A tree-climbing competition comes to Bucks County – Go Health Pro

Published by Mike Newall for the Philadelphia Inquirer on 15 May 2025

On May 17, the region’s best competitive climbers will try and be just that in Pennsylvania’s annual, roving, Tree Climbing Competition.

Alex Roberts has been climbing trees for a living for nearly 30 years. Still, whenever he clambers atop a truly unique tree, like, say, a 130-foot tulip tree overlooking the verdant grounds of Fairmount Park, the veteran arborist will allow himself a moment to take it all in. That doesn’t happen when Roberts climbs trees for competition. Then, it’s all business. “You try to stay calm and cold,” said Roberts, owner of a tree service called Mountain Arborist in Valley Forge. “The best competitive climbers are smooth and under control.”

On May 17, more than three dozen of the region’s best competitive climbers will try and be just that in Pennsylvania’s annual, roving Tree Climbing Competition, held this year at Pennsbury Manor, William Penn‘s 43-acre reconstructed estate in Bucks County. Organized by the Penn-Del Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture, the two-day event follows last month’s Arbor Day of Service, when Roberts, who is leaving the competing to younger up-and-comers this year, and other local tree workers, volunteered at Pennsbury Manor, expertly pruning and assessing the sprawling estate’s sycamore, tulip, and oak trees. The decades-old competition represents the pinnacle of Pennsylvania tree-climbing, said Roberts, who this year will be volunteering as a safety technician. “If you are a serious climber, this is one day on your calendar that you will not miss,” he said.

‘The main event’

Set against the picturesque banks of the Delaware River, about 30 men and six women will face off in five events designed to test specific everyday arborist skills, like speed, precision, and emergency response. Competitors earn points. Top performers advance to the Masters Challenge scheduled for May 18 and tackle a daunting climb that involves setting ropes, accessing stations, and safely descending within a 20-minute limit. “This is what we would call the main event,” said Roberts, who is 48, and competed for 10 years. The winner moves to an international competition this fall in New Zealand. The last time a Penn-Del competitor won the international crown was when two-time winner Bob Weber took the title in Oakland, Calif., in 1992. Prizes, like chain saws and ropes and other tree-climbing gear, are given out for each event. The competition is free for guests. There will be food trucks. Competitors are broken into two classes: apprentice climbers with two years or less experience, and journeymen, who are more veteran climbers. “It’s all about the new generation of climbers,” said Roberts. “They work so hard all year on their jobs and improving themselves. That’s a big part of being a climbing arborist — constantly working on yourself. This is a day to celebrate them and to give them something back.”

Lifelong journey

Roberts is a true tree-climbing believer. He was 19 when he first went to work for a tree service business. He was hooked. “A working arborist has the best job in the world,” he said. “You get to use your mind and body. It combines science and art.” He spends his days tethered to a rope, high above the ground, pruning trees on people’s properties, removing dead limbs to improve trees’ safety, health, and aesthetics. “I feel blessed and grateful to feed my family climbing trees,” he said. His 10-year-old son, Bo, has already climbed his first tree — a backyard sugar maple. The family coonhound is named Chestnut. For Roberts, climbing trees is a lifelong journey. “Every day you’re learning something new, and there’s always something to improve yourself on,” he said.

Speed and skill

The competition is the test, he said. It starts with a throwline event, where climbers demonstrate their ability to install a tree-climbing line. Next, comes the speed climb, where climbers race up a tree as fast as possible. “Just like a child would,” Roberts said. Then comes an ascent event, when climbers ascend a 60-foot tree using only a rope, racing to ring a bell on the top branch. “Imagine a rope climb from gym class back in the day,” he said. “Pure brute strength.” There’s aerial rescue, where climbers get into a tree and rescue a 200-pound training mannequin. “The judges are watching every move,” Roberts said. Finally, the main event: the work climb. Climbers start up a grandiose oak tree, accessing hard-to-reach work stations, where they perform tasks, like cutting branches and ringing more bells, all while moving safely and with finesse through the branches. “That’s all tree-climbing skill,” Robert said. The competition, like the job, comes with bumps and bruises.

The spirit

“We consider ourselves industrial athletes,” Roberts said. He’s not sure if his days competing are over. He never won a title, but certainly placed in his share of events. But it’s more than just about winning, he said. It’s also about the day of service, where dozens of tree workers lent their time and skill to spruce up the trees where William Penn lived 400 years ago. And it’s about the friends and family and crowds who come to cheer the climbers. “Most of the trees at Pennsbury are 100 years old,” Roberts said. “And they are great for climbing.”