# Dopers that are 60+: do you ever climb trees? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 27, 2018, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661 "2018-07-27T06:25:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/21 "2018-07-28T02:08:58Z")
No tree climbing for this 60 year old. Though I still use ladders to reach gutters and tree branches that need servicing. My balance is not what it used to be, and gravity has gotten more insistent as I’ve gotten older. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/22 "2018-07-28T12:08:36Z")
Only to the extent required for installing tree stands in hunting season. And this is done with a small team, ladders, and safety harnesses. For fun? Not since I was a kid. I’m sixty and usually insist on a helper to even climb a ladder. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/23 "2018-07-28T14:01:07Z")
No. Anyone who can snap off her wrist bone by falling downstairs is not going to do an climbing. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/24 "2018-07-28T17:51:54Z")
When I was 60 I built my own 2 story home. Single handed after the rough framing for which I had help. No need to climb any trees but that wouldn’t have fazed me at all. Now at 72 and bad knees I avoid ladders. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/25 "2018-07-28T19:19:23Z")
I climbed a tree not that long ago, but it wasn’t a terribly challenging tree. My dog also climbed it. I think I can’t really count this tree. The house I lived in till 10 years ago had a very climbable tree in the back, and I did climb it on occasion. Current house has not very climbable trees. You need a ladder to reach the first climbable place or to be part monkey. The tree my dog and I climbed is in a park. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/26 "2018-07-30T18:58:48Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Just saw that a former localish councilman has died from injures from [falling out of a tree](https://www.wspa.com/news/fmr-greenville-co-councilmen-dies-after-falling-from-tree/1326522836). He was 63. Am I being too ageist for thinking that is getting up there for getting up there? (Of course, his falling to his death doesn’t hurt my case.) IMHO: In general, I agree, that is too old to be climbing in a tree. But I believe that certain sexagenarians who are significantly more active than average could do it. I bet my father-in-law would be fine doing that. I bet my dad would die. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/27 "2018-07-30T19:14:50Z")
Keith Richards fell out of a tree when he was 62 and survived…not necessarily intact, but he wasn’t all that intact before the fall. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2018, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/28 "2018-07-31T01:08:03Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Keith Richards fell out of a tree when he was 62 and survived…not necessarily intact, but he wasn’t all that intact before the fall. Damn, ninja’d but here is a link: [Richards in hospital after falling out of tree | World news | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/apr/30/arts.artsnews1) ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2018, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/29 "2018-07-31T11:31:09Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > Only if I have to these days - to get a kite or an airplane for a kid. The last time I climbed a tree was to identify a golf ball that got stuck during a tournament. If you ID it, you get a free drop right underneath it. If you don’t /can’t, you have to go back to the tee and re-drive starting with shot #3. Oh, I’m not sixty yet, but getting close. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2018, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/30 "2018-07-31T14:13:52Z")
I don’t think I’ve climbed a tree since I was a teenager. Don’t like heights. I get the jitters going past the second rung of a ladder. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2018, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/31 "2018-07-31T15:02:10Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Just saw that a former localish councilman has died from injures from [falling out of a tree](https://www.wspa.com/news/fmr-greenville-co-councilmen-dies-after-falling-from-tree/1326522836). He was 63. Am I being too ageist for thinking that is getting up there for getting up there? (Of course, his falling to his death doesn’t hurt my case.) > > (As an aside, the hexigenarian in a tree was the first thing that surprised me about the story–the second is that I recognized the name–he was a blowhard who installed spyware on another councilman’s computer, published the guy’s documents on-line, and was arrogantly claiming that he did no wrong _right_ up to the [prison](http://www.goupstate.com/article/NC/20090423/News/605198628/SJ/) [sentence](https://youtube.com/watch?v=qdtlMzsQaoA#).) Oh, that asshole. Gravity was never my friend and I don’t even climb ladders after two falls from full height that prompted my development of my am I paralyzed? protocol mentioned in another thread. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2018, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/32 "2018-07-31T15:30:42Z")
My left knee is killing me right now but if it stops hurting this thread has me in the mind to go climb a tree. It’s gonna need to be a sturdy tree with conveniently placed branches, but if I can find one I want to climb it. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2018, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/33 "2018-07-31T21:47:15Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Oh, that asshole. > > Gravity was never my friend and I don’t even climb ladders after two falls from full height that prompted my development of my am I paralyzed? protocol mentioned in another thread. Nice post/username combo! ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2018, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/34 "2018-07-31T22:38:33Z")
Gee, hasn’t occurred to me in years. I’m 61 and went up maybe 8 feet about 10 years ago and think I could now, too. I’ll have to try, if I come across a suitably easy and safe tree. I do go up on the house roof, to blow out the gutters, though I really don’t like it much – especially getting back on the ladder to come down. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/35 "2018-08-01T01:14:09Z")
I’m nowhere close to 60, but I’ve never been a tree climber, and hitting 60 in the future is not going to inspire me to start. ---
**Author:** ![yo\_han\_go](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yo_han_go/32/130_2.png) [@yo\_han\_go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yo_han_go)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/36 "2018-08-01T01:25:18Z")
Had an argument with my dad exactly related to that couple of years ago. See, there is large Cherry tree just behind the house. First tree he planted when he bought that patch of land almost 50y ago. Can be reachable only by ladder or from the roof or blind narrow porch with a lot of catlike skills. So he goes up 10m high and I go like from under “Dad, you too old for this sh\*t” “Why don’t you go up an pick them then?” “I don’t wanna get killed, dad.” “You wanna leave all these to birds? I did not teach you so!” “Just let it go dad, please.” For happy ending, he is still alive. His knees prevented him to go up next year and he got them changed this year. Hope he won’t get some weird ideas again. He is 82. He can read newspapers. Fallen from cherry tree is common epitaph around here. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/37 "2018-08-01T01:46:23Z")
Just the other day, I moved my twisty-tie. We have a 60’ pine tree in our backyard, and I’ve been trying to climb a little higher each summer. And when I get as high as I can, and after I wave down at all the rooftops, I twist a white plastic tie around the highest branch I can reach. Then in the dead of winter, I slog out through the snow, pause, and look up at my twisty-tie. Oh, I’m almost 65. As soon as I retire, that tree is getting a treehouse (even though no grandkids yet… it’s just for me) > [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > As an aside, the hexigenarian… As an aside, I’ve always avoided the term Sexagenarian, but Hexigenarian sounds cool. ---
**Author:** ![Section\_Maker\_Jupe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/section_maker_jupe/32/1424_2.png) [@Section\_Maker\_Jupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Section_Maker_Jupe)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/38 "2018-08-01T02:55:33Z")
I love climbing trees, and have since I was young. Our oaks here have smooth branchless trunks for the first 20ft, so we have to use ladders to get up them to trim them. Its the getting off the ladder that bothers me most, I get a touch of vertigo/nausea…(I’m 64) but once I’m up there for 15 minutes or so I’m ok. Loss of grip strength and general physical strength makes it difficult to pull up from branch to branch though, so I’m phasing out of climbing and instead I’m handling the ropes on the ground for the other climber. I’ve never used ropes as they are more confusing and tangling for me than helpful, but guys who use them are well are amazing artists! ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/39 "2018-08-01T03:32:33Z")
You know who else liked to climb trees? John Muir. He was still just a kid (46) when he wrote this: > [@](#): > > \*Toward midday, after a long, tingling scramble…I gained the summit of the highest ridge in the neighborhood; and then it occurred to me that it would be a fine thing to climb one of the trees to obtain a wider outlook and get my ear close to the Æolian music of its topmost needles. > > But under the circumstances the choice of a tree was a serious matter. …I made choice of the tallest of a group of Douglas Spruces that were growing close together…they were about 100 feet high, and their lithe, brushy tops were rocking and swirling in wild ecstasy. Being accustomed to climb trees in making botanical studies, I experienced no difficulty in reaching the top of this one, and never before did I enjoy so noble an exhilaration of motion. > > In its widest sweeps my tree-top described an arc of from twenty to thirty degrees, but I felt sure of its elastic temper…I was therefore safe, and free to take the wind into my pulses and enjoy the excited forest from my superb outlook…I kept my lofty perch for hours, frequently closing my eyes to enjoy the music by itself, or to feast quietly on the delicious fragrance that was streaming past…\* ---
**Author:** ![Bayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bayaker/32/3454_2.png) [@Bayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661/40 "2018-08-01T14:03:02Z")
I’ll turn 61 this month, and climbed a few trees this past Spring. My in-laws are in their 80s and couldn’t manage it themselves, so I climbed into a few of their large live oaks to cut out some branches. Those would be a twelve year old’s dream for treehouse building. My own trees are all tall straight-trunked red oaks, willow oaks and post oaks with the lowest branches at 25-30 feet. I use a ladder and a pole saw to trim any low-sprouting branches on those, and am always much more uncomfortable than I am when actually _in_ a tree. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-that-are-60-do-you-ever-climb-trees/818661.md?page=3)