An Exclusive Club 

I met one of these guys on holiday a few years ago and asked him how often people fall off these towers. " Once", he replied.

There’s two kinds of people. EITHER: You couldn’t pay me enough to climb that tower. OR I wanna climb that tower whether you pay me or not.

I climbed the sticks for 15 years. Once you're on the antenna you're 500+ feet higher than the Twin Towers. Puts it into perspective for many just how high you get. Anyway, my monkey tail slipped from an antenna peg (they have very little hook on them) and luckily fell perfectly so that it landed on the next one down. Scariest moment of my life. That was my last climb.

I met a guy once who asked me if I needed a summer job. I said I did and he asked me how I felt about heights, working high up. I said I didn't mind it and the next day I was painting high-tension towers all over northeast Ohio. Me and another guy could usually paint a 300-ft. tower a day wearing paint mitts. No safety lines because it slowed us down too much. We made good money, a dollar a foot so $150/day each. That was real good money in 1969. The only other guys that worked with us were Apache Native Americans because they weren't afraid of heights. You could see the curvature of the Earth at that height. You could see a long way. That was quite a summer job.

I'm a 73 year old Retired High Steel Ironworker ( Connector ), when I got a little tired of Hanging Iron , I would subcontract Towers from various companies with my brother and a couple of our good friends . I've also built and worked for some of the largest Tower Companies in the USA . I've built in Swamps , Deserts , Mountains , Islands . In Louisiana , one of our Elevated Anchors was in the water , and we were in the midst of Alligators and Cottonmouths. That was fun . I was on another job when my brother was taking down an old Tower from on top of a building . It was in a large town , they had to raise the equipment from the alley way . They refused to continue because of all the Electric poles in the alley . The Electric Co was called and they said everything would be safe . My brother's knee was touching the flashing on top the brick and the electricity arched a ways and killed him as they pulled up the first Tower Section . In 1982 , I was tearing down a 150' Rhone 25 Tower . It is a very small Tower ( only one man needed on the Tower ) . When we got down to 60 ' , the Guy line anchor snapped and it fell with me on it . Those towers are usually set in at least 3 to 4 feet of concrete , but this one had a Bolt to prevent it from moving . I was able to unhook myself from the Tower and " rode " it down as the Bolt was bending ( before it broke ) . I pushed myself away ( so the Tower wouldn't fall on me ) and landed on my Left foot heel and Right foot toes . It cracked my left foot in several places , but the real damage was landing on my right foot toes . The Doctors had to rebuild that foot and they told my wife that I might not walk again ! I was in a cast for 6 weeks and the next week , I was back on Towers again . I was paid $1.50 a foot to change lights , and back in the 80's , when I sometimes worked by the hour , I made from about $14.00 to $20.00 an hour . We would also get daily per diem , which would be at least $100.00 a day . I love being in the air , butyou could not pay me enough money to work underground or maybe on a ship far out on the ocean !! We all have our limits ! Ha , Ha! Hat's off to all you folks ! If any of my old Ironworker-Towerhand buddies see this , hit me up . I'm still the Original Panama Redd . Peace !

I did a bit of tower climbing when I was considerably younger. The scariest thing for me was watching a cloud pass over the tower when you are looking up from half way up. You would swear the tower was tipping. You cannot always trust your senses.

I’m a firefighter and am not the biggest fan of heights, these guys, crane operators and iron workers are absolutely insane and I give them all the respect In The world. I can honestly say I don’t think I could get up and do this everyday

My first tower climb was the KCAU TV tower in Sioux City, Iowa in June, 1986. At <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="690">11:30</a> pm, after the station went off the air, we left the diner after having coffee and pie. We rode the elevator up to about the 1,700' level, then climbed up the ladder another 180'+ feet to the actual antenna, then climbed the bat wings to the top, 2,001' to change the light bulb. There were 4 of us, only me an Al McGraw went to to the top. The KCAU tower was built from 1965 to 1967 and is 609.9 meters (2,001') high. It is tied for the tallest structure in Iowa and is one of the tallest structures in the world. Yee haw... Fun night.

They dont all look dead inside because of the job. Thats just the face you get from living in sioux falls.

Makes my toes curl and not in a good way special breed God bless them so we can have 500 channels and still nothing on

As a young police officer I always felt very safe working in the darkness on graveyard, even in the most dangerous neighborhoods. Areas where my friends and coworkers were attacked, shot, even fatally injured, it was the darkness that had a type of blanketing level of comfort enveloping my whole person. Yet, as I watched these guys talk about the work they love I'm thinking there isn't enough money in the entire world to create that same sensation to get me to the top of one of those crazy tall TV antennas!

I think with all the technology we have today, they can come up with some kind of thin emergency parachute, if they was ever to plummet! To give them some chance to live. My hands get super sweaty just watching things like this. 😳 God Bless Them 🙏

I'm a mountain climber and there's some stupid comfort in being high up on a mountain, but dont ask me why climbing one of these towers scares me. It just does.

Yeah, I froze climbing up the ladder to the second floor window once. Mom had to come rescue me. I was 42. In all fairness it was windy. Mom almost spit her teeth out she was laughing so hard.

Man that girl working at the desk really added a lot, thank god they put her on for that brilliant insight

You prairie folk speak so solemnly, I was half expecting one of those stories to end in tragedy.

According to ZipRecruiter "As of March 24, 2019, the average annual pay for a Tower Climber in the United States is $44,712 a year." No thanks

I am a PROUD member of that club myself. Did it for 30+ years and climbed hand over fist up to 2000 ft. And worked in 35 of 50 states. HOLD FAST STAY SAFE

Congratulations for all the tower climbers. Be safe always.

Holy cow- you guys are really something to be proud of!!👍👍👍🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲. Thank you for your incredible work! 👊

If you look up "NOPE" in the dictionary, the definition is to watch this video. It provides the link and everything.

First train outta Nopesville all the way to Fuckthatistan....

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="216">3:36</a> kudos to the tough as nails half-person who still wants to do it!

You all are very brave men. I will keep praying for your safety.

Been a member of the club since 1980....the coolest climb I had was on a 500 ft tower in the mountains of Puerto Rico. Low clouds moved in so I had the experience of "Tower heaven" or as I call it, my :jack n the bean stalk" experience. Climbing through the clouds into the sun is a beautiful experience. THANKS FOR ALL OF THE MEMORIES

I was in a firefighter school with a tower climber. He had climbed the tallest in the southeast ad brought pictures. Not being a huge fan of heights, I was fascinated by his work. He invited me to go on a short climb with him, but sadly I had to go on a trip that day. I remember now, I left on the <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="135">2:15</a> out of Nopesville, enroute to F-thatastan. Maybe next time.

These guys are not only brave and fearless, these guys are certifiably insane.

I hope these brave men are paid well

My hats off to all the folks that do this job that most can’t or won’t. Personally my height tolerance is about 20’. Please stay safe up there. 👍

I’m an ironworker and I thought we did some sketchy shit building high rises. Hats off to these guys. That’s a set of balls!

Hats off to you guys for doing such a unique job.

Did this job over 15 yrs 1000ft and up. Best job for excitment I ever had. I am sure I have a paper plane record and a golf ball drive from the top several times. Much love tower dogs!

Monopoles... scariest moment of my life when I slipped and the safety harness caught me. Luckily I was saved. But I dont climb towers anymore

In 1975, I worked for a tower crew out of Houston, Tx. Employer's name was Pete Benevides. We built line-of-sight microwave towers for Arco oil in Lousiana, and the Texas panhandle. I made $4.15 per hour. We painted towers and lamped them also. Tallest I've ever been on was 1500 ft. Most were around 500 feet or so. I've seen those views. That is a young man's game to be sure. Now I lose my balance just looking up at one.

My knees are going to ache for awhile. WTG all of you!!!. A special breed for sure.

Unimaginable work. Hats off, I applaud!

No f@#%ing way could I even consider going up there. These guys are total legends.

My hands and feet are sweating just thinking about this insane incredibly Brave job

I got sick and nervous just watching the video. My hats off to those guys.

A lot of respect for those guy’s. Thank you for what you do!

I’ve been in broadcasting for 47 years, and I’ve known some of these guys. A different breed, for sure. I did climb about 35 feet up once, before completely chickening out.

Dont worry yall, once you get above the first 100', it all feels the same. Except for the movement, one thing they didnt really illustrate is how much those things actually sway in the wind. And the wind at the top is always blowing faster than on the ground

Bravest men in the world! Great video!

Thank-you for your service!

That was awesome to watch, I didn't know they worked at night

In a way, I think it'd be easier to do this at night because you aren't really reminded just how friggen high you are off the ground. Wow.

Thanks Jaygen. Great input.

my best friend is a Pro. Inspecter inside tight places etc and a Tech. diver paid to do recoveries etc and he has done rope inspections for years and got older and said he wanted less physical work and MORE money. lol yall are a special breed! thank you!

Respiration, heart rate and BP all off the charts watching this

I was able to provide a great living for my family doing this at one time. Now it doesn't pay SHIT. Not worth the sacrifice of being on the road 98% of the and missing your kids grow up.

Hats off to you gentlemen!!!! You all have balls the size of Texas!!!!!

Great video. I take my hat off to all who do this kind of work. Respect guys 👊 rock on...

I know guys who would climb that tower if they thought there was a beer waiting for them at the top

I nearly went to an interview for this job until i realized how little pay these guys get. It's criminal.

This literally make my palms sweat profusely.

I used to climb to before I got a job promotion to Director of Engineering for a local radio station market group of 4 Class C FMs and two 50kw AM DAs. I was told I'm no longer allowed to climb. I can't say I miss it. Sadly in 2007 we lost a good friend I had hired many times. Anthony Shands out of east Texas. Great guy. He worked on almost all of my towers. Sadly, he lost his life on a 150' free-standing tower in Shreveport Louisiana installing a dish for point-to-point internet service. He was still climbing at 71 years old. RIP Sir.

hahaha 2.5 people out of 100? more like 1 out of a million.

HIGH TOWER CLIMBERS AND WORKERS, MY RESPECT TO THEM. THEY CAN HAVE THAT JOB ANYTIME. GOING UP TO THE ROOF OF MY TWO STORY HOME, IS JUST MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR ME.

Give you guys props. I respect your work

Respect to you guys - I feel nervous on top of a ladder. Hope you get paid well and get all the support you need.

Never climbed the slick sticks, and never climbed at night, but I used to climb communication towers on mountain tops and towers to about 300 - 400 '. Usually installing Stationmasters, Dielectric FM antennas and shorter AM towers. The tallest tower in New England is about 1300'. And the tallest in NH, where I live is just over 650'. Still, there is nothing like the way a tower moves in the wind once you get a few hundred feet in the air.

I absolutely admire these guys that do this work, fantastic confidence and ability, like many others I am sure, I was breaking into a sweat JUST watching, great skill and well done folks, keep safe out there, you are valuable assetts!

I did it for 15 years in Chicago area for Stann and Associates. 10 feet or 1000 feet it's all the same to me. Climbing in the winter sucked. I also hated painting towers. I did a relamp on the college of Dupage County FM radio station. I think it was 300 feet tall. 2 weeks later it came down. One of the outer guy wires broke the whole thing came down except up to the first set of wires. It was a Rhone 65. My mom didn't like me climbing towers. But she had no problems with me swinging around in a tree with a running chainsaw.

Proud to be apart of the exclusive club

I'm so glad they wear helmets!

Hats off to you guys. I worked up in the air in my younger days. In the beginning I was scared to go too work. After you get used to it, you love it. Once you build up confidence in your climbing gear and the structures you climb, the fear goes away. I'm concern when I see a tower that doesn't consider a safe venue for your climb. Makes me wonder who the heck is engineering them. We always said, I can't spell engineer...now I are one! Be careful and safe travels always.

I've NEVER been able to trust equipment. From shovel handles to semitruck tires, I'm unable to trust equipment. I can't imagine trusting ropes and rings to hold me safely off the ground. I'm glad you men are out and up there, stay safe.

I’ve abseiled high rise buildings for 20 years down here in Australia. Some buildings have been 100 stories. I worked on some towers in New Zealand for a while, I never felt comfortable. One day I had to come down and I never climbed another one. It’s a whole different game, hats off to the tower painters.

You guy are nuts, Thank you for doing a job only a few are willing to do.

As a former Cliff Rescue Instructor I’ve taught workers how to effect a Rescue of a Workmate from these dizzying heights.

Good work guys, it's stuff like this that keeps our modern civilization going.

When you climb ladders you can put your safety clip on the side of the ladder instead of directly to the rungs. If you are climbing some really janky stuff you can blow out the rung you are clipped to. If you clip to the side of the ladder you may still blow a rung but now you got to go through every single rung on the entire length of the ladder.

Man just watching these kinds of videos make my testicles feel like they're dropping to the floor...... These guys are crazy brave for sure.

May the Lord God Almighty protect you incredibly brave workers. What you do for a profession is nothing short of amazing. You do this so we can all watch TV. I am humbled. Thank you.

Nothing you can compare it to the best feeling in the world just you and your maker!

Even when one tries to work safe, accidents happen. Thank you for your stories and please work safe.

This is a great video to give people an idea of what tower work is like. I worked in Technical Enforcement work for 34 years and climbed many towers to install antennas and other devices. My personal tallest was 1,235 feet on what started out a calm day but when descending the wind picked up and changed everything. I give the Men and Women who do this work day in and day out a huge amount a credit. Thanks again for a great video..

That is awesome! These guys have my respect.

At <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="84">1:24</a>, is that ice falling from that tower? Damn! Brass balls…much respect for these guys that do this work.

Much respect to these guys.👍

I use to have a fear of swamps, then I got job oil surveying and 90 percent of the time I was waist deep in a swamp. I got shocked by 480VAC and had a deep respect to stay away from high voltage and my job for last 16 years has me often dealing with 480VAC. Fears can be overcome. I have a 60 foot tower and looking at it I would be thinking to my self "No frickin way I'm going up there", but I since have climb that tower several of times installing new antennas.

I want to be a tower climber, because I I've always had an obsession with towers, radios, and RF engineering. My wife said no though.

Much respect to these guys. My little candy ass will watch it on here.

As supporter of female empowerment I think we should insist on equal representation of women in this role. Who's with me ladies.

Anxiety nothing but anxiety when watching this good gravy

I'm certain the body weight of each one of these men is 96% balls. I nearly lost my grip and fell watching this, and I'm in bed! Crazy stuff

"It was nice to be up there". Yeah, these guys are special.

I was a technician for a company that made and installed TV and Radio antennas. Couldn't pay me enough. My hands sweat just watching.

Not a chance in hell. Someone would just have to watch Dr. Phil on the internet. Balls of steel you guys. My hat's off to you.

I can't even watch this, I have to call my neighbor to get on my roof. These guys have to have nerves of the finest 4340 chrome moly steel to do this. I stand in awe.

I remember changing lights on star 64 in Cincinnati. I had a fiberglass peg break off in 2007 so when you climb that antenna and see my broken peg that was my pucker factor.

You guys are legendary, Stay safe🤙

I loved my years on the towers doing Oilfield Communications work,, Miss it everyday

Some facts about the tower climbing profession > There are now more than 290,000 tower sites nationwide, up from 5,000 in 1990. There are more than 10,000 workers in the tower profession, not all of whom are climbers. While most tower contractors and subcontractors practice standard construction safety standards for climbing, rigging and constructing, there's no industry safety standard required by law. OSHA has no authority to regulate safety standards on these companies, and they are not required to report accidents or deaths to OSHA. There are no Unions representing workers in the tower climbing business. There are approximately 10 deaths of climbers per year, which is 10 times more than that of construction workers. Climbers are most often required to work in very cold and windy conditions. Climbers range in age from 18 to 55 years. Hourly wages can range from as little as $10 to as much as $38 per hour, depending on experience and certified training. Average hourly rate ranges from $16 to $18 per hour. Climbers work between 40 to 60 hours a week and can earn upwards of $75,000 a year. Climbers with electronics and radio transmission installation and repair experience generally earn the most money. Strangely enough, those people who are used to extreme and dangerous heights, such as skydivers, mountain climbers, lumberjacks, iron workers and steeple chase workers, are seldom cut out for tower climbing. Tower climbing is a fearsome job cut out for only a select few.

I don’t know why i have loved seeing radio and tv towers as a kid. Especially at night getting drawn in by the flashing strobes lol

I'm a high rise window cleaner. Worked on almost every highrise on Oahu in 1995. And I did the bolsun chair method. Swinging on ropes on high rises. And we don't use our ropes to go up up to the top, we use the elevator, take the stairs to the roof. Where we then go over the edge of the roof top and rapel down to the ground stopping at each floor along the way to professionally wash those big windows. I did this for a couple of decades all over Oahu....but NO! I WOULD NEVER DO THIS! AND I THOUGHT I WAS SAFE!

I'm amazed tower climbers aren't making six-figure incomes. I'm not afraid of heights - normally - but these tower climbing videos give me cold sweats. Still, I find them (and my reaction to them) fascinating.

I've climbed towers up to about 400 feet. It's amazing exercise. And once you get above 70 feet it doesn't even matter anymore because a 70 foot fall is a guaranteed kill. Beyond that point it's just more hang time and the same outcome. So you use good safety equipment, you check it, you learn to use it properly, and you trust it. I COULD do this but I won't climb without being hooked in at every single moment of the climb. I never would free climb.

I get sweaty palms and a chill down my back just watching them climb.

I know guys like you and you are crazy as a loon. Way to go, good job keeping them things going. Thanks