270 foot doug fir climb Oregon

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Much of my climbing systems I have video taped and put on my YouTube channel.
I use a modified big shot that now gets me the capability to install a line up to 200 feet high. Initially I set up a base anchor with a 600 foot static line, the first climber to reach the tie in point then converts it to a canopy anchor so that multiple climbers can access the tree and we always have a direct descent route out of the tree.
I use a rope runner for SRT access and either use the tail of a climbing line with a zigzag or CElanyard for positioning and moving up the tree if needed.
The plan is going to be to set up some really high traverses (200' or more) or speed lines to move to some of the other tall adjacent trees.
Yes it will be fun and the forest and nature there is amazing.
 
I wish I had the time to take you up on your offer. I'll be in So-Cal for a TRAQ course that weekend. I think a zip line might actually be too much fun.:D
 
The note "tired" in the video near the 200 ft. height fit with my first thought RE this tree. It's a really tall medium size Douglas fir, and I thought that it's pretty cool that there's guys who enjoy doing what other arborists do out here for work ... just doubled on top of itself. A lot do routine work in 140 foot trees. You recreation guys merely stack the extra workload on top and have fun with it.
 
Just had another great west coast trip, starting in Portland and finished in SFO, some great trees, DF and RW's in the 270' range. Not the highest you can climb but amazing in structure.
 
The note "tired" in the video near the 200 ft. height fit with my first thought RE this tree. It's a really tall medium size Douglas fir, and I thought that it's pretty cool that there's guys who enjoy doing what other arborists do out here for work ... just doubled on top of itself. A lot do routine work in 140 foot trees. You recreation guys merely stack the extra workload on top and have fun with it.

This may be a little controversial. but I am going to share it with you. Was sitting at my table on the patio of the Russian River Pub in Forestville and I overheard a family at the next table talking about "Cathedral Redwoods" and "Widowmakers". A man said he was in his hammock in "The Cathedral" and suddenly remembered he was supposed to meet his family members at the pub. Just as he got out of his hammock a "Widowmaker" came crashing down on it, narrowly missing him. He was amazed at his good fortune.

I felt like it was important to warn him, so I intruded on their conversation. Where that branch came from, there likely were others, and they should find someone to clean the dead wood out of those trees. He replied it was a vacation home left among several heirs to an estate, and the heirs likely would not agree to the expense of an arborist, which in California would be several thousand dollars.

I volunteered to check the trees out, Pro Bono, for the pleasure of the climb. I warned him that I am insured for my own health, but any accidental damage to the cabin would be his responsibility. He and the family with him at the table agreed. Wisely I think. If there were dead limbs, they were going to fall anyway. While we were there and watching and could repair the damage - or later, during winter storms, while the cabin was unoccupied, to be discovered only in the spring, after there was water damage in addition to damage caused by the falling limbs.

There followed a week of Pure Pleasure for me, and Great Benefit to him and his family. Understand I only did work that would not have been done had I not been there. I took No Work from any professional arborist. They were second growth Redwoods, logged out in the late 1800's. The tallest one I measured was 184 feet, but there were some taller (I suspect 200 feet+) that I did not get the opportunity to climb (not enough risk to the owners to justify a climb). There were indeed Many hangers and dead branches over the cabin and the hammock area that I removed, many of which were hidden by lower foliage, some of which were as long as 30 feet. Helped the owners. Helped the trees. Helped the "Heritage" cabin (nearly 100 years old). Had several Wonderful climbs. Got down safe, no accidents, no near misses (well, one. A dead branch broke as I put my hand on it, bounced, broke, and a piece of it went through a plastic lawn chair.) Win / Win / Win / Win situation. Except for the plastic lawn chair. That, unfortunately, was a total loss.

I know there are risks involved in what I did. But I am an experienced climber, having done a lot of pro-bono hurricane mitigation in Louisiana. To me, to the trees, and to these property owners, I am confident the benefit far outweighed the risk.
 
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Redwood "Hanger", or "Widowmaker", at 140 feet, directly over a "Summer Home", concealed from the ground by lower canopy foliage. It could have fallen at any time. How many property owners have these hanging over their heads that are completely unaware of them? My point is that Recreational Climbers can make significant contributions to property owners, to the trees we climb, and even to the Arborist Professionals just by identifying such hazards, whether or not we assist in mitigating them, if they will just give us permission to climb their trees.
 
So does saddle trauma factor into these 200 ft + climbs?

How long can you stay on your lower D's before it becomes unbearable?

Great vid YoYo!

jomoco
 
So does saddle trauma factor into these 200 ft + climbs?

How long can you stay on your lower D's before it becomes unbearable?

Great vid YoYo!

jomoco
Thanks jomoco,
I'm still working on my last west coast climb video.

Not that much sit time really, with a rope walker SRT ascent, then once you get past the first branch it is pretty much stand and get your line to the next limb.
I run with a 600' rope and can get to the ground pretty quick if I need to.
When I get the line to the highest tie in point I turn the base anchor into two cinched anchors, that gives me access to both sides for climbing, descending and multiple climbers at the same time.
Also, as to dead wood, yes lots of it and probably the biggest threat but I prefer to leave nature to its own unless it posses a real eminent danger.
 
.... Also, as to dead wood, yes lots of it and probably the biggest threat but I prefer to leave nature to its own unless it posses a real eminent danger.

Dead wood, left on the tree so that the live cambium cannot seal off the heart from decay, is conducive to heart rot. Good for the bugs, fungus, and wood pecker I suppose, but dangerous to the climber, the tree, and the property owner. Not all things "Natural" are "Desirable". Disease and Death are "Natural", for the tree and for me, but I intend to treat disease and delay death as long as I can. Therefore, if I can do something to prolong the health and life of the tree, it is a small price to pay for the pleasure the tree has brought to me. Since I have no great affection for fungus or insects, and woodpeckers have food enough in the trees too far gone to be safe for me to climb, I exercise my Sugoi in my self interest and to the tree's continued good health.
 
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