Beginner Tree Climbing Tips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TtOS5rV1aPM

Ben posted this awesome heli-crane video.
Two points, changing compression and tension. When craning trees, or gusts of wind are present, things can split more easily... and a tech cord prussic for tying in SRT without crossloading the 'biner--you don't have to choke the stem tight if you slide out the prussic and clip into it.

At the end very end of the video I noticed a tech cord loop on his lanyard. This allows you to choke the stem of the tree without crossloading your biner. This works best with an srt device as a lanyard adjuster (cinch, hh, grigri), as it is a full-on srt climbline, effectively. If you have a steel core flipline with a snap, like me, and a lot of PNW climbers for removals, you can still tie-in the stem on SRT, and be held tight, pull in closer on the lanyard, but not lower-out/ lower away from the choke while under load. This avoids the circle of death.

Do you have any pics of the setup in use, or maybe videos of it being used.....?
Thanks Sean! :thumbupold:
 
at 7:48 in the video you can see it attached. its a DMM thimble on a prussic.

https://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?item=1821

If you are hanging below a TIP/ crotch, the SRT'ed lanyard will look like an inverted teardrop around the limb/ crotch, with the rope hanging down as a single strand, down to your adjuster. this works to have a second climbline system with a longer (typically rope) lanyard. Does this make sense?

No pics, as I don't use it. I'll tie a bowline/ Running bowline on the odd occasion where I use a rope lanyard and want to go SRT for a moment. I rarely climb big spreading trees that require double climblines, and don't mind choking my flipline with the snap directly to the rope covered wire core. A piece of 5mm Tech cord will suffice.
 
Mechanical prusik tops the list - choose your weapon wisely
SRT for ascents Rope walker or frog (handled ascender with foot loop and foot ascender plus sternal ascender
All my apprentices/beginners have to show strenght and endurance.
If they can't push off and lift themselves over limbs at max reach overhead it means bad news.
Use the pendulum effects to progress higgher because most times the energy required to climb is
better spent with your weight in your harness rather than holding your entire weight.
Rock climber techniques apply well to tree climbing as well but with your feet you need good firm yet soft rubber so
as not to damage the tree.
Work with gravity and try not to fight it. Many times the sloth method is the most effecient and can be the safest
because there is less chance of slipping or loss of balance.
Cheers
 
I'm no feather weight but I have to be a bit careful in thin barked species I take my boots off when I climb some.
Just sayin.
Recently got a pair of foam soled Dickies for 50bucks at TSC might do the trick.
Footwear shouldn't be underestimated any ways considering
All the best
 
at 7:48 in the video you can see it attached. its a DMM thimble on a prussic.

https://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?item=1821

If you are hanging below a TIP/ crotch, the SRT'ed lanyard will look like an inverted teardrop around the limb/ crotch, with the rope hanging down as a single strand, down to your adjuster. this works to have a second climbline system with a longer (typically rope) lanyard. Does this make sense?

No pics, as I don't use it. I'll tie a bowline/ Running bowline on the odd occasion where I use a rope lanyard and want to go SRT for a moment. I rarely climb big spreading trees that require double climblines, and don't mind choking my flipline with the snap directly to the rope covered wire core. A piece of 5mm Tech cord will suffice.

Sean,
starting in this video at about 2:00, is the technique he's demonstrating basically what you're talking about? :?
If so, I understand that, makes sense to me. :thumbupold:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/n-LSbQfNCNU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
How about the 'Triangle of Death'

If you are doing any rigging, and there is a redirect on the ground, i.e. a line comes off the tree and is redirected/offset through a pulley then goes to the main anchor tree where it is being winched or pulled on. Stay OUT of the triangle formed by the offset of the redirect...in case the redirect/offset anchor fails and the pulley is slingshot across the triangle...you do NOT want to be in the way of that!
 
And another one comes to mind given the tree I was in this week...

Do NOT trust regrowth from old topping cuts as TIPS unless you REALLY know your species and timber strength. Some people would say NEVER trust them.
Unless they have become solidly established they can peel off from near the topping cut just like a banana skin, when a critical amount of side strain is applied.
I was in a white cedar this week(Tabebuia palida) that I was visiting for the second time in three years for restoration pruning after a topping disaster...even me at 117 lbs was not happy with one TIP once I got past a certain angle and the regrowth was probably 6-8 yrs worth, well 'wrapped around the topping cut, a good 6" dia. But white cedar is soft and flexible...changed out the TIP asap!

So the follow on is to know your species, and what you can expect from the fibre/timber given different scenarios.
 
Something I remembered, stay out of crotches. Don't dump a top out while standing in a crotch. You don't ever want to get pinned. Struck by, or glanced off of is bad enough and can carry big penalties, but don't put yourself in a position to be trapped.

Plus what Bermy said. Tying into old topping cuts can be questionable. In some cases, its fine, but know the wood and have a good look at where the limb sprouted from. The downward weight you put on something while going up a tree is one thing. Side loading a crappy TIP is more likely to cause a failure.
 
Thanks for the advice Page. Yea i have done the blake's hitch before i like it also ....So anchor knot and connect it to the hitch climber pulley. As of right now i have been hooking both beener's to my rope bridge. I have a hitch climber pulley but the knot interfering was making me nervous so i went the old way ...What friction hitch do u tie? I use a schawabish, with that set up ...
I use switch back and forth between the blakes hitch and a michiocan, sometimes the traditional way with the blakes, sometimes with no bridge and a pulley under it, sometimes a double hitch so I can move the whole setup toward or away from me. quite often just a lanyard. (one of my favorites)
 
I'm no feather weight but I have to be a bit careful in thin barked species I take my boots off when I climb some.
Just sayin.
Recently got a pair of foam soled Dickies for 50bucks at TSC might do the trick.
Footwear shouldn't be underestimated any ways considering
All the best
I prune jap maples barefoot, better for the tree and makes me feel like a kid again
 
And another one comes to mind given the tree I was in this week...

Do NOT trust regrowth from old topping cuts as TIPS unless you REALLY know your species and timber strength. Some people would say NEVER trust them.
Unless they have become solidly established they can peel off from near the topping cut just like a banana skin, when a critical amount of side strain is applied.
I was in a white cedar this week(Tabebuia palida) that I was visiting for the second time in three years for restoration pruning after a topping disaster...even me at 117 lbs was not happy with one TIP once I got past a certain angle and the regrowth was probably 6-8 yrs worth, well 'wrapped around the topping cut, a good 6" dia. But white cedar is soft and flexible...changed out the TIP asap!

So the follow on is to know your species, and what you can expect from the fibre/timber given different scenarios.

So tru.

We rework pollarded and then forgotten trees a lot.
What we do is take 3 or more opposed regrowth sprouts and tie them together, kinda like the skeleton in a teepee. Then tie off of the top of the teepee.
That mostly eliminates sideloading, so they hold up much better.
 
...What we do is take 3 or more opposed regrowth sprouts and tie them together, kinda like the skeleton in a teepee. Then tie off of the top of the teepee.
That mostly eliminates sideloading, so they hold up much better.

That is a great tip, Stig! :thumbup:

David
 
So tru.

We rework pollarded and then forgotten trees a lot.
What we do is take 3 or more opposed regrowth sprouts and tie them together, kinda like the skeleton in a teepee. Then tie off of the top of the teepee.
That mostly eliminates sideloading, so they hold up much better.


YUP!
 
My understanding was that pollarding could make it necessary to use that kind of TIP...due to the weak new growth.
 
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