Indoor tree climbing gym

Hey Tom,
I work for an ACCT PVM (Association for Challenge Course Technology, Professional Vendor Member) and we build indoor structures climbing walls, ropes courses, zip lines, canopy tours, and outdoor pole structures all the time and we have a connection with an insurance company in Texas (Hibbs Haulmark). I will be going to the ACCT Conference in Boston in a couple of days....you could move scary quick. Would love to help out!

Donny Coffey, CTSP
 
Thx Donny!

Enjoy the ACCT Conference. I've been to a couple and those folks are a blast to be with!

This is Tinker Toys/Lincoln Logs/Erector Sets/Lego on a huge scale! Toss in a bit of Tarzan and Swiss Family Robinson for historical purposes too.
 
Tom,
I have used a 25'oak limb with the butt at the base of one tree and a friction saver about 30' up as a TIP then at the other end of the oak limb it is attached to another tree with a 5:1 MA and sling to adjust the angle for simulating limbwalking. I have used this to teach others so they need not make any mistakes at height "low and slow", also it lets you walk and instruct alongside them as well as jump up and demonstrate something you may be describing. I also have them walk on a slackline while one their climbing line.
I think you have a great Idea and I would be glad to help in any way possible, just keep in mind you are targeting a very small market on the local scale.
PM if you would like to talk in more detail
 
Hey Tom I was just Googling your exact title and it lead me here. Did you ever open one. The idea keeps rolling through my mind all the time.
 
Tom, I love the idea. If you start moving forward on this thing let me know. I would fly up there and volunteer for a couple weeks. I have a background in construction. I'm sure I could talk some other tree climbers into making the trip too.
 
I was thinking of something like this but for rehab. Work hardening for tree climbers. It's been one of the big challenges in my recovery.

Make sure an engineer checks out the structure. Don't need to find a really expensive problem after you pull the trigger.
 
Wow! New life for an old idea.

I wonder if that property is still for sale. If it is my guess is that it would be really cheap

As I'm typing I had another idea. A farm silo with a tree structure up he center, typical rock climbing gym setup on the inside walls and ice climbing on the outside during the winter. TheSt two have been done already I know

Would this be a "Tree of Dreams"? Build it and they will come...get Kevin Costner to come climb?!

If I could cash in on my good looks instead of relying on sweat and muscle the idea needs a business plan

It seems like this proposition would need to be near a larger population concentration than here in the Twin Cities
 
GibsonTreeCare said:
Limbwalkers had a tree, not sure if they still do.
Click to expand...
I think the tree is gone.

They also used to have a setup for an "end-less foot lock".
Rope went straight up to the ceiling (pulley?), then down & over to the wall, and attached to a port-A-wrap.
As the climber foot locked up, (read that SRT ascent ;-)), someone else lowered the rope slack around the porty. e.g. 150 ft !
 
Tom Dunlap said:
A farm silo with a tree structure up he center, typical rock climbing gym setup on the inside walls and ice climbing on the outside during the winter.
Click to expand...

You probably already know, but ...................
Years ago (beginning in the early 1980's) I did some work in Wichita, KS.
"The longer I stayed, the more hilly it looked". Not.

There were a couple clubs, that used the inside of really big grain silos for rock climbing practice.
 
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I used a Rig similar setup to make a "RopeMaster" for demonstrating this modified frog walker. It would be perfect for training or exercise in a gym type setting.



This video at 11:20 or so...
 
I wonder if open source tree buzz has the (financial) power to purchase property. How cool would that be? Sort of a physical headquarters for our digital home. I'm near broke but I'd sure chip in what I could.
 
Tom have you ever tried talking to vertical endeavors? They must have some insight to the climbing population in mn in general. And being as they are already in a warehouse may have extra space??
 
TC...yup...with this thread revival I thought of VE today.

I did a satellite view of the building in Martindale, TX, about 30 miles SE of Austin. In Google it looks like the roof has caved in on part of the building. In Mapquest it looks OK. Lots of ideas!
 
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