Fun day cutting a broken top out of a yard tree...

[White 6]

I wish I'd learned to do that.

It's fun when younger, doing wall rappels, then free rappels, then Australian if you like going head first, which I didn't. I even got to do one helicopter rappel. It's simple really, the biggest thing is that first step backward over the edge, trusting the training. I never used a descender or harness/climbing belt (a lot easier on your balls, than a rope Swiss saddle, which either squeezes your balls or is probably coming loose and dumping you on your ass), until teaching my boys and the other Weblos Scouts, when they were age 11. I started them out on The Great Stone Door, over in Grundy County, TN. At the same time teaching basic safe, belayed rock climbing. I didn't let the cubs do any free climbing on 200 ft vertical rock walls. I was pretty hardcore back then, and had a former Sergeant from 10th Mtn Division with me, who was even more qualified, than me.

 

[Ringel05]

Unlike some of my neighbors the only tree I have to worry about is my Yucca Tree.......... I do need to cut the flower stems off before one snaps off and lands on an ant........