Got some gear, gonna climb...

[Patrick62]

Thank you Wayne. I know that being a newbie that I am going to do things wrong! Lots of things... but it does take a certain sort of nutz to get into a tree anyway. I climbed trees with ~nothing~ when I was a teenager. I trusted the limbs, and my own strength to keep me reasonably safe. I did slip once tho...

I am going to look into the 2in1 as added gear, and the next thing I pick out to climb I will see if I can get the throw line over a nice branch and haul up the climbing line and set a friction hitch on it as a added safety. BUT the end result is to maintain a reasonably safe position anyway! One of you "pro's" would have scampered up this twig, knocked all the branches off, topped it, and been back down in like 15 minutes. It took me more than twice that long. But I did it.

In answer to the statement: I know you are practicing climbing but if these trees need to come down why not just fell them at ground level?
You answered your own question. I need the practice. I have NO intention of climbing something in someones back yard to remove the tree and NO EXPERIENCE!! Practice climbing. Find out what works, and what don't work. Learn the ropes. Learn the how's and why's. Learn from the advice of you guys on this website.

The nubs a problem? If I gaff out, the flip line is going to administer my poor body directly into the tree with my arms grabbing as hard as I can (and I am pretty strong). No doubt I will let out a "oomph" and maybe some various dirty words. Then I will STICK the feet back into the tree. and carry on with my task with a renewed vigor. I actually think that in order to lose BOTH gaffs would be a strange situation anyway. I had the left one miss once already... no big deal. Must remember to maintain the appropriate angle from the stem. Don't hug the tree...

Question! How to you work your way to the right, and left in order to trim up the limbs on the other side of the stem? I was just using my rather long reach to do this but would find a offending branch with the flipline and had to nip it off before I could continue....

Thanks guys, keep the feedback a coming! I won't have time to go "climbing" today.

 

[Patrick62]

That tree in the last photo could have easily been tied into to rapel down instead of having to spike all the way back down if your not taking it down in pieces. Having a climb line is a good idea even if you aren't really using it. You can always use it to haul up something to you. Tying in twice is a very good idea and may keep you from killing yourself one day. Tree climbing, expect the unexpected. If you do this enough something will happen that you didn't foresee. Buckingham makes tear away saw lanyards that will break on purpose if you get the saw stuck in a large piece you are dropping.

Now... one thing at a time... Griff you are enticing my wild side with the "rapel down" comment. I could see that, next year. Let me spike up/down for now. I need the practice anyway. When I am confident and ready for adventure I will get a figure 8, and set it up and try that from a reasonably sane height. Much more efficient at getting down...

Maybe at some point I will either try the ascenders single or double... and other alternate forms of getting into the tree.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

If you do gaff out with both spurs, and it does happen, you'll generally slide/slip a foot or two down the stem before your flipline grabs. If there's a nub in the wrong place your entire body weight, accelerated by gravity now slams
into an area of 3 or 4 sq inches versus the entire trunk. You'll find as you go along nubs cause all sorts of problems, from tangling gear to hanging up branches.

As far as backside limbs, just walk around the trunk. Blind cutting on the backside is a very poor practice, especially for a beginning climber.
These mistakes are very common for self-taught climbers, but I would hope this is why you're posting, for the feedback, right? We're just trying to help keep you safe.

 

[BC WetCoast]

A couple of things I noticed. in the first pic, your butt is too close to the tree. If you back out a bit, the angle of your body and spurs will lessen the potential to gaff out.

Secondly, you said you wouldn't trust your climbing line around any of the branches. You're correct there if you only put the line over the branch, but if you put the climbing line around the tree and over the branch, you would be ok. The first inch of the branch out from the stem will be very strong and more than hold you. You can also use it as a second flip line as Jeff mentioned above to stay tied in when you are passing limbs.

Finally, if you take the lower strap on your spurs and wrap it around the shank, there is less likelihood of it wandering back under the heel of your boot.

 

[BC WetCoast]

I've seen this from your replies a couple of times and I think you are missing the concept. When we are talking about using the climbing line, we are not talking about going from your hitch, over a branch and back to your belt, we are saying go from your hitch around the tree to a branch on the backside of the tree, continue around the stem and back to your belt. Any branch on that tree, 1 1/2" and larger would easily hold your weight in that configuration.

Now when someone talked about rappelling, you don't need a figure 8. Once your climbing line is into a crotch (as described above), just rappel down your climbing line, using your Blakes (or whichever hitch you are using - don't use a prussic it will tighten up) to support you.

 

[Patrick62]

I got a lot more reading to do, and gonna go find a few more youtube vid's of the pro's doing this stuff.

I think I got the idea, if I can get the throw line up and over a branch then put the rope onto the other side of the tree. That places the load right next to the stem, and you are correct, very strong at that point.

rappelling is beyond me at this point. One time, and one time only I got talked into getting down outta tree with a skinny little 3/8 rope and a carabiner set with a munter. Not a particularly great setup...

I will work on the nubs, leavin' them sticking out there does look unprofessional. However.... atleast on my first attempt, it added a comforting factor that I can hang on to. I need that climb line! Then I have that for a "security blanket" and I literally will test that thing out! I would go ahead and dangle from it just to prove it in my mind that it is secure!

So, okay... line from the belt up and over a crotch and back down to a blakes... then to lower myself I feed line thru the blakes a little at a time until I reach ground?
I really think I'd rather try something involving a decender or the Munter with a extra wrap on it.

Tree work...
You don't have to be crazy, but it helps!

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Just need training. See if you can find a local climber to hang out with.

 

[Patrick62]

There isn't anyone that I know of up here that is a climber.
Once in awhile a Asplundh crew comes thru.
Harry Smith used to climb some, from what I remember watching him... I am "safe" compared to his efforts. Harry was crazy, and took a lot of chances in the tree.
If I simply HAVE to hang out with climbers I will have to quit my job, move back to denver. Hire on dragging slash for swingle and maybe in a few years I can try climbing again. By then I will be mid 50's and really have no business being in a tree.

I will learn. I will do it on my own (with a lot of advice). It can be done. No it ain't safe. Getting outta bed ain't safe either.
It would be much safer for me to get rid of all the saws, log splitters, trucks, welders, workshop, and drive a "safe" car (1950 buick roadmaster? rofl ) to a full time job as a clerk in a store.

Jolly, you touched a nerve over here.

I will stay as "safe" as I can, but will still "get the job done". I spent quite a few years wiring up lights and there were more than a few lights that I had to do that would have had OSHA foaming at the mouth if they had seen. some of them with the power still on. It takes nerves to stand on the edge of a bucket on a 45' Z lift holding a fixture in one hand, and hooking up 277 with the other hand. Been there, done that. Oh, and they required that I wear a harness clipped to the bucket...

 

[TheJollyLogger]

We'll help you all we can.

 

[BC WetCoast]

Go over to the recreational climbing forum and see if there is anybody there, or someone you could meet up with for a couple of days.