Ideas for climbing jobs unrelated to the trees?

TREEfool

TREEfool

Participating member
Location
Sioux Falls, SD
I am looking for ideas of jobs that require climbing but have nothing to do with arborist work. Although I would LOVE to get paid to climb trees all day and work outside in the elements I am hoping to find a climbing related job with more stability.

I have come up with the following:

Wind Turbine Maintenance
Tower Technician (working on cellphone towers)
High Rise Window Cleaner

I feel like there must be companies out there that do vertical and confined space work but I can't seem to locate any. Maybe I am not using the correct search criteria? Ideally I would love to find a career that requires problem solving in places where most men don't want to go. And since I was raised working on a farm I prefer hard work (meaning: cleaning windows doesnt really intrigue me). Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!
 
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Treehumper thanks for all of the links! I totally understand what you mean when you say climbing is a means to an end. I guess I am just really curious what jobs exist that allow me to use my current skillset along with my passion for climbing.

Oldoakman, ha! It is funny that you say that. I went to Paramedic school to become a high angle rescue man but after three years of crazy overnight shifts and seeing some of the stuff I see at work I just can't do it anymore. I am changing careers to leave the emergency medical services.
 
Foresty department research stuff, if Rich chimes in maybe he can explain what he does in some of his vids. I think he does that when he isn't landing big planes on tiny runways, lol.

Smoke jumper maybe

try Google for some other forums about working at height. Those guys 600ft up on towers are seriously demented, they have to be talking about it and sharing. You will fit right in Fluff.
 
Good topic. I'm actually looking into some different areas as well. As treehumper said, you need a skill to bring to the working heights. I may head back to school myself. That forestry department action sounds like a good gig. It will be interesting to see some ideas in different fields.
 
monkeylove said:
Now you did it Fluff, you pissed big Jon off, lol.
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Hahaha, I hope there was no offense taken! I frequently visit the Job Finder section of TreeBuzz and have noticed that most of the gentlemen are looking for an employer because "there is not enough work in the area" and that this fluctuates with the seasons. I assume the off-season in Minnesota is winter but that is my favorite time to be in the trees!
InTheTree said:
That forestry department action sounds like a good gig.
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Yes, Richard has the life! Getting paid to travel the world and climb trees, SIGN ME UP! Haha.
InTheTree said:
Good topic. I'm actually looking into some different areas as well. As treehumper said, you need a skill to bring to the working heights. I may head back to school myself.
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I dread the idea of going back to school! 5 years was plenty enough. By the time I was leaving medic school I could have slapped an old lady for looking at me wrong due to the insane levels of stress.
 
No offense at all, whenever I hear someone say that they would love to do something, I wonder why they don't just do it.
I grew up in MI, I know tree guys there do some snow plow in the winter or ski resort work, but I'm also sure there are plenty who work through, or up to a point. Must be the same in MN-Tom Dunlap, if you're reading, what does winter in MN offer a treeman?
 
InTheTree said:
Fluffy did you ever do high angle rescue, or was it gruesome grounded paramedic shift work?
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All of my paid work has been "gruesome" and "grounded" :LOL:

But I did some training at Rescue Resources' main facility and it was EPIC! I loved every minute of it. One day we were doing confined space training in the pouring rain and my cheek muscles were exhausted from the giant smile I had on my face all day. I also did some mock forest rescue missions in school where we completed two high angle rescues (rigging a z-pully and anchors) deep in the forest. I highly recommend the job if you can handle blood and working 24hrs straight.
 
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Here is a picture from the RR website. SO AWESOME!
P1030035-1000x550.jpg


JontreeHI said:
No offense at all, whenever I hear someone say that they would love to do something, I wonder why they don't just do it.
I grew up in MI, I know tree guys there do some snow plow in the winter or ski resort work, but I'm also sure there are plenty who work through, or up to a point. Must be the same in MN-Tom Dunlap, if you're reading, what does winter in MN offer a treeman?
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Cervi recommended hanging Christmas lights, that is a darn good idea! I am definitely interested to hear what Tom's tricks are to keep busy during the frigid months.
 
Ok, I'll chime in, I have had many many jobs in my life and one main stay. I find so many things very interesting and get involved and that usually ends up in some form a work.
I will say when it comes to earning money, follow your heart and your passion, not your wallet!
When I was young all I did is climb trees, one day I saw a plane fly overhead and wanted to get higher than that doug fir would allow. Lucky, I never had to make a career decisions, I knew when I was 10. It did not know there was such a thing as an arborist then or I may not have noticed the airplane but I'm sure that I would have enjoyed a life long journey of being an arborist.
I think being a good arborist is just like that, you just do it because you love it, screw the security! (Besides, I would say if you are passionate about something you will be good at it and if you are good at it, you will have stability. The weather, competition and economics will not change that.)
Now back to my laboratory, I'm designing a new rescue dummy to practice on, besides my dummy self and I have more work to do on the RR hump, and SAKA and throw bags, need to get some more Drums made and....and..........fluffy, you are worried about security? I'm just playing and I'm too busy!
 
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