new climber iso pnw mecca

[supertramp]

Hey guys,
Long time lurker here, learned a lot from yall. Love this industry. Im currently working for a tree care co on cape cod as a climbing "apprentice", whatever that means. Experience in the saddle since november with pruning for structure, deadwood, view clearance etc, just starting to get comfortable with removals in the last month.

Im contemplating a move to the pacific northwest ( northern cali, oregon or washington) in september, and im looking for some guidance re: good places for a rookie climber to find employment and learn more. Would like to have parks or wilderness areas nearby with backpacking/rock climbing/ mntn biking opportunities.

Think your area is pretty sick and could absorb another tree guy? Tell me about it please!

Thanks much!

 

[TreeVB]

If you want to learn a bit while in the PNW then you would want to be in Portland or Seattle. Heaps of good climbers and tons of work. Also fits the bill of being close to outdoorsy stuff. There are otherwise a few good outfits spread throughout the PNW, but for the most part, IMO, there are a lot of cowboys/hacks and fly by nighters. There is a lot to do in the PNW no matter where you choose so no worries there.

Cali is part of the western chapter and you must never go there! JK, I actually got my CTW in the western chapter.

 

[southsoundtree]

Olympia is a cool place

 

[TimBr]

@southsoundtree; Are you officially offering this guy a job tryout? Maybe he should contact you via PM for your contact information. @supertramp.

Tim

 

[supertramp]

Thanks for the tips, @TreeVB and @southsoundtree. Ill stear clear of the arbor cowboys. @TimBr i just read it as a plug for olympia which, from what ive heard, is pretty cool, but i could be wrong.

 

[evo]

Oly can be pretty cool. Wouldn't be a bad place to land. The larger cities are going through huge rent hikes and gentrification waves. Hearing stories from friends that rents are doubling, which has deep side affects. I'd like to think the higher cost of living here is offset by higher wages, and being somewhat insulation from larger economic fluxes.
However I've been questioning that lately. Good help is hard to find, but the better companies set the bar high. A good solid climber with a ISA cert and perhaps CDL can have a job within a week

 

[RyanCafferky]

Evo painted a pretty accurate picture. It is a great place to live and work but it certainly comes with a price. The cost of living here is high.

 

[supertramp]

Oly can be pretty cool. Wouldn't be a bad place to land. The larger cities are going through huge rent hikes and gentrification waves. Hearing stories from friends that rents are doubling, which has deep side affects. I'd like to think the higher cost of living here is offset by higher wages, and being somewhat insulation from larger economic fluxes.
However I've been questioning that lately. Good help is hard to find, but the better companies set the bar high. A good solid climber with a ISA cert and perhaps CDL can have a job within a week

I get that. The rent is crazy where im at now. Is the work seasonal or pretty steady year round in the oly area?

 

[evo]

4 seasons here, have to climb in the rain. Like 9 months of rain, and drying gear out. Rarely snows more than a day or two in the lowlands. Typically there is a winter slowdown mostly due to poor weather, storms change that quick. Best to save a little extra for the winter. Most crews will stay busy though

 

[southsoundtree]

I don't answer my phone for a lot of the summer. More work than I can do, year round, pretty much. Very minimal active advertisement.

I need good, SAFE tree workers, climber and/ or ground workers, currently.


Looking to use a grapple truck more and less chipping. F600 Chip truck and c n' chipper (hungry, not dangerous, just different, running it 10 years) are older, and on the list to replace, before or after a dump trailer. Also wanting an air Spade. Need more people to produce work though.

I have a 300 hour mini/ bmg, grcs, wraptor, SRT gear, lil 25 hp stumper with a 60 HP subcontractor, knuckle boom sub, crane sub.

2003 f350, 1992 f450 dually hauling rig.

Hungry Stihls.

Dismantles, tricky fells, pruning, orchard pruning in winter, cable/ brace work... Everything but topping and chemicals (pro phc service locally, which I pass along or sub contract).


Been cutting figured maple blocks yesterday from a stump.

Stacking oak lumber and burls, now. Making room for more wood. Interested, but minimal experience in specially woods... Looking to develop that side, too.

I know someone with a mill, needing operating space... Working on that.