Kids in trees

[DeanBrown3D]

Hello all,

What ages are you guys bringing the kids up into trees? And what kind of systems are entertaining for nearly-4-year-olds? My little one (actually not the littlest any more) loves to stand on a rope loop and hold the tree (maybe 3 feet off the ground), but I reckon it would be good to get a little harness or something like a swing set that I could lift up a little more and let her watch me while I climb myself. Maybe one day I can pull her up to meet me up top. Would like some feedback if any of you have been here!

Thanks

Dean

 

[OTG BOSTON]

The kids who come to my climb outings are middle school and high school age. We usually set up their climbing line on a false crotch with a pulley to make the ascent as easy as possible on them (some are in better shape than others). I don't own a treeboat but soon will, that would be a cool toy for a kid in a tree. I dunno if you'll be able to find a small enough harness for a three year old. I think Moss will have much more insight into this.

 

[moss]

You can put a kid in a harness down to about 5 years old depending on how big or small they are. With a five year-old you have to climb along side them and work the hitch for them. You also have to be careful because they can become inverted easily (big head to body ratio) so you have to always monitor them on the rope, that is be right next to them. There is a Petzl harness that has chest attachment so they can't invert. Always put a helmet on them. Never take your eyes off them.

Younger than that you're putting them in some kind of seat (like a car seat) with a seatbelt or straps holding them in with waist and shoulder restraint. Then 4 point attachment on the seat tied off to a locking biner or screwlink attached to the rope and hauling them up with whatever system works best to securely capture their progress. You don't want to report "oops, I dropped the baby 20 ft!".

I think that less than 4-5 years old the kid has no appreciation/understanding that they're going up into a tree so I 'd see it more as entertaining adults or a photo op (exploitation) and not very useful for the kid.

With 6 and 7 year olds they can have some serious fun.
-moss

 

[rmihalek]

I rope into this nice hickory in my backyard and climb up about 7 feet so I'm level with the top of the swing set. My 6 year old climbs to the top of the swing set and then I let her sit on my lap and I push off from the swing set and we swing back and forth a bit before I set her down again. She loves it and wants to climb the tree now.

I think I'll get her a helmet and harness for Christmas (or sooner, so she can use it this year).

 

[bowline]

Did ajob on scots pine last sunday at my parents place ,95 feet up and my 8year old was watching waveing away ,when i came down she said im gonna be a climber when i grow up ,so i slipped her in a harness and pulled up about 15feet my father pulling her with me climbing up beside her.She had a great time,i told her when she can climb to the top i will give her a job.

 

[1CallLandscape]

GREAT IDEA! moss is right about age groups. younger than 5 and they wont fully appreciate it... but why not give it a try, start low and work up gradually. the car seat idea is ideal because it doest require the child to use any physical strength. this is good because they hevent developed the muscels fully at that age nor have they used the groups required to climb.

i stared climbing when i was 4 ( my father , a pro climber, used a childrens rock climbing harness with 2 locking beaners) and told me to hold on to the lift rope while he lifted. my mother, worried, was taking pictures the whole time. if i can find the old pics ill post them.

remember that you want to be extremely cautious when bringing a child into a tree so play it safe and slow......Good luck!
:biggrinbounce2:

_mike

 

[Fireaxman]

Katy and Ryan

I'm probably going to get in trouble for this over PPE. I apologize in advance, and assure you it will never happen again, but it happened, so I'll admit it.

I had rigged out a pine to inspect for IPS beetles. I had installed my usual height adjustable false crotch with my DdRT. After I had climbed and cleaned it of stubs and storm debris a freind showed up with his two kids, I'm guessing 12 and 5.

The 12 year old got pretty excited about seeing me up a tree and wanted to try it. We put the saddle on her, thinking we would just hoist her up a few feet. Crys of "More! More! Higher! Higher!" finally worked her up to where you see her.

(Continued with part 2 in a few minutes)

 

[Fireaxman]

Katy and Ryan Part II

Katy's little brother enjoyed the show and immediately started screaming for his turn. I thought he was too small to be safe in the saddle and told him he would have to wait until he was bigger. Katy and I went back to the house to get some soft drinks, and when I looked back outside Ryan's dad had hoisted him up the tree. The kid was ecstatic, and begging for "Higher! Higher!". I was terrified, but did get a couple of picts before I canceled the project. I only admit to this to testify reliably that these kids LOVE this stuff. Everytime they see me they ask me when "We" are going climbing "again".

The sport has a future if anyone wants to develop it.

 

[moss]

Great stuff Fireaxeman. I like the barefeet, I have to try that sometime. One thing to consider when you put a kid into a tree is that you want a second line set higher than their line so you can go up and get them if they freeze up on the rope and you can't talk them down. If you make it to the rendezvous you'll hear a lot of good ideas about putting new climbers in trees etc.
-moss

 

[DeanBrown3D]

I think that less than 4-5 years old the kid has no appreciation/understanding that they're going up into a tree

Nopey! My nearly-4 year old talks about nothing but climbing now, since I put here on a couple of bits of rope during a picnic.

 

[lync]

Ive had both my kids in the trees since they were 3 years old . Now there 5 and 9. Petzl makes a full body harness for kids called ouisiti. It works great. I set a high crotch, tie the end to the saddle with a figure 8 loop. The falling end I attach to a split tail which is attached to my saddle. A micro pully allows for one hand adjustment. If I should slip, or fall or let go of the rope the split tail doesn't allow any slack and by body weight belays them. They can limb walk, and 3 point climb. I just keep the rope taught so they can't take a fall. I control the decent. This year I'll teach the 9 yr old to self belay with a friction hitch.

Corey

 

[moss]

Nopey! My nearly-4 year old talks about nothing but climbing now, since I put here on a couple of bits of rope during a picnic.

I had a 3 year-old try to climb the trunk of a small tree after he watched me go up. They love the idea of climbing, it's like vertical crawling to them. I just don't think it matters to them whether they're 3 ft. or 20 ft. off the ground. Just putting on a harness and running around the yard goes a long way.
-moss

 

[DeanBrown3D]

There is a Trango harness that's for 25-80 lbs (mine is 40 lb). I read that the ouisiti is no good for such small kids, but the Trango seems for smaller kids still. Its a full body harness.

 

[Fireaxman]

Great stuff Fireaxeman. I like the barefeet, I have to try that sometime. One thing to consider when you put a kid into a tree is that you want a second line set higher than their line so you can go up and get them if they freeze up on the rope and you can't talk them down. If you make it to the rendezvous you'll hear a lot of good ideas about putting new climbers in trees etc.
-moss

Second line excellent suggestion, but I was similarly prepared. I used a height adjustable false crotch (Jepson Page 50) so I could lower her down if she froze up, and of course I was standing by with the spurs in case she froze up so bad she couldn't unhook the lanyard. Then I belayed her with a figure 8 on my saddle on the tail of her climbing line.

I'm researching and pricing those children's saddles tonight. I dont have any children, but maybe I could afford to have a saddle available for such an opportunity as I had that day.

 

[Fireaxman]

OK guys, nice try on the spelling - but no awards. Ouistiti. http://www.bentgate.net/ouisharbypet.html

Looks like the Trango fits a smaller person, and is also a little cheaper ($39.95)

 

[moss]

Second line excellent suggestion, but I was similarly prepared. I used a height adjustable false crotch (Jepson Page 50) so I could lower her down if she froze up, and of course I was standing by with the spurs in case she froze up so bad she couldn't unhook the lanyard. Then I belayed her with a figure 8 on my saddle on the tail of her climbing line.

Totally covered

 

[sheep]

I'm highschool and i've been climbing everything - especially trees - for as long as i can remember. I free climb. harnesses and other safety equip are evil. seriously, if you are careful, what are the chances that you'll fall off? and the getting up part is pure skill.

My sister climbed mini trees ever since she can walk reasonably well. When she was three, she really suprised me by climbing 12 feet up a pine tree. (haha. and got stuck. i had to carry her down.)

humans are naturally cautious. i really don't think anything more than a simple helmet is neccesary as long as there's careful supervision.

 

[Fireaxman]

I'm highschool and i've been climbing everything - especially trees - for as long as i can remember. I free climb. harnesses and other safety equip are evil. seriously, if you are careful, what are the chances that you'll fall off? and the getting up part is pure skill. ...

... humans are naturally cautious. i really don't think anything more than a simple helmet is neccesary as long as there's careful supervision.

That kind of self confidence is a sure ticket to the hospital, if it doesn't land you in the grave first. Sure hope you dont take your sister with you.

I could give you a long list of examples from personal childhood freinds with broken bones to my own dad, who cured his love for climbing trees in his childhood with a bad fall. A branch broke under his weight.

Even pros fall occasionally with all the ropes, spurs, experience, and gear. Love climbing? Good. Learn to do it safely. If not, PM me with your name and address so I can nominate you for a Darwin award. Just please be careful not to encourage someone else in your errant ways.

 

[sheep]

That kind of self confidence is a sure ticket to the hospital, if it doesn't land you in the grave first. Sure hope you dont take your sister with you.

I could give you a long list of examples from personal childhood freinds with broken bones to my own dad, who cured his love for climbing trees in his childhood with a bad fall. A branch broke under his weight.

Even pros fall occasionally with all the ropes, spurs, experience, and gear. Love climbing? Good. Learn to do it safely. If not, PM me with your name and address so I can nominate you for a Darwin award. Just please be careful not to encourage someone else in your errant ways.

haha! a friend of mine actually had a distant relative who won the darwin award...

no, but seriously, if a branch is dead or looks like it can't support your weight, DON"T PUT ALL YOUR WEIGHT ON IT!!! its not that hard to judge which branches break and which don't. I don't know. i've always felt in control of the situation. I generally stop climbing when the trunk gets thinner than my leg so life is good.

edit: what i meant is that if you exercise common sense and make sure that a young child doesnt just keep going and going up, and supervise, the kid should be fine. it isnt much more risky than teaching someone to swim. If you don't feel comfortable letting someone climb without any equipment, then don't. your decision. you know the person better. you are probably extrememly experienced in tree climbing.
btw, I'm talking about VERY basic trees where the highest limb is no more than 10 ft off the ground. for huge tall trees, well, use your judgement. I'm just saying that there's no need starting with tons of unneccesary equipment.

 

[Fireaxman]

no, but seriously, if a branch is dead or looks like it can't support your weight, DON"T PUT ALL YOUR WEIGHT ON IT!!! its not that hard to judge which branches break and which don't. I don't know. i've always felt in control of the situation. I generally stop climbing when the trunk gets thinner than my leg so life is good.

It is not that simple. For instance, watersprouts often form as a result of storm damage or poor pruning practices. They can grow quite rapidly and can look just like any other branch. But they are not rooted in the center of the lateral or trunk from which they eminate. They are rooted only in the cambium of the year they began to grow, and in successive years they are rooted in much more shallow layers of sapwood than the original branches. They can break off with little or no warning. I can offer many more examples of branches that look and initially feel solid, but are not.

I do not mean to sound "Holier than Thou" here. Most of what I know I learned from hard knocks and near misses. Except by God's Grace I could be a strong contender for a "Darwin". I "Free Climbed" well into my 30's, when a succession of potentialy fatal near misses finaly convinced me to buy some rope and a saddle. I'm not saying you need "...tons of unneccesary equipment" for simple climbing. A few feet of good rope and a simple (Canvas Butt Strap, for instance) saddle, and learn about 3 good knots.

I am saying you should not encourage children or people of limited experience, people who may not recognize the hazards of what they are doing, to engage in potentialy dangerous activities without the most basic safety precautions.

I'm sure Steve Irwin "... felt in control of the situation" swimming above that ray. For many years I felt like I was "... in control of [many potentially hazardous] situation". It seems like just in the last 10 years or so I have finally begun to realize that things can go from so very Good to so very Bad so very Fast.