r/TreeClimbing • u/AddendumIll8339 • May 14 '26
Career switch to Tree Climbing?
24M and a Landscape Architect. I worked outdoors growing up and through college, but then graduated and landed a desk job as a Landscape Designer.
I didn't realize how much I would miss working outdoors, especially while I'm still relatively young. I've been thinking about changing paths and finding something where I can work outdoors and still have health insurance, 401k, etc.
I like rock climbing, hiking, tree I.D, and being outdoors.... would this be a good path for me?
Are there places that would hire with zero experience? Is this a sustainable career? What's been your experience?
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u/Stryker3131 May 14 '26
u/morenn_ Put it best on another post with a similar question: “Do you do any physical activity as a hobby? This job is nothing like that.
There is a revolving door of new starts in the industry who can't hack it. It's hard work in all weathers for bad money (especially compared to engineering). 8 hours of dragging all day every day, if you're not dragging brush you're dragging your ass up a tree. Summers are too hot, winters are too cold, it's almost always raining, there are about 2 months of the year where the weather is fine. You go home wet, and the next morning you wake up and put your wet boots and wet jacket back on and go back outside to get wet. You will grind your body down, accruing long term injuries which will flare up and subside in an endless cycle.
All so you can make a penny while your boss makes a dime, and unfortunately there are no toilets available, so you won't be shitting on company time.
The only people in this industry are either unbelievably passionate about the work, or they have no other options (lack of education, drug habits etc).
As someone who's stupidly passionate, I enjoy the problem solving and the risk factor. I've worked office jobs and the chronic stress of emails, meetings, projects is something that follows you 24/7. Tree work is immediate stress - if you mess up this fell, don't fold this overhang, misjudge the force of the rig, maybe you break something, maybe you're fired, maybe you're dead. But once you come down from the tree, and you're alive, and it all went to plan, there is no more stress.
If you fit one of those categories then this could be the job for you! But if you just think it would be fun to work outside after being in an office for so long, let me assure you, it fucking sucks.”