A blade loading system for imposing a force on a wind turbine blade includes a portable load device having a cable, a tower support movably coupled to the tower, and a blade attachment device coupled to the blade and coupled to the cable, wherein when the blade attachment device is coupled to the blade and the tower support is adjacent the blade, the load device induces tension in the cable so that a force is imposed on the blade in a direction toward the tower. A method of applying a force to a blade includes: coupling a tower support to the tower adjacent the base, coupling a cable to the blade attachment device, raising the tower support along the tower, coupling the blade attachment device to the blade, and tensioning the cable to provide a force on the blade in a direction toward the tower.