Climbing trees in the rain: Dangerous, or just unpleasant?

[Ty Korrigan]

I have a climber who travels from the far West of Brittany and stays for 2-3 day stints.

He is motivated not just by my wife's cooking, the rate I pay and the crack of working with a witty fellow like me but by the number of dry days we get East of Rennes. The official statistics show half the rainfall amount, fewer days of precipitation with more hours of sun.

Brest is a seriously damp city compared to Rennes. 

     Stuart

[richyrich]

43 minutes ago, Dee MacThomas said:

Is that the case with all trees, regardless of the thickness of their bark? I wonder if there could be a big Douglas Fir tree or a Chestnut that you could safely dig spikes into.

 

EIther way, I take your point.

In North America they use them on conifers- they prob got thick bark. Not good practice on trees in UK...

[oldwoodcutter]

Once you’re 20 feet off the ground, and the customers gone back in his house ,get the spikes sent up

 

[MattyF]

I'll only call off jobs if it's gonna damage lawns or if the vehicles are going to sink in Feild's... I quite enjoy climbing in the rain.... probably for the same demented sadomasochistic reasons I still enjoy this job though.

[Dee MacThomas]

10 hours ago, oldwoodcutter said:

Once you’re 20 feet off the ground, and the customers gone back in his house ,get the spikes sent up

 

That's the spirit. And then you get the call back next year to deal with the damaged bark and disease.

[Dee MacThomas]

35 minutes ago, MattyF said:

I'll only call off jobs if it's gonna damage lawns or if the vehicles are going to sink in Feild's... I quite enjoy climbing in the rain.... probably for the same demented sadomasochistic reasons I still enjoy this job though.

Do you use spikes to climb trees in the rain, then? Or do you have other ways of climbing in the rain without spikes?

 

I'd like to be out in all weathers, but not necessarily if it's damaging the trees.

[Dbikeguy]

Rescheduled a handful of jobs, reductions in the rain on certain species are horrible, slow and just no fun. Moved another couple due to water logged gardens and the fact the clean up would be a nightmare (think needing to jet wash mud off paths and driveway) and a couple for silly high winds (turning a cut and chuck job into needing rigging)
Customers don’t mind when you explain things. If they kick off they can happily go elsewhere as they will be the annoying ones during and after the job too

[richyrich]

2 hours ago, Dee MacThomas said:

Do you use spikes to climb trees in the rain, then? Or do you have other ways of climbing in the rain without spikes?

 

I'd like to be out in all weathers, but not necessarily if it's damaging the trees.

Spikes help with climbing some trees, not necessary on others. Problem with working in rain- all gear gets p!$$ wet through. I used to work all weathers-  now i don't bother..

Edited September 19, 2021 by richyrich

[Khriss]

14 hours ago, Dee MacThomas said:

They may have had a legitimate excuse, then, if spikes are not standard kit for climbing arborists.

They are in yr kit loadout, but not for retained trees. Have climbed in the rain, often get up in crown then it starts raining.... But then it will depend on yrself what you decide next or if there is a better / safer job to do as an option. Hard to call, really. K

Edited September 19, 2021 by Khriss
( my hard limit is - if my fingers are too cold to open/close carabiners - out of the tree)

[MattyF]

Do you use spikes to climb trees in the rain, then? Or do you have other ways of climbing in the rain without spikes?
 
I'd like to be out in all weathers, but not necessarily if it's damaging the trees.

No ... not unless dismantling ,any large trees are climbed SRT and use a hook to get to places that are difficult , I'm not buying you need spikes to prune trees in the wet !