Judging the Validity of the Tie-In-Point Pull Test
There are probably as many reasons to climb as there are climbing arborists – the challenge, the excitement, the exercise, the new view each day. I contend that freedom is what we most desire. We climb so we can be free of the physical limits placed upon us by our earth-bound bodies. Free of the […]
The Sharp End of the Rope
Last year, “Top Gun: Maverick” graced theaters, and it took many of us back to the original movie and its storyline. The original movie was so motivating to folks in the ’80s that the Navy would post-up outside of movie theaters to recruit. We watched as pilots moved at breakneck speed, executing maneuvers that looked […]
Seven Important Questions to Ask When Buying Climbing Gear, Part 1
In an environment that already has inherent risks, it is important we use products that are reliable, safe and intended for tree care. This article aims to help you do that. Photo courtesy of Tim Bushnell.
Not Just Another “Nice Guy”: Dave Stice’s Journey to Living a Life on Rope
Every once in a while, you have the opportunity to meet someone you have long admired. For whatever reason, these meetings often are disappointing. But not always. I recently had the opportunity to meet Dave “Niceguydave” Stice at TCI EXPO ’22, and, fortunately, Stice was not at all disappointing. The “Niceguydave” moniker, by the way, […]
Joining the Tree Climbing Championship Community
Back in the late 1990s, I was a young man with a fresh degree in psychology looking for a career. I took a job dragging brush for a small tree care company, and my boss started teaching me to climb trees. In 1997, he took me to my first Midwestern Tree Climbing Championship (TCC), in […]