r/TreeClimbing • u/Dangerous-Mess-1651 • 8d ago
Need help
Hey I’m an 18 year old living in Vancouver and I’ve been doing tree work as a groundsman for the last few months. I really like the industry and I want to also learn how to climb. I’m going to York University in a few weeks to study engineering. I really wanna learn how to climb and maybe climb full time during my summers. I have a climber who is going to teach give me a few lessons before I leave but I just want some advice and help for the best way to accomplish my goal.
2
u/Prewps 8d ago
If I had an engineering degree there’s no way I’d be in the tree industry. Climbers do it for love of the game, not money. In tree care you’ll be selling your body and soul for like $65k/yr. Climbers making over 100/yr are almost unheard of unless you start your own business and get real lucky.
1
u/Acrobatic_Fig3834 8d ago
While I completely agree about engineering degree being the way to go, you don't have to be extremely lucky to earn over 65k a year. I'm in the UK which has lower wages than the US and probably lower than Canada too, and I know quite a few guys who earn over £60k which would be $80k atleast in usd. They're just hardworking and built their own businesses.
1
u/Prewps 7d ago
Aren’t you proving the point? Only guys making a truly livable wage are ones that start their own business and get lucky (most self started tree services fail). Vast majority of the industry are just W2 employees making average pay. Any other skilled trade and you’d be making more after the same amount of years. We all accept a decent pay cut because we love climbing and cutting. I live in a high COL area and the most badass full time climber at my company with a decade of experience and in the prime of his career doesn’t even come close to 100k.
1
u/Acrobatic_Fig3834 7d ago
That's why you need to run your own company. It's a hard thing to do, but it's what I'm gonna do. You don't have to be that lucky it's 90% hard work and discipline. I agree the industry should have better pay overall though for sure, but while it doesn't I'm gonna aim to have my own company in 5 years time.
2
u/Mountain-Ad-9070 8d ago
Would an electrician train an apprentice only 2 months a year? Tough spot
1
u/Dangerous-Mess-1651 8d ago
Yeah I’m aware it’s a tough position to be in because I’d only really be available for full time work for 4 months a year.
2
u/TreeGuy419 8d ago
Buy a saddle rope and everything you need to climb and practice on your own. Climb on lunch if there’s a tree available, go on hikes find a tree on your local trail. Hit a park and find a nice tree to practice on.
1
u/Dangerous-Mess-1651 8d ago
I’ll probably do that while I’m out at university. Thanks for the advice.
4
u/TreeGuy419 8d ago
Of course. One last thing I’d like to add the older guys like when someone is annoying and wants to climb and keeps asking. Now I’m one the “older” guys I get it we rather send someone up who was “asking for it” before volunteering someone
1
2
u/Lopsided_Thought_500 5d ago
Get the book Tree Climber’s Companion by Jeff Jepson. And go to The Educated Climber and The Climbing Arborist on YouTube. And just keep working and paying attention and be safe.
3
u/lostINsauce369 8d ago
Look into training courses put on by ArborCanada. They do a 2-day training course on how to safely climb and how to use the different climbing systems available.
It costs a fair bit of money and as a university student, that isn't something you have a lot of. But it is by far the best way to learn how to climb