Split-tail Climbing Line as Lanyard, "Chokered" around the tree

[rfwoody]

I've been trying to understand something Jeff Jepson says on page 49 of "The Tree Climber's Companion" (2nd Edition) and I am unable to understand exactly what he is saying.

Here is the page from the book:



I understand how to use the split tail system in conjunction with the lanyard to bypass branches, but do not understand how to "choker" it around the tree to ask as a 2nd lanyard.

Could someone please explain what he means in the 2nd marked paragraph beginning with "To rig the split tail in this fashion..."
I am unable to picture exactly how that would look/work?

Thanks!

 

[squisher]

That explains it pretty well. hopefully someone has a pic they can post up.

 

[Bermy]

So, if you are using a split tail lanyard system...
Make sure you are already tied in with another system
Then...

Toss the end with the clip around the trunk or branch...clip it directly back on to the rope....choker
Take the adjusting side off your D ring and move it to your bridge
Slide your friction hitch up as close as you can get to the choker.

It gives you a bit more length than d to d...
Weight this chokered system, then unclip the other and advance.

One problem with chokering your lanyard like this usually the friction hitch is not designed to take all your weight on a single leg of rope and it can jam once you weight it.

This is one reason I have two Bridges and my lanyard is really long, I'm always supported from a central point and my long lanyard is used Ddrt as a second system to complement my SRT main.

 

[SeanKroll]

Picture = 1000 words

 

[Mick!]

Absolutely Sean.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

Perhaps, but she said it well

 

[Bermy]

Mais, merci Marc-Antoine

 

[SeanKroll]

If all he's saying is to use your functional DdRT climbing/ descending system in a non-functional way that defeats your point in have a climbing system, don't.

Simply wrap your lanyard 540*.

Robert, You particularly should not defeat safety systems.

Climbing DdRT without crotching your climb line above you or using a false-crotch is fine, as long as everything goes right and you never need to emrgency descend, and you want to stand in spurs, and not use your saddle leg loops.

 

[Ryan]

Choking the stem with your climb line is a handy way to descend when you bury the tail of your ddrt system with spruce branches. Not that I've done that before.

 

[pantheraba]

NONE of us have...you just sit around thinking up what COULD go wrong....right?

 

[rfwoody]

So, if you are using a split tail lanyard system...
Make sure you are already tied in with another system
Then...

Toss the end with the clip around the trunk or branch...clip it directly back on to the rope....choker
Take the adjusting side off your D ring and move it to your bridge
Slide your friction hitch up as close as you can get to the choker.

It gives you a bit more length than d to d...
Weight this chokered system, then unclip the other and advance.

One problem with chokering your lanyard like this usually the friction hitch is not designed to take all your weight on a single leg of rope and it can jam once you weight it.

This is one reason I have two Bridges and my lanyard is really long, I'm always supported from a central point and my long lanyard is used Ddrt as a second system to complement my SRT main.

Thanks a lot Bermy!

Trying to piece all the description together to get the picture.....

But could I ask you 2 things...

How long is your lanyard?
Since your main climbing line is SRT... are your 2 bridges on your lanyard?

Thanks!

 

[rfwoody]

Sean, thanks a lot for putting it into safety perspective! That makes a lot of sense.

 

[Bermy]

Robert, my lanyard is 25 feet long, I have two Bridges, one for my SRT and one for my lanyard. I rarely use my side Ds anymore, last time I did was when I did a removal on spikes.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

I use my saddle with a fixed central point for the main rope, ddrt or srt, and a bridge which receives the 27' lanyard (was a little longer initially ). The lanyard works as a regular ddrt system, alternatively with the main rope. It takes its role on the D when climbing with the spikes. I tried the 540° thing, no way. I'm not gifted for spike climbing and it's a real pain. As soon as I can hang my main rope overhead, I do, and put back the lanyard in climbing mode.
When I buck down the spar, I use the lanyard on the D (or the wire one if I climb just for that) and my main rope in srt shocked on the trunk at the same level. I'm much more confident like that.
When the main rope's tail is stuck under the limbs, not only with spruce but every other species, switching in srt saves the day. As long as you come down by the same path than the tail. Thanks to the HitchHicker and now the Akimbo.

Time to time I choke my lanyard, but it's only for a positioning purpose or if it becomes a tad short in ddrt mode. My weigh stays mostly on my main line, so the jamming of the knot isn't an issue and I still conserve the emergency lowering ability.

 

[rfwoody]

Thanks a lot, Bermy and Marc-Antoine!

 

[Mick!]

Don’t understand a lot of what’s being said here if I’m honest.

But when peeps say about getting the rope stuck under conifer branches at the base of the tree, why don’t they reel it up and hook it on their harness? Easier on the ground crew as well, not having to fight to separate the branches from the rope.

 

[Bermy]

Marc sounds like you and I climb in a very similar manner.

Back to Robert, although you can choke your lanyard it's not something you should be doing with any regularity, better to use it as intended either off your side Ds or from your central point, bridge or fixed.

 

[Jonny]

So the reason one would do this would be to rest one's legs? Not practical as a quick escape in case of bees or whatever.

Even if I was expecting to get bounced around roping the top off a conifer, I'd feel much more secured wrapping my lanyard 540° and connected on the side Ds.

 

[pantheraba]

540' with lanyard has stabilized me many times on a small or precarious work position top.

Leaves my climb line ready to didi mao if I need to. (means the same as the GTFOOD)

 

[Marc-Antoine]

But when peeps say about getting the rope stuck under conifer branches at the base of the tree, why don’t they reel it up and hook it on their harness? Easier on the ground crew as well, not having to fight to separate the branches from the rope.

Time to time, I do that, but it isn't practical when you have to climb up and down many times. And with the rope in long loose coil to enhance its availability, you can be sure that some limbs will hang in the loops on their way down.
It's the same with storing the rope in a bag on the ground. That works well the first time, even with plenty of limbs over it. But when it's time to change the rope's path, the bag stays where it is and the tail falls back in the mess (where it's guarantee that the rope make quickly a loop around a limb's butt or a stub).
Stuck again.

 

[Bermy]

Indeed, when sectional felling a stem, I still do the 540 wrap D to D, and flipping up a coconut, with core lanyard on Ds... but most of my work nowadays is fine pruning and reductions...putting my lanyard centrally on a second bridge is the bee's knees for what I do

 

[pantheraba]

(where it's guaranteed that the rope will make quickly a loop around a limb's butt or a stub).

you HAVE done this before...

 

[DMc]

Time to time, I do that, but it isn't practical when you have to climb up and down many times...

It is more practical than getting your rope stuck. Rope management is much more demanding, and a pain in the ass, in an MRS climbing system, compared to an SRS climbing system.

 

[Ryan]

I'd want something like a coiled rope with a bight passed thru, with the bight hooked on a cari tool with it's keeper removed if you can picture that. In a bail out situation it would be nice to drop the coil with one hand but that ease would make it impractical for anything that would snag it.

 

[stig]

" MRS climbing system, compared to an SRS climbing system.

Lost me on the MRS thing, care to explain what that is?