Throw away your spurs and ascenders

[gf beranek]

Easy now, Chris. Your post, and link, wasn't at all a bad or wrong one here. The link was, in fact, quite a natural one to post in any tree forum. I love to see all the latest developments in the arborist and recreational climbing circles. Even though I don't not agree on what some people say, or present, I still like to keep up with pulse of the industry. So don't feel like you stirred up a big debate here, and feel an apologize is due.

 

[chris_girard]

Thanks Jer, you're a man of reason, but I still think that you deserve more credit from the scientific community for what you have done. At least you can be sure that us working class arborists, treemen and loggers appreciate yours and others work.

Like I said, Chris Sharma seems like a cool dude and someone who would have made one hell of an arborist.

 

[MasterBlaster]

It's all good... and we all rock!

 

[kevin bingham]

You need to read some of the past threads regarding Steve Sillett, Butch. Refresh your memory on what Jerry and I are talking about.

Or not...no worries.

What threads? I remember reading a scientific study they did on giant redwoods to measure growth and I couldn't understand why they didn't just do those experiments on an average boxelder...

 

[gf beranek]

Rett Richardson, of Vacaville, free climbed to the top of Big Jack at Redwoods River Resort, near Leggett, in the same manner, under belay. But he did the climb without slipping and being caught by the belay. Truly a remarkable feat.

some of the Tree Houser's here know the tree very well. The first 175 feet of the climb was accomplished by shimming between the trunk of Big Jack and lesser neighboring tree. the rest of the climb was accomplished thru trunk hugging the bark of Big Jack and limb hopping to the top. over 230 feet. I kid you not. A true story. many witnesses there to the fact.

The neighboring tree that Rett used to make the feat possible fell in the winter of 2012. so the stunt can not be repeated today. shame.

 

[cory]

Is Rett a tree guy/arborist?

 

[gf beranek]

Rett is the proprietor of the Solano Shade Tree Service in Vacaville, California. Rock Climber extraordinary to boot. A slight lean built, religious, man. Maybe 5' 8" tall and 160 pounds. Pure mussel, confidence, and nerve of a climber.

 

[cory]

Impressive!

 

[cory]

His website shows he's a bright guy too.

 

[chris_girard]

Rett is the proprietor of the Solano Shade Tree Service in Vacaville, California. Rock Climber extraordinary to boot. A slight lean built, religious, man. Maybe 5' 8" tall and 160 pounds. Pure mussel, confidence, and nerve of a climber.

That was a cool story Jer. Truly incredible. I should have known that Chris Sharma's tree climb wasn't the first of its kind (on that scale).

Quick question, do you think that Chris' Free climb (not Free Solo) of the Redwood did a lot of damage to the bark on the lower trunk of the Big Redwood that he climbed? Looks like he stopped when he reached the lower dead branches and didn't follow the scientists up into the thin barked top, but I could be wrong.

 

[stig]

What does it matter if he "damaged" the lower bark?
It is too thick for him to cause any harm to the tree, it'll only be visual "damage".

 

[chris_girard]

I guess that's what I'm getting at Stig. When I posted my other thread about Chris Sharma climbing the Redwood trunk, that's ALL that I thought he was doing and I saw no big deal with anything that he was doing to the tree or bark, BUT you told me that you were not thrilled at all about his climbing trees?? Were you referring to him or the "scientists?"

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm confused, also.

 

[gf beranek]

Wear on the bark of a redwood, from a climber, shows up quite readily. Any bark that is ruffed up has a brighter rustic red tone to it. though in just a seasons time the color of the bark blends back in with the rest of the tree, and you will never noticed it again after that.

Now, in the wee tops of a giant redwood the bark on the young limbs is thin, and a climber who's not careful can tear it quite easily just by turning their boot on said tender limbs. Especially in the spring when the bark is loose. The sprouts of foliage clinging to the limbs in the wee tops are so tender also, and easily knocked off. Even a climber who is careful will knock off some foliage in the tops. Repeated entry into the tops of the giants eventually strips them bare of all the little nubbins of foliage. I know this because I've done it myself, and seen it. After realizing the damage I was causing I stopped going that high in the trees.

To measure the growth in the top of a redwood does not require climbing clean to the top of it anyway. Rising a 20 or 30 foot telescopic pole with a board camera on the end can record the rate of growth better, and with less impacts on the top.


It gets me every time I see those scientists trashing the tops of our champion trees, in the name of science.

 

[stig]

I guess that's what I'm getting at Stig. When I posted my other thread about Chris Sharma climbing the Redwood trunk, that's ALL that I thought he was doing and I saw no big deal with anything that he was doing to the tree or bark, BUT you told me that you were not thrilled at all about his climbing trees?? Were you referring to him or the "scientists?"

I didn't say I wasn't thrilled, I merely quoted Queen Victoria: " We are not amused"

I was referring to Sillett.....Sillett.............Sillett........!

That some fool thinks it is cool to free climb redwood trees and post videos of it doesn't ruffle my hair. I've climbed my share, though in all fairness I must say, I've spent more time in the Sequoias.Never got to climb any difficult Redwoods, which is kind of a joke on me, since I lived in Humboldt county for some years in the 80es. Had I only known Jerry back then...........................

But Steve Sillett sure does piss me off!

If you haven't done so already, read Preston's. " The wild trees".

Notice two things.
Sillett was the first and only to explore the canopy of the redwood forest, even though our buddy Jerry was there before Steve Sillett was even in kindergarden.

Second, even though Preston clearly hero worships Sillett in the biggest way, he can't keep him from coming off as a freakish caracter in the book.

That freak managed to land himself a professorship at HSU.

I've taught karate at Humboldt State University for years and had a pretty good opinion of it, but making Sillet a professor has altered that.

Chris, you just managed to step on an anthill ( Texas fire ants!!) that you probably didn't even know existed.

I suggest you use Sillett in the search function here, and get some background on why some of us has a somewhat strained relationship with the God of Redwoods.

You don't hang here so much, so it is quite logical that you are not aware of the feelings towards the scientist who thinks that anybody but himself climbing Redwoods will cause untold damage, but has his wedding in the top of one of the biggest ones, guests and all.

 

[gf beranek]

Stig, last year I did a search about Sillet's alleged wedding in the tree tops, but I could not find a single link, or image, about such an event. Other than hearsay do you know where I can find this information. Would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[stig]

It is too late now, but I read about it in " The wild trees"

Just for you, I'll reread that piece of shit tomorrow and find the quotes.

( Man, now I just hope I remember correctly)

 

[Jose A Ruiz]

They say ,the do not want people climbing with out a permit, so I imaging there are legitimate resources available for those that fallow the guidelines .

 

[gf beranek]

thank you, Stig. It will be good ammo for a rebuttal in the future.

 

[cory]

A wedding in a redwood? First I've heard of it and that does sound pretty messed up.

 

[chris_girard]

Chris, you just managed to step on an anthill ( Texas fire ants!!) that you probably didn't even know existed.

I suggest you use Sillett in the search function here, and get some background on why some of us has a somewhat strained relationship with the God of Redwoods.

You don't hang here so much, so it is quite logical that you are not aware of the feelings towards the scientist who thinks that anybody but himself climbing Redwoods will cause untold damage, but has his wedding in the top of one of the biggest ones, guests and all.

Oh stig, I am quite aware of how awesome Sillett thinks he is and I agree with you. This is what I said in one of my earlier posts on this thread:

"Burnham, I too agree with you, Jerry, Stig and others about Sillett and his bullshit about climbing the Redwoods. Hell, I can't even look at the cover of Preston's book The Wild Trees without getting pissed off at the guy for not giving proper credit to guys like Jerry and all their early studies of the Redwoods."

Yeah, I sure stepped on an ant hill and Preston does seem to worship Sillett, but Preston sure can write. I've read his books on Ebola virus and that's some really scary stuff. Preston has a way of bringing everyday life to his non-fiction characters...and he may have done too well of a job with Sillett

 

[stig]

 

[stig]

Jerry, I just finished speed reading " The wild trees"
Being able to speed read is one benefit I got from working as a proof reader at a newspaper to make money when I went to school. Sometimes it comes in handy

Page 220-221.

My scanner is out of order or I would have scanned the pages and sent them to you.

Maybe someone with a copy of " The wild trees" and a working scanner will help out?

Please...................?

 

[stig]

They say ,the do not want people climbing with out a permit, so I imaging there are legitimate resources available for those that fallow the guidelines .

And where would you get a permit for a rec climb?

I spent ½ year and countless of overseas phone calls and mails trying to line one up for the Sequoias, and finally decided that going ninja was the only opportunity.

 

[gf beranek]

In these matters it is better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.