Climbing tree using Bucksqueeze or Cynck lok?

[Chipp]

Hi folks,

I'm new here. Quick presentation, I own a land with many mature trees. Maples, firs, spruce, yellow birchs and others. Mostly, I do firewood, do forest improvements to increase my sugar maples population, hunting etc. It's my best place on earth. I'm currently bulding my own bandsaw mill and I build my tractor implements.

That being said, when winter arrive the access to the land become limited and I cannot go there with my truck or haul lumbers around with the tractor. I go there by a 20 minutes walk with my snow shoes.

I want to use the winter season to do something different. I have a lot of quaking aspen that I want to take down and bring to the mill to make boards with it. Problem is, felling them down watever the way I proceed (regular way from the ground) will hurt many surrounding trees that I want to preserve. They are big and they are quite high. I would like to use the winter season to cut them and to pick them up after the winter.

I look at them and they are calling me to climb in them to trim and cut! Few years ago I was telling to myself, don't go there, don't do that, it's too dangerous. it doesn't worth the risk it makes no sense. Now I see things differently, first I know it's dangerous but it probably could be done right and safely also.

These particular aspen are quite looking like posts. They have no branchs for their 3/4 of the lenght then there is few branchs at the top. My goal is to climb at the top, chopping down the few branches and top then felling the base of the tree reducing damage. Or even better, cutting various lenght sections while going down 8', 12'.

Here are my two questions.
-Does it worth the risk from climbers point of views? I know there is a risk but I could also flip with my tractor that has no ROPS and die... do the risk is really higher?

-Second questions. I saw products like Bucksqueeze or Cynck lok that seam to be safer than a regular climbing rope. Remember these aspen are mostly like posts. Pratically no obstacles. Could it be a good (safer) idea to use them to climb trees? Anyone tried them for that use?

Any advise on what should be my best (safest) way to climb is welcome. I don't need to be fast, just to be safe.

Thanks!

 

[ThatsNotWalnut]

How tall are we talking? Also, how tall have you been off the ground in a tree before? If you're saying there are close-by trees you want to preserve then chances are you'll need to go up high to cut in a way for other surrounding trees not to be damaged.

Is it worth the risk? As a property owner, probably not. You will NEED at least one other person with you at all times when you're doing this. And they should be properly trained in what to do in case you get stuck up there (a very real possibility). First aid kit, yadda, yadda.

You shouldn't be asking about gear yet. You should be asking about technique and rigging systems. You should be asking about harnesses and spikes. And hinge-capacity of the trees you're cutting. Oh, and proper hinges.

The safest way to climb those trees is, just don't. Sugar maples can do fine in stands with other trees. In fact, I would suggest you keep the diversity. It will prevent any disease (fungal / bacterial / insect) from spreading quickly throughout your stands. Look up monoculture.

Sorry.

 

[Chipp]

Thanks for your reply.

How tall, I can't really say. I could try to measure the height using a stick the lenght of my forearm trick. Wikipedia says they can measure 60-80 feets at maturity. That's what I would have guess. They are at a second canopy height really. Well over all my fir, spruce and maples, I might have some pines that are as tall but really these aspen are quite high. I saw there is a climbing technique that suggest the use of a trowing rope that you pass on a higher branch to climb to or to be use as a safety robe. That is not an option because the first branchs are too high to expect trowing a rope there.

I'm not used to go in height, I was climbing trees when I saw a child and that about it. I don't expect to purchase climbing spurs and to climb on top of these trees the next morning with my chainsaw. I expect a learning curve and to make various exercises at ground height to familiarise well with the feeling of being in a tree.

My wife is always with me and always ready to help but I don't expect her to climb to tree to get me unstuck if something happen. My plan B must come from the top, not from the ground if something happen.

Because I'm new to all that I made wide searchs about gear, techniques and everything but my main concern is always, "How safe could it be to climb". Then I saw the Bucksqueeze or Cynck lok things but they seems to be designed to climb to pole primarily. But they also look a step safer so that where my question comes. Ropes, knots and techniques will be searches more in depts when I will decide if yes or no I decide to try that adventure. I have a somehow good experience in felling from the ground, very much are back leaning trees... I'm sure I will adapt with what is nessecary to do when you cut up in the air. From what I saw on videos, it seems the prefered method is very wide and deep cuts... I was wondering if regular open face notch and a wedge is as safe... I'm very used and confortable with it.

Don't worry about the diversity in my forest, it's not a questions of cutting all my aspens or completely clearing my maples. I know well what monoculture is and it's far from my intention. It just that currently I can't cut any of these monsters because how they are implanted and how they will damage too much around them.

 

[jomoco]

What you wants a BigShot line setter, so you can stay on the ground.

http://www.wesspur.com/throw-line/throw-line-kits.html

Just a huge slingshot that hurls 16 oz throwbags in excess of 80 feet with an extension.

That way you can set a pull line and drop it right where yu want it, all from the ground.

There are also pneumatic throwbag guns that can reach over 100+ feet.

Jomoco

 

[Chipp]

Thanks Jomoco for showing me these products. I'll take a diffrent look at these tree and try to figure a throw line approch.

I have a question. A throw line to climb close to the top I get it. Once you are ready to start cutting sections from the top and eventually sections under the first place you set your throw line. What should you do? Resetting a new attach at a lower height?

Is it safe to have a line attached to yourself when branches are falling to the ground? If a branch catch your line while it falls, I guess it could be dangerous if it's tie to your harness?

 

[jomoco]

The object is to keep you on the ground Chipp.

All the Big Shot's for is to set a pull line so you can drop the tree from the ground and put it where you want it.

I'm not about to recommend you climb and top any trees alone in the snow.

Not gonna happen my friend.

I've done enough winter snow work to appreciate the danger, with a full crew.

Not exactly a senior activity or pastime.

My advice is to stay firmly on the ground.

Jomoco

 

[Chipp]

 

[Chipp]

Here are some picures of some trees I want to harvest. These ones are in areas that are a little more open. In the best case, I need at least twice th open area I have to be able to fell the trees mostly clean.

 

[beastmaster]

Climbing a tree with spikes and a lanyad has a learning curve, cutting tops and sections has a learning curve. You should have a tipping line each time you cut and have it pulled. Many things can go wrong thatll hurt you or kill you. Climbing in freezing weather changes things for the worse. Wood reacts different. It may be a little out of your league. Maybe you can find someone to teach you over a season.

 

[Chipp]

I decided to not do it. For now at least. I'll see which of them I can cut from the ground because it sure for the next few years there will be enough of them. Then I'll see what I will do with the others if I still have that kind of plan. In the worst case I will just harvest the the too much hurted trees and create some light opening for the new growing. Nothing is wasted anyways.