How to move from tree to tree

[tramp bushler]

OK. So I'm just gonna ask and take my lumps as they come.
What method do y'all use to get from one tree to another when taking down trees that are relatively close together. But not close enough to just stick a spur into and transfer into a different tree. Currently I go up the most centrally located good tree or the one I will top the highest. I climb that one, spurs and fliplines and limb it 360° . I wrap it with a web endless loop and put my climbing line in a pulley/ caribiner. Then I repell down far enough to reach the next tree and start swinging. But that gets problematic. So today I threw a line thru the limbs of the tree I wanted to get to, slacked it down to my ground guys. Tied it to my rope bridge and had them pull me over to it. Not very gracefully, but it worked pretty good. When I was gone in that tree and had a 20' stob left I had them grab the running end of my climb line and ease my swing back. About 12-14 '

 

[CanopyGorilla]

You can do almost everything you had your groundies do. Once you have your line in the next tree have one tie it to the bottom of your life line. Pull it up and you can then control your own line into and out of the tree. Pulling yourself into the tree takes more effort than lowering out. I carry an old 45' length of 8mm rock climbing rope for light rigging and things just like this. I will free my life line of the second tree I am in and lower out with my bikini string rope. Kinda hard to understand if you don't see it I guess....:msp_unsure:

 

[tramp bushler]

OK, I have a new hundred foot of 3/8" Tenex that I was thinking would work well for that kind of thing.

Now here's another possibly dumb question. Rock Exotica makes a grapple hook that looks like it would work well. My thot is. From my TIP of the tree I'm in, throw the grapple into a good high crotch. Tie off to it then slack my life/ climbing line and let the grapple line take my weight and swing me into the tree it's in. Throw my flipline around that tree and I'm back to working. Flipline and spurs. With my lifeline in the first tree. I'm planning on ordering another line on Friday so the Tenex would only be a temp deal.

 

[tramp bushler]

Del, I don't have a spare $2,800 for a Wraptor.

 

[miko0618]

my ground guys pull me over as well. I use a thin line and a hook also. if I am doing 2 trees, I set a line in 1, climb the other and then I have a rope in both. or do 1 tree til its going to be dropped, then swing over to the one your tied into guiding yourself with a bull rope. I usually rig out of the tree I am not tied into and use the rigging line to transfer.

 

[pdqdl]

If you search "traverse" and user "moss" you will probably find all kinds of neat techniques. He does recreational climbing and has some pretty sophisticated techniques for going a long ways on horizontal reaches to the adjacent trees.

I don't know how far away he can set his ropes, but it is way further than any groundies are going to pull you.

 

[Kottonwood]

I am definitely thinking a grappling hook for this scenario. You could keep a short line of only 6-8mm rope. It would work best if you advanced a friction hitch or use a simple device like a rope grab or grigiri. Leave your TIP in the taller tree, toss the hook, then pull yourself over and slowly release in your main line. I don't have a grappling hook but if I frequently had to traverse in conifers I would. I have used a similar technique to traverse from tree to tree or move around tops when pruning large trees. I just throw the tail end of my climb line over and have the groundies secure it then just tie a quick friction hitch with the tail end of my lanyard and pull myself over.

 

[smokey01]

OK. So I'm just gonna ask and take my lumps as they come.
What method do y'all use to get from one tree to another when taking down trees that are relatively close together.

Here is a couple of videos I did. I used something similar to a grapnel hook. I anticipate getting them to the market soon.

Climb of american beech and traverse to a pine 60 away.

and another, the actual traverse starts at about 11:23 on this one

Climb one pine, travers to other and descend

 

[Procut]

A Wraptor changes everything.

To much money.

 

[tramp bushler]

So. Tho at this point I'm not too graceful but this method seems to work pretty good.

 

[Tree Pig]

So. Tho at this point I'm not too graceful but this method seems to work pretty good.

two points... I do the same thing but I use two actual rated climb lines and usually preset them before I climb... second all thats pointy nubs you have in that tree you are going to are dangerous in that situation. Heaven forbid something happened to your original climb line and you pendulum from where you are down to that tree, one of them spikes could do some serious damage.

just food for thought.

 

[tramp bushler]

Yup. I'm remedying the 2 climbing lines. Nothing better happen to my main tie in line. If it has I've pissed away a bunch of money for nothing.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

+1 on the nubs, tramp. Kinda looks like something from Raiders of the Lost Ark there.

Wait a minute, maybe we're on to something, just get ya a bullwhip! :msp_rolleyes:

 

[Tree Pig]

Yup. I'm remedying the 2 climbing lines. Nothing better happen to my main tie in line. If it has I've pissed away a bunch of money for nothing.

It could be something as simple as the rope getting bound and having to untie in mid traverse... but as a general rule sharp nubs are dangerous, even if you are not doing a traverse you never know when you may have to move quick and dynamic in a tree and one of them punji sticks catch you in the kidney they could just leave you up there for a Halloween decoration.

 

[imagineero]

There are lots of cool tricks for getting a throwline into a tree beside you. Some guys are a whizz at it, and carry a throwline on a fly fishing reel in the tree. If you've got good timing and a good aim, you can throw your weight over and out past the branch, pull it at the right time, and have it come back at you as much as 15' completely sideways. In the real world I find it often doesn't work out too good because of all the branches in the way though.

While it's not especially clever or graceful, I find an extendable hook comes in handy surprisingly often. You can buy commercially made solutions from a couple tree companies that collapse down to about 2' or 3' and extend right out to 16' and have a hook on the end. They're kinda flimsy though. I use an paint roller extension pole with a hook from a jameson pole on the end. It's cheap and effective, light and fast. It gets used for other stuff too.... For setting a rigging line far out on a branch for example if it's too dangerous to climb out there. Using that method and a pole saw I've been able to safely work some very dead rotten trees over targets. It's hell on your back, but if you can't get a bucket in it's either that or start smashing things up.

Shaun

 

[tramp bushler]

Yup. I got one that goes to 9' At this point that is long enough. . So far I mostly use it for setting pulling lines is adjacent tops. But will be using it for traverse and redirects. The thing with most of the trees I deal with here. , they are Real limby or bushy. And the limbs aren't something I want to be walking out onto.
Last Friday I needed it and the polesaw to take 6 tops out of 1 big cottonwood tree . I do like the 20 oz weight for that sort of thing. The man lift would only get me up 49' and the tops started at about 56' some leaned toward the lift so I used the throw weight and line and reach extender to put pulling lines in the tops. Had the ground guys pull while I fell them with the polesaw.

 

[ropensaddle]

A Wraptor changes everything.

hehe yup I'm leaving muh bucket parked this year not paying 2 k on tags and insurance to kill grass whilst parked. I figure on jobs I need a lift I will let customer pay lift rental!


Only thing I will miss is the winch as most times the bucket is a high priced ladder here in the tall pines. I often think of moving to short tree country to semi retire