WINNIPEG — They tower over many Winnipeg neighbourhoods.
Each tree different than the last. Each one a new adventure for Dave Lutes.
“The higher the better for sure,” said the 52-year-old.
Lutes is a professional tree climber having competed across North America.
“(The judges) are all watching you what you do and score you on a set of criteria,” said Lutes. “How smooth was the climb, how fast was the climb.”
Lutes started scaling saplings two decades ago when he decided to plant roots in Winnipeg.
“Going from doing bush work, trying to find something that was in the city,” said Lutes. “I ended up an arborist helper. I didn’t even know they did this for a living.”
It wasn’t long after Lutes branched out into competing, becoming a pioneer during a time the sport wasn’t popular.
“I was the only competitor at regionals for many years,” said Lutes. “Now it’s growing in Winnipeg. There’s so many great climbers.”
Lutes literally puts his life on the line every ascent. A tattoo on his arm is a constant reminder of the dangers he faces.
“I had an accident in 2003 where I fell out of a tree sixty feet and hit the ground,” said Lutes. “Long and short of it, (the tattoo is) the tree. I made a mistake and it almost cost me my life.”
A scare that never stopped Lutes.
“I can come into a park, go up twenty feet and the world is totally different,” said Lutes. “Blood pressure comes down, everything goes away.”
Lutes will be one of thirty tree climbers competing at the prairie regionals this September in Winnipeg.
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