Getting your rope up a palm or similar tree with no suitable crotch

[offshoretreeze]

I recall reading something about a guy in Hawaii who challenged anyone to get up a palm without using spikes in a reasonable matter of time. No palms for me, so I applied it to a pine with no suitable crotch.

Here's what I did:

-Shot my throw line over the top of the tree.
-Ran a length of rope through a section of flexible drainage pipe, F8 on each end with biner connecting
-Tied throw line to biner
-Set climbing rope on top of pipe and formed a girth hitch using an F8 & a second biner
-Tied a slip knot to prevent the loop from loosening
-Taped the rope to the top of the pipe in several places (yeah, I know how janky this is--I was losing light!)
-Hauled the pipe carrying the climbing rope up with the throw line and tied it off to a fixed object on the ground
-Gave a quick tug and the rope popped the tape loose and girth hitched around the top of the tree
-Untied the throw line and lowered the contraption to the ground

For a palm, I'd imagine you could just run your climbing rope through a section of garden hose or similar and not hassle with the piggyback ride. The reason I chose the massive drain pipe is that everything else I had on hand was hanging up on the bark.

What do you think? Seem like a reasonable solution to the problem?

Aaron

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[offshoretreeze]

Here's a video...

Note: The climbing rope would sit on top of the drainpipe (where the blue tape is). I'd already set the rope in the tree so it's missing from the video.

[video=youtube;1yfl19h1zuk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yfl19h1zuk[/video]

 

[2treeornot2tree]

I never had a problem setting a line in a pine tree with a throw line.

 

[richard t]

I seen a youtube video once a guy using these but can't find it now

climbing a palm tree - Bing Images

 

[offshoretreeze]

I never had a problem setting a line in a pine tree with a throw line.

I used a pine as I don't have a palm handy. Nevertheless, how would you choke the stem 60' up using only a throw line to haul your rope up? Remember no suitable crotches.

If you had two opposing branches, I suppose you could double-toss and then send up your choker. Not on a palm though.

Am I glossing over some obvious technique?

 

[imagineero]

yep; spike 'em. They're just palms. Use a ladder to get up the first 20' if the people don't want to see spike marks, and spike up the back. Otherwise rent a bucket truck. No access for a bucket truck and they insist on no spikes? Let someone else deal with the job, customers like that are more trouble than they're worth.

If you're doing it purely as an academic exercise, there are other machines/tools that will get up spikeless, but they damage the tree visually about as much anyhow. Deer stands, palm climbing machines etc all leave their marks. The traditional rope climbing method doesn't, but it's none too safe.

Shaun

 

[ROPECLIMBER]

haul a spliced end rope through the top, back down to the ground clip a biner, and a small pully to it, put your another climbing line through the pully to about mid rope, tye an over hand knot with the two ends of rope 2, and haul it up to work area with the rope 1 and pulley, and secure first rope to the trunk, with port a rap, or butt hitch , and assend the second rope DDRT, no wear on the palm or the ropes. oh and stop half way up to smoke a ciggerette, I am getting to old so if the bucket won't reach I may price my self out of it.

 

[Bermie]

WHat you gonna rest your feet on once you get to the top?
If not using spikes better bring some loop runners or its going to get mighty tiring just hanging off the rope...

 

[climb4fun]

huh, ive never had a problem dangling from just a rope. course i only weigh 165 lbs lol