MISSOULA — Before the professionals take to Garrett Grothen Arena this weekend, college teams got a chance to chop their way through the competition at the annual Forestry Days.
"I feel like I kind of lock in and just cruise up the pole," Alpine Griffin with the University of Montana's Woodsman Team said.
"Sort of don't even really think about it at this point. And then I get to the top and I'm like, 'I'm up really high,'" Griffin continued.
Griffin found a new form of upward movement by joining the UM team.
Check out the competition here:
Sliding her rope around the pole, that, and studded shoes are the only things keeping her attached as she speeds up dozens of feet.
"I'm actually a rock climber as well. When I came to UM, I saw that the Woodsman team had climbing, and I was like, 'That sounds cool,'" Griffin said.
The UM team spent weeks getting Fort Missoula ready for action.
"I've been out here some days, three times, in between classes, just getting everything set up, weed whacking, making sure the climbing pole mats are good, like everything," Griffin said.
There are over 15 events including obstacle pole, speed chopping, and more.
"All of the events are based off of old logging traditions. How this happened was, loggers got bored and they started doing this to make the sport," Tyler Cook with the UM Woodsman Team shared.
Cook says more than a hundred blocks were cut for competitors to chop.
"Our team, we're very close, we're really like a family. We always pick each other up, we're always doing it, but it's support from every angle. So, that's what makes this pro-am happen," Cook explained.
Drawing a crowd, the college teams from Idaho, Colorado, and Montana brought it before the pros take to their axes on Saturday, April 25.
"It's extreme sports. It's fun. It's fast paced but it's fun for everyone," Cook said.
