Working in the Rain?

[treesandsurf]

I'll start out a lot of days that are dry and then the rain comes and you're in the tree so no point in stopping and coming down.

Days when it's pouring rain (like today :lol:) from the get go, I'll call it off. I know some guys don't have a choice as it rains/snows steady, but what's your take on climbing and working in the rain?

jp:D

[The Branch Doctor]

I HATE CLIMBING IN THE RAIN!!!!!!!

I think it's dangerous, really hard on ropes and gear, and most importantly it pisses me off!:X

[brendonv]

I wont go if it's pouring in the morning. But if I get rained on while working, I'll try to finish up if its reasonable.

[treetx]

Depends on how hungry you are.

[The Branch Doctor]

Depends on how hungry you are.

Now there's a point with validity! You know I'm broke if you catch my arse in a tree when it's raining.... part of the reason why I'm pist.

[treesandsurf]

Climbing banyans in the rain is no fun! :cry:

jp:D

[MasterBlaster]

I would work in the rain but I'm almost pure sugar.

[Bounce]

:lol: Here in western washington, we often get 150-200 rain days per year. If we didn't climb in the rain, we'd starve to death. Last year my rope stayed wet for 4 months before I could finally get it dry. It used to bother me, but now I don't really mind it. It helps to keep me cool. 8)

[squisher]

Liquid sunshine we called it when I worked on the coast. :lol:

[Bounce]

I would work in the rain but I'm almost pure sugar.

:lol: Yeah, you seem like a real sweet guy Butch!

[Bounce]

The rain definitely affects the performance of my VT. Also, my gear ends up weighing about 1/2 ton by the end of a wet day. But other than that, I don't see any downsides to getting wet as long as it's above 40 degrees (that's about 4 degrees for you Canadians). For some reason though, it's usually about 37 and raining between November and April around here. :cry:

[squisher]

But other than that, I don't see any downsides to getting wet as long as it's above 40 degrees (that's about 4 degrees for you Canadians).

Ummm and to the rest of the world too :P.

[Skwerl]

I'll tolerate a little sprinkle, but if it's raining hard enough to where I'm dripping wet I'll quit until it passes over. I got rained on today but not much. My shirt was wet but my arse was still dry, so it was good. ;)

[Bounce]

My shirt was wet but my arse was still dry, so it was good.

That's the deciding factor for me: when your underwear gets wet, life pretty much sucks. As long as my skivvies are dry, I'm a happy camper.

[TheTreeWiseMen]

I leave the decision up to my guys. I don't expect them to work in weather that I wouldn't have wanted to work in when I was still climbing. They worked in it this morning.....but the job was all bucket work along a driveway. Back in the UK, and when I worked in Ireland we really didn't have a choice, what with the weather being what it is over there! :|:

[Blinky]

I don't mind climbing so much as dragging brush and feeding a chipper in the rain. Wet limbs are a bitch to walk on.

[Tom_Scheller]

As long as I'm not climbing and the work area isn't a muddy mess and it's above 70 degrees and there's no lightning and the help isn't complaining and it isn't coming down too hard... I don't mind.

The only good part about not being too busy is not having to work in the rain.

[treesandsurf]

Wet limbs are a bitch to walk on.

Yes sir!

Oahu is funny, as it can be dumping buckets at the arboretum and pouring sunshine five miles down the road at the beach. 8)

How many times I've been in a tree helplessly getting soaked and looked towards the ocean and blue skies and sunshine. Today the whole island is cloud covered, drizzly and periods of rain. Supposed to do a contract climbing gig but called it off to stay indoors. :P

jp:D

[lumberjack]

The last time I got rained on while climbing I was at the arboretum climbing that big assed Banyon.

I got sprinkled on today while grinding, it was the last job and I finished it aside from blowing off the driveway/parking area.

As a general rule, I don't work in the rain.

[xtremetrees]

.

As a general rule, I don't work in the rain.

Me either, but sometiems mule gotta get the cart out the mud so to speak.

[JIML]

Not me, working around power is fun enough...

[Burnham]

To a large degree it depends on the job for me. I have similar weather to what Bounce experiences, perhaps a bit less rainy, but not enough to talk about.

If I'm doing wildlife enhancement work, on spurs and not operating up in the crown, I don't mind the rain. But if it's picking cones or collecting grafting scion where I have to work in the upper crown pulling branches in to me, each one carrying about a gallon of water, the I avoid it with a passion.

[treesandsurf]

Sounds like a cool job Burnham.

jp:D

[Burnham]

Sounds like a cool job Burnham.

jp:D

Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick:)...although now that I think about it that does occasionally happen too :D.

[Koa Man]

If I already started the job, rain is not going to stop me. I hate wind far more than rain. If it is both windy and rainy, it is time to go home. I did one job that HAD to be completed before school started. It was the last day of winter recess and pouring heavy. It was raining heavy when we started and still raining heavy when we finished 7 hours later. The evening news said 11.5 inches of rain fell in the area we were working in 12 hours.

[RIVERRAT]

Like Koa I wont stop for rain wonce I am started. We get a lot more wind to contend with. But in most trees its not an issue

[Stumper]

I agree with Wesley- I dislike wind more than rain but try to avoid both when possible. Today I had both -lots of gusty winds and then a piddly little cloud came over and HAILED on me. I looked at the cloud and could hardly believe it was doing anything but knew it couldn't last so I just kept working.

[sotc]

I wont go if it's pouring in the morning. But if I get rained on while working, I'll try to finish up if its reasonable.
ditto, although storm work we just go do it. dont mind removals to much in the rain but i hate to start work when its pouring

[wiley_p]

It sucks. plain and simple. I'll do a removal in the rain, fall in the rain, rig in the rain, but no more pruning in the rain. FTS:evil: Funny the guys who bid the jobs most time s have never even climbed a year, let alone in the rain.

Bounce, sounds like your memory needs refreshing. I'll hook you up with some wetwork brother, see if we can't refresh your memory on icewater running down your arms as you reach up.:)

[No_Bivy]

It sucks. plain and simple. I'll do a removal in the rain, fall in the rain, rig in the rain, but no more pruning in the rain. FTS:evil: Funny the guys who bid the jobs most time s have never even climbed a year, let alone in the rain.

Bounce, sounds like your memory needs refreshing. I'll hook you up with some wetwork brother, see if we can't refresh your memory on icewater running down your arms as you reach up.:)

same here...

[NickfromWI]

Today I pruned a 75' tall x 100' wide coast live oak in the rain. I left the two low limbs because they were loooooong and the branches were slippery and I can reach them all with the pole pruner and ladder, when it dries up.

I like rain. It usually means it isn't hot out.

love
nick

[Old Monkey]

Coast live oak in the rain? Aren't you worried about infecting the tree with SOD(phytopthera ramorum)?

[NickfromWI]

Not in this climate. SOD isn't an issue in the Souther Cal. It's just too try here. I don't know if cases of it happening here.

Plus it was only dead-wooding. I know that involves occasional cutting into the cambium, but it is very limited.

love
nick