Feel like training a nube?

I have climbed trees a couple of times - and I have gear. I also have trees. What I don't have (yet) is my books. And I don't think I am going to have them for a while.

Being the impatient sort who wants to start a hobby, I was wondering about the feasability of learning from instruction? I was a rock climber until I moved to a place that has no rock (I swear, there is nothing in our zone) so I understand about being careful - and I will always have "ground crew". It is a luxury I have from having so many workers.

I am particularly interested in DRT since it is used for low trees and seems to be good for moving around.

Feel like helping me learn? Trust me, it will be slow, it will be low, and I will never do something I don't understand.

If people think this is nuts - let me know that too.

Fred, I certainly do regret that I was not able to visit you when I was in San Jose. I have thought of that several times since my stay there in January-February. What particularly came to my mind has been that you earlier had said that you had no instruction in tree climbing. Although I am not a "certified" instructor, I certainly am competent enough that I could show you what you need to know to climb DdRT well and safely.

As for your studying climbing as a "correspondence course," I'm sure that you have enough smarts that you could pull it off. Now, if you had a ham radio license, you and I could chat over the air, free, for long periods and discuss climbing!

Maybe you should take a trip "next door" to Panama and visit Joe for some training while he’s there.

If you do attempt to do this long distance, someone who both knows the ropes and who can write well might be of sufficient assistance to you.

For me, though, it was invaluable having J~Bird (then, "kernsloth") talk me through getting used to the feel of the Blake's hitch. He had me play with it low and slow several times before I got far enough off the ground to be able do any real damage to myself.

There was a lot after that, of course, but those first minutes, and that first climb, were very important.

BTW, I'd suggest that you get a bit of training from some Ticos, but if you run across those who operate like the crew I saw in the Montes de Oca area of San Jose, heaven help you. (Also, don't ever let those hombres trim your trees: Topping seems to be their only method.)

Fred, best luck in gaining proficiency with DdRT. I sure wish I were there to assist you . . . for many reasons!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you have--you have my e-mail address.

Hi Jim,

Yes, that would have been great but I figured the stars just didn't align for you.

Much of what I need is clarification - there is so much information available on the Internet - if you just know where to search. For example, is a Blake's hitch the foundation of a DdRT system?

There was a thread of the basic equipment - what would be nice is to have a thread on the basic skills that are needed.

So, perhaps a drill would be tying off a Blakes hitch, go up, then attach a double 8 and descend?

I like to nail down techniques that I will need up in the leaves, and then just work them until they are automatic. I really don't want to forget how to do something 20 feet up!

Buy the Tree Climbers Companion by Jeff Jepson and read it in its entirety a couple of times. It will make you more confident and be more secure than just guessing what to do next.
It also help ordering the right gear for the beginners DRT set up. If Peter Jenkins get his Training Video produced soon I will bet you it will be a great teaching tool for new climbers that do not have access to a nearby climbing school.

Hey Oldtimer, you going to volunteer to fly down with them? I'll pay for them for sure - but you are on your own on the flight.

This is one of the downsides of being here - shipping can be a bit difficult, so I wait until we travel to the states unless it is critical. Often the shipping is more than the cost of what I want!

So you learn to do other things - the book is already on order - but it is waiting till September during our trip up North.

Crtreedude I would like to help you learn in possibly a better way then most could hope for. I have thought many of times of doing vids. and I think now would be a good time to start. All you need to do is let me know what you would like to see and I can tape it, you watch is along with other new comers on this site and then practice yourself. I would just have to find out to things from Treeman or Patty Jenkins. One is can they have a way to put videos on the board and two is would it be ok for me to post these videos even though I am not a certified instructor.

That could be a pretty good thing! One thing that would be useful is to start with the basics - imagine looking at a tree. First of all - how do you get the rope up?

Okay - an example of flinging the rope up - (yes, I have the stuff for this) . Great - now you have the rope, okay, attach your climbing rope - fine. Now, how do you put a cambium saver up there?

Okay, the rope is up, how about setting up for the DRT? Tie the rope, show the accent.

I think the key is KISS - (not calling you stupid). As I read the forum, when a topic is introduced, it tends to get very technical - with lots of options - very quickly. This is great, and a lot of the purpose of the forum, but it is pretty confusing for those who are less experienced.

After a person has ascended, how do they get down? Easily, especially rapidly if they discover the tree is already occupied by something that doesn't like to share!

Okay, you are up in the tree - how about moving around? What do you need?

Perhaps this will give an idea where I need to start - which is very basic. I do know a lot from reading - but I don't have a clear concise picture yet.

Fred

Hi Fred,
I think you're going to find that many of the people who are qualified to teach you reluctant to do so in a public web forum. This is because of the fear that you, or someone else will go out and hurt themselves. There's a good chance that anyone who happens across this thread will read incorrectly or not understand. It's not rocket science but there are specific safety protocols and certain points of danger that can be missed. I think Oldtimer nailed it when he said get the Tree Climbers Companion first, read it through and through and ask questions in this forum. It doesn't matter if it costs you 10 times the normal price of what is essentially an inexpensive booklet. It is well worth it and you'll have spent very little money for what you're getting out of it.

I'm not trying to discourage you from climbing What you don't know can hurt you or others who get partial information by reading bits and pieces of instructions on the web.
-moss

Three years back when I was learning the basics of RTC I was frustrated because the regular TCI posters on this board were reluctant to tell me all the details and show me how to do it. ( Without getting paid). Soon I realized that that getting paid was not their main concern but that it was the safety of potential readers of the postings that prevented them from doing it. As time went by and I learned more by doing and attending the Rendezvous. I realized that most of the info was always there for me to read but that it would take time to locate it in the past postings and by reading other associated web sites and by just practicing every new concept or every new technique. I do not consider myself a great climber now but I am able to operate safely and now have done a couple of tree removals and several pruning jobs. Each one have been an opportunity to learn something, practice something and experience some close calls that demonstrated the importance of learning and reading, practice first slowly and at low elevation before getting frustrated with the Professional Trainers for not spilling their brains into these pages. After all, it is their business to train new climbers and hopefully get paid and make a living at it.

So, I would discourage the idea from anyone to make little vids and post them on this or any other site. There is too much risk associate in training someone far away and the evidence to use against you is there on the web for any good lawyer to take you to the cleaners for any potential mishaps that an inexperienced climber could suffer. My-2-cents.

Oldtimer,

I do believe you are correct - down here, we tend to believe you should be responsible for yourself - if you want to go ride a horse - then you know that the horse has a mind of its own.

Rock climbing is considered a dangerous sport - but you can learn it from books - but from others is a much better thing.

I need to find some local tree climbers - I know they are here somewhere!

moss,

I will just wait until September - the book is ordered. I can be patient - honest...!

Anticipation!

Can't we get an emergency air drop to get Tree Climbers Companion to you sooner? I will gladly pay for postage to get it to you just to make this happen or this more a matter of "there is no mail delivery to your location?"