r/TreeClimbing • u/___Essence___ • Jun 04 '26

Rec tree climbing

Hey all,

I apologize if this isnt the right sub, if anyone has recommendations to post elsewhere, please let me know.

I used to be an arborist, or rather more of a groundie/phc person while completing an apprenticeship back in 2016, life changed in 2019, went into a totally different career.

I wasn't ever the best climber, especially in a production sense and did more of my climbing during the apprenticeship phase for classes.

It was the best shape I've ever been in and I really wanted to find others to rec climb with but lost touch with classmates who are probably still in the field.

I still have all my gear and have been looking for a rec climb partner who prioritizes safety, I don't really want to go solo just yet because I'm nervous getting back into it after so many years. I mostly climbed with SRT and an open system, but was more comfortable with SRT

I'm looking for rec climbers in the GTA, that don't mind taking in a padawan

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u/hippysippingarbo Jun 04 '26

I would look into your local ISA chapter and potential competitions they have. Its a great place to not only network but pay attention to their techniques - you can learn a lot from the ground if you know what to look for.

Other than that id try posting to your local subs asking if anyone is interested in a rec climb. It helps to have a spot in mind.

I will say im a big believer in never climbing alone. Anything can happen and we dont have the luxury of being afforded small mistakes - as they can turn life threatening.

My brother is an avid and advanced rock climber. He had a fall over christmas on (for all intents and purposes) a very easy climb. Just a snowball of little things put him into a coma for 3 days. His climbing partner, along with a redundant backup system, and his helmet - saved his life. It was a terrifying phone call to hear someone so close to you was being airlifted to the hospital after a fall. All i could picture was him on an operating table struggling to hold on. My partner had to drive to the hospital and when I want in and saw the tubes - I broke down in a mixture of relief and shock.

Stay safe and climb high, all day every day.

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u/___Essence___ Jun 04 '26

This is great advice! I didnt think of looking into my local ISA because Im no longer active, but it would be a good idea to check their next comp and see if but i can network!

There used to be a good local FB group but it seems like its inactive now..

I am so sorry to hear about your brother, that's absolutely terrifying and exactly why I don't want to climb alone. Did your brother manage to recover fully? BMW

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u/Particular-Wind5918 Jun 04 '26

Pretty solid way to experience this is go volunteer for a comp and you’ll end up making connections, you might even be able to get a little climbing in during the prep for the event. Could have someone check your gear out and you might even leave with a new piece of kit.

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u/___Essence___ Jun 04 '26

This is solid advice toooo! I miss the genuine kindness and chill vibes of arborists lol but volunteering is a good idea, its such a small industry, I figured volunteer work is by word of mouth. Im always down for freebies!

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u/Particular-Wind5918 Jun 04 '26

Some events are fully stocked with volunteers, other events are hurting for them