Groundsman or Climber?

[kinojango]

Hi All

 

Im 34 years old and a little over two years ago i had a change of career and headed over to tree surgery, something i have always wanted to do.

At present i only have have my CS30 and CS31.

So my dilemma is, in January im going to get a couple of more tickets but not sure which ones to go for.

My choices are to do my CS32 and 33 followed by CS34 or to do CS38 and CS39. Im hoping to get into the forestry side of things but im having great difficulty in getting a break.

Should i stay on the ground? am I to old to start a career as a climber?

 

Thanks, Lee

Edited January 2, 2010 by kinojango

[skyhuck]

If you have a natural aptitude to climbing, I would say you should pick up the basics in a few months and be competent fairly quickly and be pretty good within 12 months, so you will still be pretty young.

 

I knew one lad to whom climbing did not come naturally, I honestly thought he would never become a commercially viable climber, but after 5 years it all came together for him and he was pretty good, I was really surprised, until then I had thought you either had IT or didn't.

 

If you are the latter you may be a little long in the tooth.

 

Of cause it all depends on the kind of climbing you intend to to do, I am talking about being employed as a climber where you need to be "up to speed" so to speak.

 

If you are working for yourself or as the second climber for a small firm, being competent but quite slow can be absolutely fine.

[Andy Collins]

I started on the ground, and am still there, I get as much pleasure as anyone else out of the job. Its handy if you at least learn to climb as a 2nd climber/rescuer, so you have an understanding of what a regular climber needs. Get competent with a saw on the ground then see how you feel.

[Albedo]

Your'e not too old mate.

 

I started at 33 if that's any encouragement to you and I'm still going 16 years later.

 

I started grounding but was climbing after a few months as the boss had an injury so I had to get up the tree.

 

My first ten years was a bit on and off as I was overseas or in higher education, full time climbing the last 6 years, so I've done more climbing since I was 43 than when I was younger.

 

So maybe your'e too young and should wait 10 years or so before you get into it

[Robert_S]

As the rest of the replies mate go for it, you will never know unless you try and if it does not work out for you, stay on the ground, a good groundie is worth his weight in gold and can make the climbers job so much easier.

But you are never too old go for it as you are always better to regret the things you have done rather than the things you have not!!

 

Good luck.

[Rupe]

Get the climbing tickets so you can be a better groundie, and the fellign ones when you really need them, if at all, many people dont have 33.

 

Even if you don't become a climber as such, being rescue qualified will open up far many doors than fellign tickets will in the arb world, but if forestry is where you really want go then I guess fellign is better.

 

As far as age goes, I guess that is a problem for either industry but it depends on fitness more than age.

[dillsue]

Which tickets you do depends on what you want to do. If its forestry then do the CS32 and 34(medium trees and windblow) But if you want to do arb work then you are probably more employable with your CS38 and 39.

 

Regarding age, I'm 48 and did my CS38/39 last year and CS30-34 the year before so I wouldnt worry about being 34 as its fitness and aptitude that count more than age.

[Gnarlyoak]

Hey Kinojango,

 

I would definately go for CS38/39 as your next tickets. Climbing ability is about your desire, aptitude, fitness as much as any natural ability, but even if you decide to stay on the ground being able to perform an aerial rescue makes you a far more attractive prospective employee than some brash rat who can't!

 

As for your age, as Paulsbrash says "you are not too old". I started at 38 and eight years later I still love it and IMHO, I've worked with many lads younger than me who have climbed for longer and feel that I am as equally competent; confident and as productive as them. Of course I may ache abit more at the end of the day and sometimes feel the need to hit my bed before midnight if I have'nt already fallen asleep in front of the telly first.

 

But I know the following morning I am gagging to climb my next tree...... So go for it, you've nothing to lose and you just might like it.... at lot!!

[Mesterh]

As far as your question goes you aint too old.

 

If you wanna be a climber then train to be a climber, you aint got the years to think it out as a groundie.

 

A good climber imo does take a good 5 years, like prob in any industry.

[Recceboy]

I'm 32 in a few weeks, and just getting in to the business after a career change.

 

I've done my 30 and 31 and did my climbing and ariel rescue ticket as well last year. My aim is to be a climber. I wasn't sure how i would get on climbing so did the course anyway and you can judge from that if it's for you, if not then at least you hold a ticket for ariel rescue.