For most of us, our tree climbing experiences stopped back when we were small enough to crane our necks back in awe, looking for the best place to start our ascent.
For others, like Dallas-area tree climbers Miguel Pastenes and Steve Houser, those days of staring skyward at the next challenge continue on to the present.
Miguel Pastenes recently took top honors at the North American Tree Climbing Competition in Longmont, Colorado. Houser, speaking on behalf of the team, tells the Standard how they climbed to the top.
What you’ll hear in this segment:
– What sorts of exercises Houser and Pastenes work on for competitive climbing
– What skills tree-climbers need to master in order to win competitions and where they practice
– Advice for newbie climbers and what dangers climbers face in their sport