High Lines

[TreeRhino]

I think I'll need to set up a high line this week to take down a seriously decayed Chestnut oak spar.

I've done it once before, with mixed results, and was wondering if anyone had done this before and if they had any tips.

Thanks Guys

 

[MasterBlaster]

Do you have plenty of spar trees? How long will it need to be?

 

[NickfromWI]

I hang a prusik off the highline, that way I can adjust it as needed.

love
nick

 

[Blinky]

I've done a highline on a deaddead chestnut oak. Tighten the highline with a 5:1. I used a locking biner for the floating TIP, it never moved while my weight was on it. Make sure your lanyard can be released or cut out under load.

...and remember, it's a chestnut oak. If it's typical brown rot the spar will be very strong.

 

[No_Bivy]

lanyard with no stopper knot for sure. I use HTP, have not had to crank it really tight. I use a petzl double pulley for a little more movement up top...Usually epic to set up but very effective.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Make sure your lanyard can be released or cut out under load.

That's the tricky part.

 

[wiley_p]

Remember you want to be a little conservative. Maintain 10% sag in the unloaded highline. the 10% is based on 200# of weight and every 100 feet of rope in the span. This also include distance of rope t your anchors, not just the gap being bridged. A highline is a horrible setup based on line angles. Thats why this basic rule is used by most folks with safety in mind.

 

[TreeRhino]

Remember you want to be a little conservative. Maintain 10% sag in the unloaded highline. the 10% is based on 200# of weight and every 100 feet of rope in the span. This also include distance of rope t your anchors, not just the gap being bridged. A highline is a horrible setup based on line angles. Thats why this basic rule is used by most folks with safety in mind.

couldyou explain that a bit more. From my understanding, if i had eighty feet of line in the system, I'd want eight feet of sag? Why?

 

[TreeRhino]

lanyard with no stopper knot for sure. I use HTP, have not had to crank it really tight. I use a petzl double pulley for a little more movement up top...Usually epic to set up but very effective.

spar is huge (in diameter) probably 55-60 inches. I was thinking about having two TIPS on the line so i didn't have to use a lanyard at all. Is that crazy?

 

[No_Bivy]

because the load in the middle will be multilpied on the ends of the span. If you crank it tight, you could blow out something on the ends....especially if you fell onto it.

 

[No_Bivy]

spar is huge (in diameter) probably 55-60 inches. I was thinking about having two TIPS on the line so i didn't have to use a lanyard at all. Is that crazy?

no...but it may be hard to weild a big saw hanging like that...flexy ya know. How prone is this thing to falling over, did you pull test it? Dark had a idea of driving a 20 penny nail in and position off of it(not your life support) just so you could lever off of the trunk to work. Tree fails...nail pops...you get to live....we hope.

 

[TreeRhino]

I had a rotten old spar fail on me last year. I was tied in to another tree but my lanyard got hung up on the spar. I took quite a spill (my VT melted and burned through) so i'm a bit paranoid about being attached to the thing. I cant pull test it b/c its over a fence and if it fails, well, you get the picture.

My thought is to get up there and widdle away at it. It's hollow so i'm thinking a 361 and cutting it into little chunks, both vertically and horizontally. at the base there is about six inches of rotten, punky wood then hollow. No solid wood anywhere. This things probably been there for twenty years.

 

[No_Bivy]

Ive always wanted to try this...tap this in just enough to hold body weight. Tree fails....hook pops.....you get to live hopefully. No crane access?

 

[MasterBlaster]

HuH?

 

[No_Bivy]

you hang from the high line, use the hook to hold you close to the spar while cutting, pops if tree fails...........I know, it's a whacked idea, but it could work.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I've always considered using a couple of heavy duty cable ties between my dee and my snap. Or a shoestring...

 

[No_Bivy]

Pete Mctree had a zip tied laynard I think.....it is treading on thin ice hopeing some breaks like you expect too.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Oh, they'll break before I do!

 

[No_Bivy]

But I mean, if they don't blow, it would cause your hitch to slide......then your done for.

 

[wiley_p]

couldyou explain that a bit more. From my understanding, if i had eighty feet of line in the system, I'd want eight feet of sag? Why?

look at the line angle being created. Over 2000# of force is generated on a line that is set tight. Add in the sag and your forces drop quite significantly. 10' of sag on a 100' span will give you a defelection in the neighborhood of 160 degrees. much better than than the former.

Also Nobivy, i used to use a Spectre in treework all the time a great tool for the bag of odd tricks. I have not been able to find mine for some time.

 

[Bodean]

The whole flipline thing,
I like the idea of a vt on your side D without a stopper knot.

 

[No_Bivy]

Also Nobivy, i used to use a Spectre in treework all the time a great tool for the bag of odd tricks. I have not been able to find mine for some time.

how where you using it?

 

[OTGBOSTON]

The whole flipline thing,
I like the idea of a vt on your side D without a stopper knot.

X2 -beats trying to cut a part of the lanyard.

 

[Blinky]

X3 on the VT, that's what I use.

Have you ever tried to release one when it's heavily loaded though, likesay 700# or 800#? Nice thing is, when it's THAT loaded you can cut it with a handsaw no problem.

 

[wiley_p]

how where you using it?

Stuck in a crack, hooked over a limb. usually on a spectra daisy. went to a ropeman on a piece of 7mm cord after a while. Never did put a screamer on it though. I want to find that thing, hope its not one more peice of gear that has "migrated" with a worker.