On May 17, the region’s top competitive climbers will gather at Pennsbury Manor, the reconstructed estate of William Penn in Falls Township, for the annual Tree Climbing Competition, writes Mike Newall for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The roving event, organized by the Penn-Del Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture, follows last month’s Arbor Day of Service, where volunteer local tree workers visited the 143-acre site to prune and assess its Sycamore, Tulip, and Oak trees.

The two-day decades old competition is the pinnacle of Pennsylvania tree-climbing, according to Alex Roberts, owner of Mountain Arborist in Valley Forge.

“If you are a serious climber, this is one day on your calendar that you will not miss,” he added.

On Saturday, around 30 men and six women compete in five events testing speed, precision, and emergency response.

Top performers will advance to Sunday’s Masters Challenge, a 20-minute climb requiring them to set ropes, access stations, and descend safely within the time limit.

The winner will qualify for an international competition in New Zealand later this year.

“This is what we would call the main event,” said Roberts.

The competition is free to attend, with food trucks on site.

For a deeper look at the climbers, the competition, and the centuries-old trees they’ll be scaling, read the full story on The Philadelphia Inquirer.