MasterBlaster
TreeHouse Elder
I've fell twice so far, knock on wood. The first time was an attempt at free climbing a HUGE pecan. I fell maybe 17', 18' landing on my feet. As I collapsed into myself my chin smashed into my knee, wrenching my back and ankle. I was stove up for a couple days, but I REALLY was one lucky sob. That broke me from free climbing from that moment on.
Proper training would have been a much easier lesson.
The 2nd time was another HUGE pecan TD, dead as a doornail. There was no top 'cause it had broken out allready, just one of those Y shaped types, with no proper TIP. Tied into the left Y, I went to far out onto the right Y, and I heard that crunchy-snap sound no climber ever wants to hear. My rope stopped me at maybe 15", maybe 20" from the ground, but it still blew my left knee out. Stoved me up that time 7 or 8 weeks. Bummer. Coulda been worse though.
I went too far out on the dead limb, trying to miss the driveway. It was so dead I should have just butt-jumped it; Roping it would have concussed the tree too much.
Dead trees demand the UTMOST RESPECT.
Proper training would have been a much easier lesson.
The 2nd time was another HUGE pecan TD, dead as a doornail. There was no top 'cause it had broken out allready, just one of those Y shaped types, with no proper TIP. Tied into the left Y, I went to far out onto the right Y, and I heard that crunchy-snap sound no climber ever wants to hear. My rope stopped me at maybe 15", maybe 20" from the ground, but it still blew my left knee out. Stoved me up that time 7 or 8 weeks. Bummer. Coulda been worse though.
I went too far out on the dead limb, trying to miss the driveway. It was so dead I should have just butt-jumped it; Roping it would have concussed the tree too much.
Dead trees demand the UTMOST RESPECT.