Backup (non TIP) anchors for newbie Spur climbing

[oldboy]

Hi I recently purchased a spur Kit, I've been trimming with a throw bag for years, and have worked with a saw for longer. I've climbed with borrowed spikes a few times in the past, and I'm into rock climbing and mountaineering, so I've got a pretty good feeling for it. The trees I'm working on are tall leaning alders, they have smooth slick/wet bark and lot's of moss. I'm worried that if I blow a foot high up, I'll take a long painful ride to the ground since there is little friction. For some of the trees a TIP anchor would be possible but it's the other trees I'm worried about. I have a few questions:

Would setting up sling-beaner anchor points around the trunk every 15 feet or so be a good idea? and is that common practice for leaning slim and slick trees? Are there other means of making the climb safer?

The tree is leaning over a structure, that is the reason for removal. Instead of climbing high in the leaning tree and topping it, would setting a rope or cable with a two ton come along to the upper third of the tree then cranking it and making a cut at the base be a good alternative? It might be easier on me since the top is heavily leaning over the structure.

Thanks for any insight or advice.

Dan

 

[Zale]

Setting up sling/beaner anchor points might give you peace of mind but you are over thinking it. You won't fall to the ground if your spikes kick out. I would suggest practicing on trees without a house underneath it. Learning can be a *****.

 

[climb4fun]

those look like alders, be careful, they are brittle. if your worried about sliding down the tree then put a full wrap around the tree with your lanyard and stay on the high side. in the case of a fall it will bite down on the tree and you wont fall. use a sling or rope loop with a carabiner as a false crotch to rig manageable sections out, or cut sections out that are small enough for you to hand toss clear of the house (rigging them out would be better if you lack experience). trying to redirect the fall of a heavily leaning tree is do-able but difficult and requires more felling/rigging experience than most people think and that's why there are so many videos on youtube for us to laugh at. anytime your in a tree running a saw you should attach your life line to the tree. to make this easy, choke the tree with the end of your lifeline just below your lanyard the same way i told you to with lanyard. youtube has videos of almost every climbing technique thinkable so if you need visual examples start searching there. im going to pretend that I think your experienced and that I don't need to tell you that this stuff is dangerous and so on and etc. ... p.s. this stuff is dangerous and so on and etc.

 

[sgreanbeans]

Pruning or removing?
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i:aps,k:tree climber companion

 

[oldboy]

Thanks for your words fellas.

Speanbeans, I'll be removing them, I'm gonna get that book.

Climb4fun, Yeah I was surprised how brittle that Alder wood is. After dropping some of the non-structure-threatening trees from the ground I walked out to the crowns and ripped a few branches off with my hands, brittle was a word that came to mind. Makes me think I should maybe put a cable brace to a nearby tree about halfway up on some of the leaners I'm going to climb. Also makes me wonder how high/thin is safe to climb... Also contemplating putting the lowering rigging on a nearby tree so the weight of the top falling won't swing the tree I'm in.

 

[climb4fun]

using a nearby tree to rig out of is a good idea. though I don't think I would use a cable brace to keep the tree from falling, they are more likely to blow out a top than fall over. pay attention to the tree (alder) on the way up and inspect for damage. how high you climb depends on how much you weigh, wind, condition of the tree and guts vs. intellect. I weigh 160 lbs and I can climb on 6inches of alder no problem. there are many methods that could be used to make this safer but they all require extra gear, extra knowledge and extra people.

 

[climb4fun]

p.s. those trees are going to take you for a ride when you top them. tall skinny trees do that, you just have to ride it out, shake the pee out of your boots and keep going.

 

[imagineero]

hope you got to read all the replies before they disappeared

 

[Pelorus]

hope you got to read all the replies before they disappeared

What is going on, Shaun?
Your post on the "where would you cut this branch thread" made a lot of sense, imo.

 

[Guran]

When I climb with spurs I use a adjustable friction saver setup. (And a flip line.)
Use your climbing rope with your cambium saver. Pic below.

It grabs instantly. And it´s a great safety feature if you need to get back to the ground fast without having to climb all the way down. (In case of injury, wasps, lunch brake. wife calling.....) You get the picture.

 

[oldboy]

Thanks guys! I really appreciate your words of wisdom. Imagineero, yes I did your read your helpful post as well as the other fellows post before they somehow went the way of the wind. I will report back in a few...

Dan

 

[imagineero]

What is going on, Shaun?
Your post on the "where would you cut this branch thread" made a lot of sense, imo.

It just sucks to post half a dozen replies, some of them 3 or 4 paragraphs long, and kablam! I put a lot of effort in past to do long term reviews of products with photos and videos, and they were good things to give linkbacks to guys in new threads but every time i see one I feel depressed now. I can only imagine it must be 1000 times worse for the likes of randy or brad with up around 40,000 posts, many of them with detailed photos.

 

[VA-Sawyer]

Yea Shaun, I liked where you had taken the "where would you cut this branch" thread. Wished you would make that post again. We also had a good discussion going about that good looking White Oak that fell against the house. I also hate when posts go missing. I'm glad to hear the OP on this thread was able to read my comments about dangers of dropping tops.

 

[imagineero]

Yea Shaun, I liked where you had taken the "where would you cut this branch" thread. Wished you would make that post again. We also had a good discussion going about that good looking White Oak that fell against the house. I also hate when posts go missing. I'm glad to hear the OP on this thread was able to read my comments about dangers of dropping tops.

 

[oldboy]

So I spurred up one of the problem alders leaning over cabin this afternoon, climbed up 70' or so till the trunck tapered to about 6 inches and to just below a fork, above the fork the trunk is skinnier. I must admit all the wobbling and swinging gave the willies a little... The trunk sort of spirals in a leaning way... It got dark so I rapped down, I'm gonna get up there with a pole saw tomorrow and thin out the top, in most directions the forest canopy sort of closes in, I'd like to climb higher, but I'm at the point where I'm swinging the tree pretty good, and damn that alder is brittle.

The top is leaning over the structure, I'm torn between roping it and having a ground guy pull while I notch it to fall away from it's lean and into a opening in the canopy vs. letting it fall into it's lean and rigging off the trunk. Any thoughts?

Also It may just be possible to simply crank it over a little with a come along with attached points from the anchor near the top to a ground anchor at 45dg and away from the cabin and make a base cut... It leans toward the house, but I suppose If I was able to bend the top way over...

Thanks

Dan

 

[oldboy]

Well I got 'er done, ended up rigging the top off itself with a stretchy climbing rope, no ground guy, then pieced it down. Pretty easy in hindsight, I climbed to where it was about 4 inches and topped it.

 

[Peter.s]

Nice job - I dont know if ide make it that high because of my size (6'3" 220lbs) but it looks like it all went well.
most trees you just have to see what you feal like after you get up there.

 

[Oak Savanna]

G

View attachment 339131 Well I got 'er done, ended up rigging the top off itself with a stretchy climbing rope, no ground guy, then pieced it down. Pretty easy in hindsight, I climbed to where it was about 4 inches and topped it.

Nice job! Not trying to be rude, just trying to help, I think you might have your spurs on backwards. The long part of the padding should be on the front of your leg and short to the back. Stay safe.

 

[Peter.s]

G


Nice job! Not trying to be rude, just trying to help, I think you might have your spurs on backwards. The long part of the padding should be on the front of your leg and short to the back. Stay safe.

I dont think so - look at the bottom strap - I didnt go to get my spikes out but it looks right.

 

[Peter.s]

NVM I ran to the barn to get my spikes and your right Oak Savana - there on backwards