Back int he mid 90's I spent a month of 2 summers working forestry. Not a typical planter job though. No, this was spent on Texada Island climbing special disease resistant white pine trees to put bags on pine cones. The trees were sissies, so you couldn't use spikes or any gear other than a strap when you got to the top. We had to bag the cones in the spring to keep beetles from destroying them.
The biggest one I climbed was 130 feet. Incredible view of the water and mainland. It was sketchy as hell though. Some of the branches were no bigger than your finger, and brittle. Bees and wasps at height added to the excitement. My hands were a collection of pitch and bark form day one until a week after I got home.
Once(that I witnessed) my crazy boss jumped from one tree top to the other, 80 feet up becuase it was quicker than climbing down(each tree took 1-2 hours). He was like a flying squirrel.
That was quite the summer job.
|