Fear of heights

[forestboy1978]

Like most people I'm not particularly scared of heights, it's more hitting the ground at high speed that bothers me. 

 

Anyhow, I have worked at height at times in my life. Wasn't pleasant but over time I got used to it and thought not much about it. In the past it's taken me a month ish to acclimate and not be crapping myself the entire time. 

 

So, in 2 weeks I'm doing climbing and aerial rescue and using a chainsaw in a tree and aerial pruning. It's been maybe 5-10 years since I've been above 30 ish feet and I will be working at 36ft up a tree. 

 

Anyone got any pointers on how I quickly get to that relaxed phase you get into once you've been up high for a reasonable time? Don't want to thinking about the height, but learning and absorbing info while i'm up there if you know what I mean.

 

Ta

 

[Dbikeguy]

Get yourself to a rock climbing centre, most have auto belays so you can go alone. will help desensitise you to being at height and it’s easy enough to go a couple of times a week. failing that find some recreational tree climbers to go try things

[forestboy1978]

That is very good info. I will look first thing in the morning for somewhere I can go tomorrow. Will feedback on how it went

 

[Rich Rule]

Trust your gear.  Concentrate on the task and not where you are doing it.  It can be the same going out in a limb at 15 foot or 50 depending on rope angle of course.  Get as high an anchor point as possible it makes life a lot easier.

 

have fun.

[Steve Bullman]

It was once pointed out to me years ago by the guy who taught me to climb, how effortlessy and confidently i would clamber around small 12ft fruit trees with no harness doing minor pruning works.  Thats the frame of mind you need to adopt at any level.  It is literally all in the mind.  Of course when you're 70ft up you're roped in, or should be, but the principle is the same.

Like Rich said, trust your gear, and imagine you're just a few feet off the ground.  That one piece of advice transformed how I perceived the risks.

[Rough Hewn]

Ten days ago I got asked for a second interview for the council.
I don't climb, they wanted to know if I could.
So...
8.30 am and I have to climb 30 feet up an oak then move about the branches.
Honestly for the first few minutes I was sh**ing myself nearly.
Then we spent half an hour chatting and moving around the tree, before being offered the job [emoji106][emoji3]
Best interview ever!
Spent the last week staring at trees looking for anchor points, and bothering the climber, (what's that for?...)
Trusting your harness does take a bit of getting used to.
[emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

[eggsarascal]

I've got terrible with heights as I've got older. I used to work for a company that did the maintenance on Dartford crossing, never bothered me putting a harness on and getting over the side. Now when I go over the local river crossing in motor (Orwell bridge) I always stay in the outside lane, to stay away from the edge!

[MattyF]

Healthy fear of heights is good , trust in your gear is better.
I would go and find the tallest tree you can climb it and have a move around then actually working in a 35fter will seem a breeze.

[Stevie777]

Start with standing upright and falling on your face/back. Next, do the same thing from the kerb. Increase this process in 6" increments. Once you break some ribs, a nose, Skull, stop what you are doing and take a measurement. That's the maximum height god intended for you to climb. Do not go any higher without wings. ?

[Vespasian]

10 hours ago, forestboy1978 said:

That is very good info. I will look first thing in the morning for somewhere I can go tomorrow. Will feedback on how it went

 

I was gonna say, find a tree and climb it to get used to being in one.  get to a safe point and and hang about for half hr..

 

You might want to do some metal arithmetic why your up there, get your mind working on two problems at once, staying safe and working what to do next..how to work on a problems an all that..