Newbie, Intro & Question - Leave Climbing Line Overnight?

Howard70

Treehouser
Joined
Oct 30, 2018
Messages
19
Location
New Mexico, USA
Hello:

New to the forum & new to tree climbing. You folks seem a good group to learn from. I have experience with rock climbing, moderate mountaineering & canyoneering, simple rigging for 4x4 recovery, sailing, etc. but little roped time in trees. I'd like to take care of our residential trees (20+ cottonwoods, 5 sycamores, assorted elms, multiple piñons & junipers, etc.) and a rental property (similar species, fewer individuals).

So - first questions:

Do you leave climbing lines placed overnight? If that's OK, is there anything to lookout for (suspend tail in bag off the ground, check for squirrels, etc?). I'm pretty slow at getting the throwline where I want it, remotely installing a friction saver, climbing & pruning so I often don't finish a tree before I tire out for the afternoon. Leaving a line in place could save some time, but I wonder about critters chewing on stuff, etc.

Thanks in advance,

Howard
 
Yes, also, welcome to the TreeHouse forum, Howard! I'm not a pro tree guy like most on this forum, but I've been learning from the forums and climbing on and off when I get the opportunities for better than 4 or 5 years, I'd guess.

Having said that, my impression of things is that it is considered to be a Cardinal sin to leave a life support rope in a tree overnight. I think the book answer is to buy and use the really strong throw lines, like Zing-It, for example, and tie them onto your rope as you pull your climbing rope out of the tree at the end of each day. You just have to allow the time each and every time you climb to pull them in at the beginning of the day and out again at the end of the day. I think the main fear is of rodents, as you suggested.

If you start studying about SRT techniques, you can save yourself the trouble of having to isolate a branch and setting a friction saver. It makes life easier, in that way. Good luck, and thanks for becoming a member of the TreeHouse forum. Also, feel free to ask as many questions as you need to; there are a lot of very nice and helpful people here.

Tim
 
My only issue is theft. I left a nice bullrope in a backyard tree of a house that was being renovated: there were painters working inside. When I came back the next morning the rope was cut at about 8 feet.
 
Welcome to the forum.

I once left a job and left a throwline in the tree overnight. Next morning I fight my climbline on and start hauling it up the tree. It snapped after about 5 pulls. I reckon it was squirrels.

I guess it is easier to see critical damage on a climbing rope compared to a 2mm throwline.
 
I've had pet squirrels, one for 12 years. I never once saw them one on anything that was soft, but they'd be all over anything hard.

Interesting.
 
I don't leave lines in trees over night not so much for critters chewing on them but the liability issue. I will pull the line out and leave a throw line in the tree over night.
 
Welcome!!! You are correct in that this is a great place to learn. As far as leaving stuff in trees overnight, i personally do it all the time, just be sure to coil it up off the ground so someone with a mower doesn't get it. That is what i personally do, i understand it's kinda a no no, but in mountaineering they leave fixed lines up all the time, and i accept the risk after pulling it down to check (tie the ends together to form a loop).
 
I never even considered leaving my climb line overnight. Rodent damage is about the most likely way a rope or any other fabric piece of climbing gear in storage will be ruined. Storage in a tree even moreso :).

If I needed to re-ascend the next day, I always just pulled my throw line back in with the climb line, then reset it on the morrow. And on a couple of occasions I had that throw line chewed on, once parted completely.

I think only a fool would leave their life support rope unattended in a tree for any length of time at all.

Mick, old friend??? :P
:D
 
I had a treehouse for my kids...with nylon netting in the windows to prevent falling out. Squirrels definitely did chew that corded netting. Don't leave life lines in trees unattended. Uber stupid to do that.

When I worked for a tree company way back we left lines in trees overnight. We were stupid...don't be that way.
 
In construction, we've left chain falls in place for months (aka some at a year or so lol).... same thinking almost got me in trouble (aka been lucky).
 
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  • #18
Thanks for all the replies & encouragement. I'm embarrassed to admit I never thought of the compromise suggested by many of you - pull the climbing line and leave a throw line. Perfect.

Tree09 brought up fixed lines in mountaineering. While they are often used, there are some horror stories of jugging up to find a core shot rope hanging on by the mantle (cover). I've used fixed rappel lines quite a bit, but the advantage there is you can check the line as you descend & head back up with prusiks or ascenders if you encounter damage before reaching the next anchor.

Thanks again,

Howard
 
I never even considered leaving my climb line overnight. Rodent damage is about the most likely way a rope or any other fabric piece of climbing gear in storage will be ruined. Storage in a tree even moreso :).

If I needed to re-ascend the next day, I always just pulled my throw line back in with the climb line, then reset it on the morrow. And on a couple of occasions I had that throw line chewed on, once parted completely.

I think only a fool would leave their life support rope unattended in a tree for any length of time at all.

Mick, old friend??? :P
:D

Every days a school day it seems.
 
Hi, welcome,! Check out the whole thread we have here called 'beginners tips, or tips for beginners, you can search for it...packed full of sensible advice.
No, I never leave a rope in the tree, pull line, often to save time when on multiple day jobs.
 
DdRT here, so the hassle of setting the friction saver is a consideration. I think I've only seen it left overnight once, when we didn't finish a big oak in the rain as darkness set in. Had to come back out the next morning to finish, just 30 more min in the tree. Not a frequent practice, for sure.
And all rodents had already been served their eviction notice...
 
By the way, that Dyneema Zing-It throw line from Samson Ropes is unbelievably strong stuff. I like to use the thicker 2.2 mm stuff, and I think it has a breaking strength of about 580 pounds. It might be the strongest readily available cordage that exists; maybe the rope experts on this forum can correct me if I'm wrong. I've leaned back on it once or twice, with appropriate caution, with my full body weight on it, and it did not break. Expensive, but it takes a beating and lasts a long time. So far, I've not yet retired one.

Tim
 
Butch...thinking back...we were using 3 strand then. It was probably a pull line. But back then we pulled trees with our climb line after we rappelled down. A climb line was a pull line was a climb line....that was stupid, too.:(
 
As long as it's just hand pulling, I don't see the big deal. I can't think of a single time I've ever hurt my climb line doing that.
 
With modern ropes I have always thought the could be invisible damage....inside the sheathe, from a heavy spar impact.
 
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