These are the tallest available trees in my area. Healthy trees in the woods have surprisingly little pitch.

The 178 footer in North Carolina was over 200 feet but had the top blown out during a hurricane.

As Mark mentioned the most challenging and exposed part of climbing a white pine in the forest is from the ground to the first branch which is usually a good distance and you're often working your way through an obstacle course of dead branches. I don't break them out for a variety of reasons unless they're very rotten and I want to protect a climber who's following. One reason being that if you break off more firm dead branches you end up creating sharp spears points protruding from the trunk. I hate getting stabbed in the ribs while I'm climbing or descending. Once you're in the crown it's much smoother sailing.

To add to Mark's comment about the thinness of the bark in new growth at the top: the branches break very easily near the top, don't tie into small stuff, put your lanyard around the spar if you can when you're nearer the top.
-moss