crotch?

[Adkpk]

I was in a tulip tree (liriodendron tulipifera) today. Is there a crotch wood rating system. This tree was a candidate for a bucket truck for sure but that was out of the question.
It was a victim of a storm. Only 40' but had several broken branches stuck in it. I offered to climb up and set them free. My problem was setting the line. I hit a good crotch three times but my kept getting the climbing line stuck in the dead branches and wasn't able to get the line to slip through the cambium saver. I thought about setting the line out on a limb but thought this is not a good tree to put to the strength test. The painters had been there recently and left a ladder in the bushes so I rescued the line with this method. I reset once on a lower limb and went up limb by limb reseting the line each time. Little time consuming but I got it done. Live and learn.

 

[treeseer]

I was in a tulip tree (liriodendron tulipifera) today. Is there a crotch wood rating system.

Hmm, the variables of wood strength, angle, diameter would have to be worked in. Sounds like a spyder kc job...

So you went limb by limb after using the ladder. Now that's real tree climbing!

 

[moray]

Would it have worked better to forget the cambium saver? The tulip tree down the street has strong thick bark. I'm sure the tree could care less if I used a CS or not, as long as I wasn't going up the same route day after day...

 

[Thillmaine]

Where in ME>

Where in maine did you climb a tulip tree? Never seen them up yonder... Maybe hardy in southern maine, but I didnt realize they reached substansial size unless you are like super south, aka south of portland and on the coast..
I went to school in upstate NY and they had a tupip planted, but it looked trerrible. Always a ton of winter kill never grew more then 20 feet or so, although it had a massive trunk.. Actually know that I think about it, there were some big ones down in field area, but in a protected location...

 

[Adkpk]

Hmm, the variables of wood strength, angle, diameter would have to be worked in. Sounds like a spyder kc job...

So you went limb by limb after using the ladder. Now that's real tree climbing!

Like a chart or something to compare. Add the variables later.

I thought it was ambitious, just wish I thought of it first.

Would it have worked better to forget the cambium saver? The tulip tree down the street has strong thick bark. I'm sure the tree could care less if I used a CS or not, as long as I wasn't going up the same route day after day...

Yes, might have, didn't think of it. The static end of the line was usable but the running end was tangled. Wanted to tie it off and go up on a single line but didn't know how or if it was safe.

Here's a pic. This is after I freed the branches and was going for the line. I know it looks like hell but I got it done and hey I'm just getting started.

 

[treeseer]

Like a chart or something to compare. Add the variables later.

I thought it was ambitious, just wish I thought of it first. ]

Maybe you did; I never heard of the challenge before. I only suggested that kenny the tree spyder is good wiht those types of equations.

You oughta pursue it--maybe you can get a grant from the Tree Fund to perfect :yoyo: it!

 

[moray]

Where in maine did you climb a tulip tree? Never seen them up yonder... Maybe hardy in southern maine, but I didnt realize they reached substansial size unless you are like super south, aka south of portland and on the coast..

I have never climbed it, only admired it. It's not extreme southern Maine, but about 80 miles due north of Portland, well inland. And it is a big healthy tree, about 50 inches DBH, and maybe 85 to 90 feet tall. It was undoubtedly planted 100 years ago or so. There are also a few catalpa trees in town which are probably also well beyond their natural range. As you undoubtedly know, plants can grow well beyond their natural range, if given some help. They just can't consistently propagate, germinate, make it through the first winter, survive their first droughty summer, compete with other plants, or survive various other natural hazards beyond their natural range. I love looking at these magnificent trees: I am grateful to the old-timers who planted them and took care of them the first few years.

 

[Dadatwins]

The painters had been there recently and left a ladder in the bushes so I rescued the line with this method. I reset once on a lower limb and went up limb by limb reseting the line each time. Little time consuming but I got it done. Live and learn.

Sometimes this is the best method especially for a newbie. Granted it is time consuming but it gives you the chance to see each crotch that you are tied to and get the feel for the tree. I am not a big fan of shooting a line into a blind crotch and hoping it holds as I pull my way up the tree. Especially for for someone with little experience in the different types of crotches and wood strength. A wood strength chart would be nice, but as you get more experienced you will start to gain more confidence. Be careful.

 

[masiman]

I have never climbed it, only admired it. It's not extreme southern Maine, but about 80 miles due north of Portland, well inland.

Whereabouts would that be? I only ask because we do our annual vacation in Bridgton. It's only about 40 miles North but it gets close to your area. Last year we went up to Bethel to the Waterpark but it was a bit too cold last week (mid 70's) for us southerners to enjoy a day in the water . What I noticed about Maine is that the trees do not grow nearly as tall as down here in VA. They seemed to top out at generally at about 50'. They had much larger diameters for their height than here too. I chalked it up to weather/environment. Kind of like the higher you go into the mountains, the shorter the trees get for their age.

Anyway, beautiful country up there.

 

[Adkpk]

Sometimes this is the best method especially for a newbie. Granted it is time consuming but it gives you the chance to see each crotch that you are tied to and get the feel for the tree. I am not a big fan of shooting a line into a blind crotch and hoping it holds as I pull my way up the tree. Especially for for someone with little experience in the different types of crotches and wood strength. A wood strength chart would be nice, but as you get more experienced you will start to gain more confidence. Be careful.

Well put. 50(my age) is not a bad time of life to explore new things. Climbing is changing my perspective on a lot of things. I was surprised when I got up there at what each crotch looked like. The homeowner came out to bid his farewell to me in case I didn't make it. He said, "as lay people we don't really know the strength of that tree and was I sure it would hold me". I replied, "what are you kidding". Once up in the tree, I shook the tree as hard as I could and was surprised at how much it shook. Hmmmm?

Whereabouts would that be? I only ask because we do our annual vacation in Bridgton. It's only about 40 miles North but it gets close to your area. Last year we went up to Bethel to the Waterpark but it was a bit too cold last week (mid 70's) for us southerners to enjoy a day in the water . What I noticed about Maine is that the trees do not grow nearly as tall as down here in VA. They seemed to top out at generally at about 50'. They had much larger diameters for their height than here too. I chalked it up to weather/environment. Kind of like the higher you go into the mountains, the shorter the trees get for their age.

Anyway, beautiful country up there.

There is nothing, to me, like alpine growth. One sided spruce, blown all its life by cold forceful winds. Or dwarfed rhodos on a mountain top. There is a mountain in the Adirondacks I often climb just to visit the islands of yellow arbovitae with carpets of moss around the base. Really beautiful.