Kicked Out

Well, it finally happened. I have been climbing a beautiful Pin Oak since I finished Abe's class and got my gear about a year and a half ago. This tree is in a vacant grass lot next to an office building. It is about 60 feet tall, with the first limbs at about 30 feet. It has the perfect structure for climbing: good height, broad thick limbs, & nice branch crotches to sit in. The branches actually formed a 'seat' at the top that you could sit in. I had never asked permission to climb this tree, only because I never knew who to ask. I igured I'd just climb it and see what happened. All was well until yesterday when I was preparing to go up. I had my rope hanging from a false crotch that I had attached a micro pulley to. I was excited to use the pulley to see what a difference it made. I could tell it was sweet as I pulled the rope down and the pulley made it effortless. Just then I heard some footsteps behind me. Hoping it was a curious bystander from the street, I turned around. Turned out it was an older man in a suit who informed me that he owned the property. I asked his permission to climb and he put the kaibash on me. I asked if he was worried about a lawsuit, to which he replied yes. I asked him if he would allow it if I had my lawyer (like I even have one) write up a waiver, but he still said no. He said his lawyer would never let him give me permission. He asked why I would want to climb that tree. I told him 'for fun', using proven arborists techniques. I tiod him I was fully trained and that no harm would come to me or the tree. Somehow I was hoping he would suddenly say 'Oh, well why didn't you say so?', and give me full rights to climb at my leisure. It didn't happen. So, he was pretty nice, wished me luck and safety on the next tree. I packed up my stuff and left. A sad day indeed. I didn't bother to tell him that I had been climbing it for the past year. Ha!

Another reason why people are against it is because they don't understand it. Why can you play football in the park, but not climb a tree. I don't think anyone will disagree that you could get very hurt, paralyzed or even killed playing a pick-up game of football. It's the same risk....it's just that football is accepted by our society.

A great solution would be to start a club, make a real deal out of it...newspaper articles, the whole shabang! That way when people see you, they know what's going on.

Remember "To Kill a Mockingbird." Ignorance breeds prejudism.

love
nick

Tree climbing has a long way to go before most people understand what we are doing. I witnessed rock climbing come of its own in the Rocky Mountain National Park where it used to be illegal to climb (back in the early 60’s). It was a rite of passage for climbers to get busted. I would like to entertain the notion that we do not have to follow the path of rock climbers but I would not be surprised if getting busted will be part of getting tree climbing legal in the “power’s that be” eyes are concerned. The truth of the matter is, the more people that climb, the more attention will be placed on tree climbing. There will be debates by many to let people climb in our public parks. I predict it will take a couple of decades more for folks to climb legally in our parks. The government moves very slowly when it comes to new things.

Get a club up and let tree climbing be known? Our little club in Atlanta is 20 years old now. TCI can make your head spin with all the national and international publicity we have gotten. But even here in Atlanta lots of folks have not heard the news about recreational tree climbing with a rope and harness. I was told by a marketing specialist that it takes from 15-25 years to bring a new idea to the mainstream consciousness. It may take longer unless tree climbing finds someone with a lot of money to market the concept professionally- like what was done with snow boards, motorcycles, etc.

I have been thrown out of many trees and will no doubt be thrown out of many more trees. When a cop tells me to get out, I get out and climb elsewhere. I do not argue. What is the point when he has the authority to kick me out but does not have the authority to give me permission?

Getting permission? Sometimes I am successful but often not. Getting permission from a government body is especially difficult because no one wants to take the responsibility. I get better results from dealing with a private land owner. I usually end up taking up the land owner with me as a price to climb- which is always enjoyable. Summer camps are a good bet too. Forget the college campus for now. You need too many heads to nod before you can proceed with their favor. National forests are currently a good bet too- at the local ranger’s discretion.

If you are a law abiding citizen, I suggest you climb on your own trees first or maybe a friends trees. If you are a pioneer with a streak of outlaw you can’t ignore, the sky is the limit. If you get caught be courteous and they will probably forgive your harmless adventure as long as you come down immediately and promise you won’t climb there again. Be a jerk and you could face charges of trespassing to start with.