Horizontal stem tops out close to TIP hieght, multi stem tree, how to climb?

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Marc

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Feb 8, 2008
Messages
1,392
Location
Dudley, MA
Looking for a little wisdom here, I wish I had a picture of the tree, but I don't.

Tree in question is a multi stem red maple. Four roughly equal diameter leaders that split from a single trunk about 10 feet up. Three of the stems continue on up for another 30 ft or so, at a relatively steep angle, say 20ish degrees from vertical. One stem rises at a similar angle but only about 20 feet, where it bends away from the tree to near horizontal and continues out horizontally for another 10 feet or so and then brushes out from there. I don't think it can really be limbwalked if I'm tied in on one of the other stems because at that height the climbing line would not be much below horizontal.

Optimally I'd cut the stem at the trunk (tree is being removed) but it overhangs another small ornamental tree so it has to come down in pieces. How'd you get yourself out there safely and smoothly to make the cuts?

Thanks in advance.
 
Tree Pig

Tree Pig

A.K.A. Stihl-O-Matic
Joined
Mar 3, 2009
Messages
3,260
Location
Ct
Looking for a little wisdom here, I wish I had a picture of the tree, but I don't.

Tree in question is a multi stem red maple. Four roughly equal diameter leaders that split from a single trunk about 10 feet up. Three of the stems continue on up for another 30 ft or so, at a relatively steep angle, say 20ish degrees from vertical. One stem rises at a similar angle but only about 20 feet, where it bends away from the tree to near horizontal and continues out horizontally for another 10 feet or so and then brushes out from there. I don't think it can really be limbwalked if I'm tied in on one of the other stems because at that height the climbing line would not be much below horizontal.

Optimally I'd cut the stem at the trunk (tree is being removed) but it overhangs another small ornamental tree so it has to come down in pieces. How'd you get yourself out there safely and smoothly to make the cuts?

Thanks in advance.

Use a lanyard and spikes, you can wrap the lanyard around the tree once to prevent it from slipping on steep angled limbs.
 

Marc

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Feb 8, 2008
Messages
1,392
Location
Dudley, MA
Use a lanyard and spikes, you can wrap the lanyard around the tree once to prevent it from slipping on steep angled limbs.

Thanks, I've wrapped my lanyard on smaller stuff for security before but didn't know if it had enough friction to keep from falling off one side or the other. I feel like I'm almost going to be on my hands and knees.
 
Carburetorless

Carburetorless

ArboristSite Guru
Joined
Dec 19, 2011
Messages
884
Location
VA
Thanks, I've wrapped my lanyard on smaller stuff for security before but didn't know if it had enough friction to keep from falling off one side or the other. I feel like I'm almost going to be on my hands and knees.

What's wrong with hanging underneath, or off to the side of it?
 
beastmaster

beastmaster

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Sep 16, 2006
Messages
2,348
Location
Bakersfield, Ca.
The old butt scoot, not pretty but sometimes works. I still make sure I have a good tie in, just in case the branch was to break while you were out on it. Some times using a few slings can give your feet somewhere to stabilize you while making cuts.
If the branch looks like it'll hold you, you can shoot a line out over it from the ground and SRT up right where you want to make your cut, That way you save all that trouble of having to climb out there. Iv been doing that a lot on trees lately, it can save you a lot of time and trouble. Situations that would of been difficult(like your scenario)are easy using SRT some times.
It just with out a higher tip you can't take no weight off of the limb, so make sure it'll hold you. Polesaw sometimes help too if you can get the right angles.
 

Marc

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Feb 8, 2008
Messages
1,392
Location
Dudley, MA
The old butt scoot, not pretty but sometimes works. I still make sure I have a good tie in, just in case the branch was to break while you were out on it. Some times using a few slings can give your feet somewhere to stabilize you while making cuts.
If the branch looks like it'll hold you, you can shoot a line out over it from the ground and SRT up right where you want to make your cut, That way you save all that trouble of having to climb out there. Iv been doing that a lot on trees lately, it can save you a lot of time and trouble. Situations that would of been difficult(like your scenario)are easy using SRT some times.
It just with out a higher tip you can't take no weight off of the limb, so make sure it'll hold you. Polesaw sometimes help too if you can get the right angles.

Thanks beastmaster, I considered doing SRT straight up there (well, DRT, anyway), but reconsidered because the bend looks suspicious to me. I can't tell from the ground but I think that stem might have had another limb headed up that broke off and gave it the odd angle it has. I'll probably tie in on the next closest good stem and then spike up this problem one so I can take a look before venturing out. And then I'll be tied in somewhere else just in case.

And thanks everyone else for the help. To you guys who said tree work sometimes isn't pretty- you guys must have seen some of my past work! :p
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Top