Sounds like you need to gut it up, get a buttbelt to go with your spikes and make sure your saw is sharp, then shinny up a tree.
I have been about thirty five feet off the ground recently with no equipment, except a saw, taking down limbs that are growing too close to the power lines, anyway.
I made myself kind of sore from abusing old muscles that I had not used in too long, but I opened up the pool area to the sun!!