Casa Grande, Ariz. – Once a year, a small group of adults climbs some of Arizona’s tallest trees for fun and sport.
They are tree workers, professionals who cut and prune for landscaping or utility crews.
Working a course.
(Photo by Mark Duggan)
Each year, they meet in a city park somewhere in Arizona to test their skills at the Arizona Tree Climbing Championships.
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Most of the drills are for overall climbing ability, but the most popular is the timed aerial rescue.
Tree workers are susceptible to injury, so the drill gives the competitors a chance to practice emergency scenarios.
Climbers get six minutes to tie into a harness, climb a tree, secure a dummy, and safely lower it to the ground.
Juan Barba, a competition judge, said he deliberately plots challenging courses.
“Climbers are judged for smoothness and safety,” Barba explained. “If they do it smoother, faster, or with more panache than the other climbers, they get extra points.”
The Arizona Tree Climbing Championships are sponsored by the Arizona Community Tree Council, an educational organization that works with Arizona arborists.
Scouting a route.
(Photo by Mark Duggan)
Dave Spillsbury considers his line of work a natural follow-up to a childhood spent climbing trees.
“I have more fun now than I had as a kid,” he said with a laugh as he released his harness and waited to hear his score.
Juan Barba said tree workers are a tight community.
“Even though they compete, they’re still very close and willing to share.”