How to be an excellent climber

[Steve Bullman]

Ok, what we're looking for here is a kind of guidline, what an employer, or a groundsman might be looking for out of their climber. lets see what we can come up with and compile a list...i'll go first...

 

1. A climber should discuss their plan of action before entering the tree, letting the groundy know exactly what he'll be requiring and agreeing on any signals/comms, and should also be receptive to any suggestions made by the groundstaff if it leads to a more efficient overall procedure.

[tockmal]

For me the best climbers are the people who find the best work position to carry out their work. The rope and harness are just a means to get us into that optimum work position where we are making the correct cut, tieing a sling on, pulling up a piece of equipment etc without putting ourselves under unnecessary stress or strain.

 

Finding the optimum work position is what a good climber does best. Bad climbers fail to find good work positions, they fail to carry out their work properly and they fail to work in an efficient manner with optimum control

 

A good climber never rushes about the tree like a headless chicken, if climbers do this, then it is either a sure sign that they are uncomfortable with treeclimbing and want to get out of the tree ASAP or their employer has seriously underbid the job, or their employer is just plain greedy.

 

I have a lot more thoughts on this but I'll leave it at that for now.

[RPA]

A good climber should put safety and an understanding of what/why they are doing something ahead of how quickly they can do it.

[TimR]

.

 

or their employer are just plain greedy.

 

roflmfao never known one of them

 

i think a good climber is ( includes above points) but one who realises that in 90% of jobs they have the easy part and instead of making it harder for the groundies by making a huge pile of brush at the bottom give their team a chance to clean as you go if possible and when you get down and you stowed your gear instead of watching them hump & dump you muck in also .

[treediver]

A good climber should have had already have spent time (a long time! ) working as ground crew so they have a much better understanding from the prospective 'down there'.

[tockmal]

i think a good climber is one who realises that in 90% of jobs they have the easy part

 

I disagree TimR, we're at the sharp end, the groundies are on terra firma.

[jpbeaver]

a good climber should know the time and place to use different techniques. i know a climber that wanted to speedline EVERY tree.

[RPA]

I disagree TimR, we're at the sharp end, the groundies are on terra firma.

 

Would rather be at the sharp end than on the shite end. Think the point is that a climber should not make it harder for the groundies than he has to. Your part of a team and if you p-off one part of that team then it will never work well together

[bob]

I disagree TimR, we're at the sharp end, the groundies are on terra firma.

 

totaly disagree if a climber makes a mistake he can get hurt true but thats his fault most of a climber mistakes can lead to a groundie either getting hurt or working harder than he should have to

 

The BEST climbers most important assett is his groundsman and TRUST is imperative give a good climber a team of crap groundies and he will look and perform crap yet good groundies can help a reasonable climber perform well and look good

[treediver]

A good climber must understands he/she is the most hated person on the team, possibly the planet.. and so has to be nice to all those whingeing moaning hard done by groundies......