Utah's best tree climbers vying in Ogden for state title

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Ben Le, Orem, competes in the work climb event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Caleb O'Brien, Syracuse, competes in the aerial rescue event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Blake Wright, Salt Lake, competes in the aerial rescue event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Brian Christensen competes in the aerial rescue event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Blake Wright of Salt Lake competes in the aerial rescue event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

John Dallinga, Ogden, rings the bell at the top of the rope as he competes in the secured foot-lock event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune
John Dallinga, Ogden, competes in the secured foot-lock event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden on Friday. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Blake Wright of Salt Lake tosses his rope over a branch as he competes in the aerial rescue event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas.

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Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Ben Le, Orem, competes in the work climb event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Caleb O'Brien, Syracuse, competes in the aerial rescue event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Caleb O'Brien, Syracuse, competes in the aerial rescue event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Blake Wright, Salt Lake, competes in the aerial rescue event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Brian Christensen competes in the aerial rescue event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Blake Wright of Salt Lake competes in the aerial rescue event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Caleb O'Brien, Syracuse, competes in the aerial rescue event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune John Dallinga, Ogden, rings the bell at the top of the rope as he competes in the secured foot-lock event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Brian Christensen competes in the aerial rescue event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Ben Le, Orem, competes in the work climb event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune John Dallinga, Ogden, competes in the secured foot-lock event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden on Friday. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Blake Wright of Salt Lake tosses his rope over a branch as he competes in the aerial rescue event at the 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship at Lester Park in Ogden, Friday, June 5, 2015. The competition continues Saturday. The winner will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio, Texas.

The Salt Lake Tribune

· June 7, 2015 9:16 am

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The 22nd Annual Utah Tree Climbing Championship event began Friday at Lester Park in Ogden with 38 Utahns vying to be named the state's best. Participants compete in various aspects of tree climbing and At the end of the two-day competition Saturday, a state champion will be determined and that person the winner of the competition will represent Utah at the 2016 International Tree Climb Competition in San Antonio next April. Saturday's competition will narrow the field to three finalists who will compete in the Master's Challenge starting at 1 p.m. A children's tree climb is scheduled for 10 a.m.