This was such a worthwhile adventure! By pure luck I was the only one who signed up for this activity on the day I went (Wednesday morning July 28th) so I had the guide and trees all to myself. I have no doubt the group tours are just as spectacular, but it's pretty cool when you get a chance to work 1 on 1 with a professional for an activity like this. Tim is an incredible guide and went out of his way to make the experience the best it could possibly be. He was very knowledgeable, patient, great at explaining instructions/terms and just all around fantastic company. As a solo female traveler I also really appreciated how Tim made it a really safe and comfortable space for me. The gear and climbing technique is fairly straightforward once you get the hang of it - that being said, I would recommend paying close attention to instructions and getting the most out your practice round at the "small" tree so you can navigate the bigger tree with confidence. Tim kept an eye on me and was there to help any time I needed it, but it makes the climb even more fun when you feel secure in your own knowledge of how to use the gear. It was a little bit of a workout for me, but personally I'm a light cardio kind of gal so this was slightly more muscle work than what I typically do, but the gear truly does most of the heavy lifting for you so it's very manageable and not overly strenuous. Another nice bonus for those of us who are more "glamping" rather than camping oriented, is that there's also a porta potty where you park so if you need a bathroom break it's easily accessible.
I would absolutely do this again and hope I get the opportunity. Thank you, Tim!!!