips moving ...
 
Re: How to be an Excellent Climber---from the Grou

make them say oh my gosh!!!thats to BIG!! THEN SAY LET IT RUN THE FASTER WE GET ON THE GROUND the faster i get on the ground to help !!!!
 
Re: How to be an Excellent Climber---from the Grou

when your in a bucket dont cut little 2 to 3 in pieces, an dont round out the whole tree with out lettin the guy in a couple of times to stay on top of the brush.... peace
 
Re: How to be an Excellent Climber---from the Grou

A good groundie is so important I have been bucked off of trees by a newbie not letting a top run. I just got back my groundman that I had for the last five years, its nice not to have to explain everything to him he knows how I work and I know how he works. Besides him letting that big old chinese elm branch slam into me in the bucket today!!! Had to many close calls with newbies.
 
Re: How to be an Excellent Climber---from the Grou

#4890 Pleases and thank yous out of the tree helps when requesting something, kinda takes the edge off. There is nothing like busting your butt trying to keep the ground clean and having some one barking orders out of the tree at you. The ground men are more likely to be responsive when treated with respect!

That used to bug the hell outta me....
 
[ QUOTE ]
#1455- Lead by example. It inspires confidence.
(especially if the climber is also the crew leader/foreman-which is often the case where i work)

When I started on the ground, the climbers/aerial lift guys who impressed me the most were the ones who weren't afraid to do things like: come help me drag and chip when they came down if i got dumped on. (they also SHOWED me {groundman has to be paying attention for this to work}, and maybe explained a little after the task was done, the more efficient ways to do things..instead of screaming, cursing, sarcasm...etc when i was in the middle of breaking my gonads struggling)

-Those were the guys I felt like I could storm the gates of hell with OR work with takin down a monster whatever-tree,over the house, in a small backyard littered with shrubs and ornaments, with a 4'wide gate, uphill 1/4 mile drag to the chipper...and so on...you get the idea

P.S. When ya get into a jam up there, don't lose your head. take a breath and work it out. (advice I give myself)
P.P.S. don't be shy about pickin up a rake every now and then

[/ QUOTE ]

Awesome advice to me, because I know I have very little patience sometimes with my groundies but I do care for their well being and I could do no tree work without them. So I pay them top dollar and can be apologetic when I screw up. They can also see things that I can't so I need to respect this always.Their input carries a lot of weight.
 
Re: How to be an Excellent Climber---from the Grou

[ QUOTE ]
I'll do that if I know I'll be refueling. If I can get the tree down on one tank then I'll minimize the running time of the saw. Nothing more frustrating then being down to the last cut and running out.

It is usually better if the groundies aren't seen by the clients sitting around too much.

[/ QUOTE ]

So very true bro hate refueling for one cut makes me feel like screaming. Love a prune job on one tank.
 
Re: How to be an Excellent Climber---from the Grou

I always help as much as i can when i come down as long as my groundman didnt stand back and do nothing while i was in the tree ( ive had a few lazy groundmen). I guess im saying value a good groundman. Nothings better than having a second set of eyes around power lines. Im constantly asking what my groundmen see because i like sleeping in my own bed. Heck im a groundman for them at times too.
 
Re: How to be an Excellent Climber---from the Grou

ASK me if the piece is OK :|. Don't tell me.

Do NOT bury me or we will be here forever cleaning up your mess.

Wait for MY thumbs up before you start the saw.
 
I don't mean to single you out, I'm just computer illiterate and this is the easiest way.
Don't forget most climbers started on the ground and can do it better than you. Once again, I'm trying to do a public post, not attack you personally. I'd love to stand on terra firma and watch someone else do it. What we're all forgetting is that there's good ground guys, lazy climbers who are just jerks cause they think the world should revolve around them, horrible ground guys who let stuff pile up until a climber comes down and wipes their butt for them. There's good guys and bad in any line of work My ground guy is the most important tool I use and vice versa. I think he's lazy sometimes and I'm sure he thinks I'm lazy sometimes. The most important thing is we care about each other's safety above all. We might cuss each other out, but when I get in that tree we have to be best friends, and yeah, it doesn't hurt to get pizza for the guys once a month.
Once again, I'm trying to do a public post, I apolagize If this went directly to someone, If it did could you please post it somehow? I'm just saying we have to look out for each other.
don't tell someone how to be an excellent climber if you can't climb. Alot more climbers can do ground work than ground guys can climb
 
A good climber should know all the work involved in being a good groundie, and treat them with the respect due. Ground work can sometimes require a great deal more work than the climber will experience. Just put yourself in their shoes. A good climber will have the job well planned, and clearly communicate the plan to the groundie so they are on the same page. I often communicate what is about to happen, AND what will happen two or three steps ahead before a cut. This helps each other anticipate actions, and creates a flow.
Also, it really helps to have hand signals for a variety of actions or equipment needed when things are LOUD! Neither the climber or groundie should ever get so involved in a task that they don't check in visually every few seconds. It helps to know how the other is progressing, or if they need help, or worse...if they are hurt.

RESPECT + COMMUNICATION = MORE FUN & SAFER PRODUCTION
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Kask Stihl NORTHEASTERN Arborists Wesspur TreeStuff.com Teufelberger Westminster X-Rigging Teufelberger
Back
Top Bottom