Basic climbing tips

[tree md]

This is an awsome site, just found it and read this thread first because I am always looking to learn new climbing techniques. I laughed my ass off through this whole thread. First of all if this guy can't figure out how to get up or down a tree he has no business the tree. Not trying to knock you for trying to do the work yourself, hell the first tree i took down my dad sent me up because he wouldn't pay market price, he paid me 10 dollars, i was 14... ladder no gear. but to be a climber you have to have a certain amount of natural ability and comon sence. The best tip I heard so far was mike maas' tip to use a throw ball and have someone pull u up. to the other extreme I laughed at all the climbers suggesting ascenders, foot locking and the comparison of tree climbing to rocket science. I have worked with and hired climbers that make it so technical that buy the time they are done rigging ascenders and tying complicated knots and using 20 caribiners I would have either falled the tree or brought it down in two or three peices and been back at the shop drinking a beer. I would like to share a funny story though. About 8 yrs ago me and my partner were working a neighborhood and a couple of houses down from the job we were doing a guy was working his way up a tree with a ladder and a rope. We walked down and told him we were doing a few jobs in the area and would be willing to help him with the tree for a very reasonable price. he sort of had the same attitude as the guy that started this thread and said he had it under control. we told him ok and let us know if he changed his mind. to make a long story short, he tracked us down a couple of streets over the next day with his whole head bandadged up wanting us to take care of his trees, he used a rope that was too short and pulled the tree over on his truck while he was in it. after he was out of site we laughed until we cried. I have made a lot of mistakes in my career... thank God I lived through them and learned.

 

[ubugarrity]

Thanks for the tips?

Wow. You guys are incredible. I'm new to this site. I'm not a tree guy. I've been a ground man for several friends that all do it. I'm a firefighter and trained in confined space and high angle rescue. ( different ropes and techniques) The reason I found this site and thread is to read about some climbing techniques.
Where are they? I think there were two in this whole mess. The guys I work for all do it differently with different equipment. I was hoping to just get some ideas which techniques are recommended and why. How about talking about climbing and what techniques you use. Why you do it that way and what equipment you have. How do you guys go up and how do you come back down. Is it a secret? The one or two rope technigue. Climb with spikes and then hook in? Hoisted from the ground man with a 4:1. saddles? Prusiks? Mechanicl devices? Bad experiences that we all can learn from. Maybe we could all learn a tip or two. Please. Lets start a real chat. I know this is dangerous. Daah. Anyone that would do some thing dangerous with out training is probably going to do it with or with out your help. I kinda figured you should read books and get experience from experienced people. But how do you know which people are safe. I was hoping to learn what techniques to learn from the pros. Isn't that what this forum is about or have I got it all wrong? Well thats enough from me. All the two cents here some one could be a rich man. Can't we all just get along? Take care guys and stay safe!!! Espeacially Beebo. God Bless us All. PS I have a great sense of humor.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

There are three common ways folks get into a tree.

Method one: Spike up, using gaffs, staying tied in with a two sided lanyard. Once at the top tie in and work down. This method is only used for removals.

Method two: Put a ladder up high enough into the tree to reach the branches, then free climb, staying tied in as you ascend. Using this method, one can throw his climbing rope up to the next branch and pull himself up, if there is a long strech of trunk without branches.

Method three:Use a throw ball to set a static line or climbing line, then footlock up, tie in and go to work.

No method is best for all situations.

Since you asked for a tip, here's mine: Reduce friction on your climbing system by using a cambium saver, a fair lead, and use a 5/16 ultra tech to tie a friction hitch that breaks easily like the MT/VT. If you are still using a blake's your wasting energy breaking that thing loose.

 

[Kevin]

I have to wonder just how many guys are actually certified to climb.
I`ve been climbing utility poles on spurs for 28 years(yikes) and the only formal training I received when I strapped on my spurs for the first time was from a first level manager who saw me strap on the spurs, climb ten feet then disappeared.
I`m qualified to climb but I don`t have a piece of paper saying I`m certified.
The only other training we ever had was equipment inspection and the cut-out test.
We still have managers who have never really been certified themselves teaching new hires how to climb, in less than an hour.
Any arbo`s I have talked with so far up here aren`t certified and don`t even know where to get certified but they all climb!

 

[tree md]

I got a question. What is better using a tie on or a clip for your saw. I always use a clip for doing crane work and a tie on for most trees that I am lowering branches or free falling because I was taught that way and I like to be able to get rid of my saw real quick so I can use both hands to either catch and pitch the limb or hinge it to where I want it to go. I have heard that tie ons are dangerous and can yank you out of the tree. I have never come close to being yanked out of a tree by my saw but I have been jerked pretty good a couple of times from not making my cuts just right. What do you think?

Stay safe

 

[The Climber]

treemd

I have been using the 2-in-1 breakaway bungee lanyard for about a year now. It has a breakaway snap in case of a 200+ pound yank. I haven't had the occaision to whitness a breakaway but i feel safer using it, and it doesn't get in the way. I know that Sherrill carries these,don't know about other co's.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Wow, lota good questions here.

Saw lanyard, I always nick mine up so I have a piece of webbing that lets it hang under my feet. I have a utility biner on each end tied with fisheman's. If I am cutting something that may be enough to give me a yank I will unclip. Happened once on a storm-job. Super cheep. For big saws I put them on seperate ropes and tie them off natural crotch or pulley, until I gotta chunk the trunck.

Mike mettions M/VT knots. These are newer closed loop "tresses" where both ends of the attaching line terminate on your 'biner after wraping/braiding around the climbing line.

I am one of those guys that will take a few minutes to a half hour to set my line as high as posible so I can work my way up without having to reset several times. Some trees I still climb on double fliplines, like old Norway maples. Make a monkey paw and do the first pich as a 20-25 ft rope climb. I know many people that can beat the pants off a "ladder man" if the race were timed out of the truck.

I'll use an ascender if I'm footlocking on a closed loop just to make it easier.

Sticky gloves like are a real sweat saver too, a must have if doing 30-40 foot pitches.

Climbers certification by ISA is something that is only just starting out, so not many people have it.

 

[monkeypuzzle]

I stopped using saw lanyards all together a few years ago.Too much swinging around below my feet.Now I just use the 9" to 11", "accessory straps" now.I put them on all my saws for quick and easy tie ins.Connect right to my belt.Sure,I have dropped a few saws but it is just a saw.I use a lot of Husky 136s so I don't worry.I have a tear away lanyard that I used once;where is that darn thing?

 

[treeman82]

I use a safety strap that I guess is about 3' long or so? Maybe it's 4'. I tried using the break-away thing about a year ago and truly was not happy with it. The reason I was not happy was because at that time I was doing a good amount of larger removals. When you are chunking a tree down with an Stihl 044 and you have nowhere to hang that saw off of besides your belt it tears the break-aways pretty fast. My normal climbing saw is the 020T but for those times I needed the 044 that made me lose my faith in the break-aways.

 

[Nathan Wreyford]

Originally posted by Beeboo
I am looking for idea's---not warning's.


I need help with the climbing & getting down part.

Truly a classic post!!

 

[Crofter]

I'd almost bet from the attitude and wording that we have seen that poster under a different name. Trolling I think.

 

[MasterBlaster]

So I guess this Beebo guy was banned?

 

[jkrueger]

What's the purpose of draging this old thread out of the basket. The guy hasn't been here for a decade. No one has an original thought?

Jack

 

[MasterBlaster]

Nah

Beebo was just a hoot, that's all.

It's good sometimes to drag up old threads.

 

[jkrueger]

Re: Nah

Originally posted by MasterBlaster
Beebo was just a hoot, that's all.

It's good sometimes to drag up old threads.

I must be out of it, of course, gotcha.
Jack

 

[jkrueger]

Originally posted by Mike Maas
Hey Jack, this thread is cool. Why don't you share your best little climbing trick?

OK, and at the risk of being shot out of the tree?

My lanyard was beyond trusting, and always seemed to short. Got a 18'+ piece of hi-ve(sp) from Big John and when I went to make a new lanyard I didn't want to cut it. So, I left it at the 18'+ length and use a VT/knunt insted of my usual mechanical device. Big John and even I thought it was silly. He said, "dat aint no lanyard thats a climbing line".

Well I've goten used to it and finding ways to smothly keep the excess coiled. I use it a lot for short exteded free climing beyound my TIP. and also for getting closer to the 'next' TIP if I need to.

I can run out a decent distance and just let it go. Kinda like a virtual 2nd tie in with no removal time.

It's wierd, and I'm finding different ways of using it.

Jack

 

[a_lopa]

theres a guy on ebay beeboo selling climbing kit