Miss Mad E. Buster

Miss Mad E. Buster, Tree Climbing Champion

Some people climb trees. Buster becomes the tree.

Buster mid-climb inside a giant fig tree

My top 5

  1. The giant fig in Thailand, the one in the photo
  2. Any banyan, any day
  3. The neighbor's mango tree (unauthorized)
  4. Palm trees, technically a crawl
  5. The family Christmas tree, 2009 (retired)

Some people climb trees. Buster becomes the tree.

She's been climbing since before she could walk, which her family calls "a problem" and she calls "training." Her signature move, the Banyan Lunge, has never been copied, mostly because nobody else is willing to scream at the tree first.

Career highlights

  • Undefeated in the Maui backyard division (also the only entrant)
  • Once climbed a tree so fast the tree apologized
  • Banned from two botanical gardens, invited back to one

Her coach (also her) says the secret is simple: no fear, no plan, sandals only. And safety first: she never climbs without a full-face helmet (pictured, in a parking lot, nowhere near a tree).

That's a buster original.

Buster's battle cry from inside the tree
Leaf helmet and a lizard she caught on the hike down
Safety first: full-face helmet, always