Olds tree climbing competitor Kali Alcorn says those wanting to take on that challenge have to master five different events in order to qualify for the finals.
The five events serve as qualifying events for the master's challenge, a kind of final that involves a lot of those different events combined.
They are: throw line, speed climb, aerial rescue, work climb, and secured footlock.
“Throw line is how we install our ropes into trees. You use a really small diameter, skinny rope that's really strong, with a beanbag tied to the end,” Acorn says.
“So if we need to climb a tree that's 50 feet tall or 100 feet tall and the first branch is 20 to 40 feet in the air, how do you get in there, right?
“Some people spike the trees – use spurs to get in there – and we'll do that if we have a removal, but if you're not removing the tree, then it seriously damages the trees when you're climbing with spurs. So that's (why) we install the ropes; then we're climbing the ropes more so than we climb the trees.”
She concedes that task itself requires a lot of strength.
“Big time,” she said when interviewed just after competing in the World Tree Climbing Championships last week. “I'm just like, unbelievably sore today, and really tired. It's a lot of work, for sure.”
Scoring for that event accounts for different sizes of trees. It also takes into account the difficulty of the anchor point for the rope toss.
“It takes a lot of precision and skill and luck with that one,” Alcorn says.
“Speed climb is belayed. So that means that the rope goes up to the top and then it goes back down to someone. When you're going up the tree, someone takes up your slack, so you just go as fast as you can,” Alcorn says.
“Secured footlock is my least favourite. It's 50 feet, just straight up the rope with your hands and feet,” she adds.
“It's like torture for me, but I just have to practise with it more. Because I'm new (to the competition) my muscles just aren't up to snuff yet. So I've got to work on that one.”
Aerial rescue is a test of a competitor's ability to provide first aid efficiently.
“It's a first response scenario where there's a casualty in the tree,” Alcorn says. “They have a 150-pound dummy set in the tree and they'll have a certain scenario, so you have to rescue the dummy within five minutes, up and down, plus your first aid response.
“You have to go in the ring and then pretend that you're getting someone to call 911 and you get scored for it. Then you have to get him on the ground and unclip from him within five minutes.”
Work climb is an obstacle course set up in the tree canopy (top of the trees, where lots of leaves are).
“You have to complete the obstacle course at the different stations within a certain time limit,” Acorn says.
“You have to see it to understand. I don't even really fully understand it yet,” she adds with a laugh.
"I'm just like, unbelievably sore today, and really tired. It's a lot of work, for sure."KALI ALCORNLOCAL TREE CLIMBING COMPETITOR
