Some Recreational Tree Climbing History

Peter "Treeman" Jenkins started teaching recreational tree climbing in 1983. He is an arborist who wanted to share the tree canopy with others in a way that was safe for climbers and trees alike, and he has made it his life's work to do exactly that. Peter and his wife, Patty, run Tree Climbers International (TCI) in Atlanta, Georgia. Peter still actively teaches recreational and professional tree climbers.

One of Peter's students was Tim Kovar. In 1993, Tim helped TCI develop and refine their course curriculum, and then went on to start his own school in Portland, Oregon, called Tree Climbing Planet (TCP). He prefers the term "Inspirational Tree Climbing," and says that "tree climbing is more about a place to be than a thing to do." Tim is a Master Instructor who teaches recreational and scientific climbers around the world full-time. (Instructors teach climbers, Senior Instructors teach Facilitators, and Master Instructors teach everything, including other Instructors.) Tim teaches both DRT (Doubled Rope Technique, primarily for broad deciduous trees) and SRT (Single Rope Technique, primarily for tall evergreen trees), as well as tree camping, rescue techniques, and more.

In 2007, a group of experienced Instructors and Facilitators created the Global Organization of Tree Climbers (GOTC) as a democratically run US501(c)3 non-profit. The GOTC is dedicated to safe recreational tree climbing worldwide.

Around 2001, I read an article in National Geographic about scientific tree climbing in the redwoods. I loved to climb trees as a kid, but in college I went underwater and became a scientific SCUBA diver and instructor. Over the years, I kept reading about recreational and scientific tree climbing, and in 2013 I finally drove up to Portland for a week long Basic Tree Climbing class with Tim. I have not given up SCUBA diving, but the trees are a magical and fun place to explore! My favorite part of diving is teaching others, and that urge to teach has carried over into tree climbing. I became a certified tree climbing Facilitator in 2014, and an Instructor in 2016. I have taken over 150 people climbing for their first time, from ages 8 to 80. Some people only want to climb up ten feet, and some explore the redwoods well over 100 feet up.

If you want to know more, contact me for information about guided climbs and classes!

Tree Climbing!

Like most of you, I loved to climb trees as a kid, but I have been climbing trees recreationally since 2013. For me, the most interesting part of climbing is introducing others to the tree tops. We use tools and techniques that are safer than free climbing limb-by-limb. This style of climbing is safer for the climber and for the tree, and allows us to move around the canopy with complete freedom. Students can even learn to climb from one tree to another! I have taken over 150 people climbing for their first time, of all ages, from 8 to 80! Everyone brings something new to my experience of climbing, and the trees bring something new to each climber. Tree climbing is physically and mentally engaging. Let the experience of climbing a tree give you a new perspective.
Send me an email for more information.