Have you wanted to learn how to climb trees with a rope and harness but couldn't afford the travel or spare the time? Wanted to learn more advanced techniques, but just haven't had the chance? If you live in the Northeast, now's your opportunity -- close to home!

Tree climbing instructors Peter "Treeman" Jenkins (TCI founder) and Tom "Lorax" Coffin (the very first TCI student) will be coming to Greenfield, Massachusetts at the end of July to teach.* Greenfield is in western Massachusetts, a drive within range of anywhere in the Northeast. We'll have the use of a site with great teaching trees, and there are plenty of places to eat and stay nearby.

Registration is open! Sign up now for our two-day Basic Tree Climbing Course (BTCC) or "Beyond the Basics Course" -- and spend the rest of the summer in the treetops!

General Information
The BTCC is the same course we teach in Atlanta: you'll learn everything you need to know in order to go out and climb on your own safely. If you're a newly-trained climber, you may want to take our "Beyond the Basics" class for more advanced climbing skills. Each course will have a maximum of five students and will be taught by both instructors.

Class dates are scheduled as follows: 

Tree climbing is an adventure. It starts with placing a rope high in a tree and tying a series of knots. Then you're ready to climb. But your journey is just beginning! When you get to your first branch, it's time to place your rope over a higher branch. You can go to the top or as high as you like! Climbing requires skill, patience, energy, and a certain amount of courage. But the fun and rewards of your accomplishments will be well worth your efforts.

If you find that once you've climbed high in a tree you're eager for more time up there, you may want to take one or more of our courses! TCI has several classes and programs designed for any level of climber:

• For the inexperienced person who wants to be able to climb safely on his or her own;
• For those who have taken a basic tree climbing course and want to learn advanced climbing skills; and
• For those who want to become a recreational tree climbing facilitator and/or instructor.

The TCI Beginners' Climb is meant for the person with no tree climbing skills. We make it safe and easy! You will love the "Peter Pan" effect of floating on air while suspended from a rope! All equipment is supplied; all you need is loose clothing (T-shirt and long pants recommended), light shoes (closed-toe preferable), and some extra energy. During the summer, it's always more comfortable under Sueño's branches. In the Fall when temperatures start start to cool down, please dress in layers that can be shed as you start to warm up with exercise. Make sure to bring a camera--your family and friends will want to see pictures!

When you arrive, the instructors will have looped all the ropes over branches and tied all the knots. We'll show you how the climbing system works, how to tie a safety knot, and how to descend safely. All you have to do is slip into a harness and helmet and up you'll go! Once aloft, you'll be able to get to those first few branches and "hang out" with no trouble at all! Climbers can climb twice or even three times, depending on how many people are participating that day.

Do you think you won't be able to do this because you're out of shape? Think again! There have been only a small number of first-time climbers who couldn't get up into our tree. Take a chance and try something different!

Dates:  First and third Sundays of every month (except December, January and February), weather permitting. You can always check our home page to find out if a particular day's class is cancelled. No reservations are required, but please let us know ahead of time if you are planning to bring a group of 6 or more.

Time: 2 - 5 p.m.

Location: Blackburn Park, entrance at 3530 Ashford-Dunwoody Rd. (at Johnson Ferry), Atlanta, GA 30319 (maps).

Cost: $20 per climber. Anyone age five and older is welcome to participate, but note that very young children may have difficulty with the sequencing skills needed for climbing.)

See photos

Kids hang out in Nimrod, our first climbing tree

The TCI group climb is a special event for birthday parties and scouts, school, camp, community and church groups—anyone who wants to organize a few hours of tree climbing for a large number of participants. It can be scheduled any day of the week except when other classes are held, depending upon the availability of our instructors. All group events are held at Blackburn Park (maps) in DeKalb County.

Private group climbing events are just like our public Sunday afternoon Beginners' Climbs. When you arrive, all ropes will be set up. You'll get brief instruction with a climbing demonstration. Then you’ll put on harnesses and helmets and be ready to climb! Our group climbs are staffed with TCI-trained instructors who want each participant get the most out of their climbing experience. It’s a fun day for everybody!

In the unfortunate event of rain, we will work with you to reschedule your event. We do not schedule group climbs during the winter months (December-February). It's no fun for new climbers when it's too cold!

We have openings in our Thursday-Friday, June 18-19 class. Contact us for information and/or registration.

TCI's BTCC is a two-day course designed to teach all the skills you need to climb a large tree using the doubled rope technique (DRT). Information about selecting a good climbing tree and assessing its condition is presented in detail. You will learn climbing technique and how to tie all the knots, repeating each knot many times to learn "muscle memory." You'll learn rules for personal safety, as well as guidelines about how to respect and protect the trees you climb. Each class has a maximum of only three students (more when our instructor has qualified assistance) so each student can receive lots of personal attention and help. [Pictured here is a class whose students included a mother and her three teenage daughters.]

When you finish this course, you will take a climbing test. Passing it shows that you are ready to go out and climb on your own. Students will receive a TCI course diploma upon graduation.

This course is perfect not only for the recreational climber, but also for tree workers who want to learn entry-level climbing skills. Note, however, that we do not teach techniques for tree care, such as pruning, in this class. 

Course length:  2 days (16-18 hours of instruction)

Location:  Blackburn Park, entrance at 3530 Ashford-Dunwoody Rd. (at Johnson Ferry), Atlanta, GA 30319 (maps).

Scheduling information

Advance registration and tuition deposit are required.

See more photos from this class