Our New England Climbing Champ Heads to International Competition!

HMI's own Kyle Donaldson, and 36 other professional tree climbers, gathered for the 30th Annual New England ISA Tree Climbing Championship. This competition showcases the safety and climbing skills of industrial athletes in the field of arboriculture. Although the event brings fun and camaraderie to the participants, it is also used to underscore the importance of safety while climbing - a critical element of the activity.

The competition began with a gear check for the thirty-seven climbers—an essential step in the competition.

Climbing events included Ascent, Speed Climb, Aerial Rescue, Throwline, and Work Climb. The preliminary rounds took the climbers deep into the evening with the all-important Aerial Rescue event, where competitors perform the rescue of a life sized/weighted body dummy from the top of a tree. The day concluded with the Masters Challenge – with our own Kyle Donaldson earning the top male competitor position! As the winner, he received a paid trip to Knoxville, TN for the International Competition in August.

Kyle, his wife Meghan, and their two kids used this opportunity to participate in a family adventure! They recently purchased a small trailer to tow behind their truck as they made the journey to Tennessee, camping along the way.

Although Kyle spends most of his days climbing for tree care clients in suburban Boston, he spends many more hours practicing at home, using a tree climbing “treadmill” that he developed himself. This allows him to repetitively work on his technique without ever reaching the top of the tree!

If Kyle is ever part of our professional crew on your property, take the time to watch his technique in the canopy. He is sure to impress!