Another vote for the Pilot holes. I always predrill my holes. After I get it started I use both hands and sometimes my feet to really crank it in until the bottom of the step touches the tree. I have thought about the climbing sticks but how many would you need to hunt 3 different stands. I just take the bottom 2 steps out when I'm done and thats all I have to carry in to hunt. I almost always have soemone with me too. It saves alot of trips up and down the tree.