If you do this, don't do it like this

[Carburetorless]

I was practicing SRT, set rope in highest crotch possible for the ground, secure rope to base of tree, climb up to crotch, hook in with change over lanyard, reset rope in higher crotch, tie back in, release change over, climb up to higher crotch, and repeat.

All was going well, then on about the third reset on about the 4th run through the exercise when I went to throw my rope over the higher crotch it caught on my foot and just flew out to the side, the other end got pulled out of my hand and it coiled up beautifully on the ground as if someone had rolled it up and laid it there.

Meanwhile, back up in the tree, I'm sitting there thinking "well that coiled up nicely for a rope that just feel out of a tree". So then I looked up the tree, I could still see my target crotch, I could still see my change over lanyard around the branch above me just where I hooked in, but I couldn't see my climbing rope anywhere except on the ground below me.

Then I thought "Hmmmmm I'm just sorta screwed myself; Didn't I"?

The good news is, I was only about 25' off the ground. The bad news is, I was hanging from a branch 25' off the ground by a change over sling with no rope to come down on.

There was no way I was going to call for help, I'd rather fall 25' first, at least that way there's a chance that I'd only get bruised up a little, and no one would know what a stupid thing I did.

So then I asked "How the hell am I going to get down from here now"?! Then I remembered watching Bear Grills come down a tree with nothing but a sling, so I grabbed hold of the sling and pulled myself up by it enough to unhook one of the carabiners, then I hugged the tree like a bear trying to escape a pack of snarling hounds, threw the sling around it and caught it with my other hand and clipped back in on the other side of my harness, and worked my way down the tree.

It was just like coming down a tree on a set of spurs, except without the spurs, which is nothing like coming a tree on a set of spurs except for the fact that you're coming down a tree.

I'm probably not the first guy to ever do this, but I thought I'd post about just in case anyone else is about to do it.

LESSON LEARNED: Always secure your climbing rope to your harness or a nearby branch before attempting to throw it over another crotch.

 

[superjunior]

a guy that was climbing for me a few years ago did that, it was fun shooting a throwball at him

 

[ROPECLIMBER]

I have done that, was using pole saw on 2 sticks to advance my climbing line,and ooops! that was back when I was closed loop with a snap with 2/2 taunt line, after that I would have another carabiner to clip around the rope to my side D, now with the split tail I leave the split tail tied and add slack the distance I need so its still holding the rope to me,

The other dont do it this way for me was the first jump out rapid decent going from tauntline to blakes hitch, I grabbed and twisted to slow,(like the taunt line) and zip there I went about broke my tail bone, now I love the blakes hitch on a split tail. also if you need alot of rope to throw un tie split tail but leave the micropully on standing end,

Paul

 

[Bomber]

That's why I use Ddrt advancing in a tree using a splittail system. Keep your tail with your friction knot attached to your rope and saddle. Unclip the other end from your saddle, take out slack, and advance it to the next crotch. If you miss it is still attached to your tail.
SRT when you can set the rope in the highest crotch you need to work from the ground.

 

[lync]

Don't remove your climbing system from the rope until you have hit your next crotch. When you retrieve the end of your rope than untie and retie. Similar to using a split tail Ddrt system stay tied in while throwing the end up. If you climb by yourself at least carry a cell phone. A 25 ft fall can easily be fatal.

 

[Carburetorless]

No throw bag and line?

It was on the ground too. lol

The branches were close enough that I didn't really need the throw bag. I just coiled the rope up a few times and threw the coils over. Worked pretty good til I lost the rope.

 

[Carburetorless]

I have done that, was using pole saw on 2 sticks to advance my climbing line,and ooops! that was back when I was closed loop with a snap with 2/2 taunt line, after that I would have another carabiner to clip around the rope to my side D, now with the split tail I leave the split tail tied and add slack the distance I need so its still holding the rope to me,

Yep, that's one of the first things that came to mind when I thought it out a bit. Either that or unclip my split tail and clip it into the side D, or clip the foot sling in.

The other dont do it this way for me was the first jump out rapid decent going from tauntline to blakes hitch, I grabbed and twisted to slow,(like the taunt line) and zip there I went about broke my tail bone, now I love the blakes hitch on a split tail. also if you need alot of rope to throw un tie split tail but leave the micropully on standing end,

Paul

I haven't rigged a pulley on my system yet; Do you have it set up like a RADS or how?

 

[Carburetorless]

That's why I use Ddrt advancing in a tree using a splittail system. Keep your tail with your friction knot attached to your rope and saddle. Unclip the other end from your saddle, take out slack, and advance it to the next crotch. If you miss it is still attached to your tail.
SRT when you can set the rope in the highest crotch you need to work from the ground.

I'm gonna try that doubled rope stuff one of these days, I promise.

 

[Carburetorless]

Don't remove your climbing system from the rope until you have hit your next crotch. When you retrieve the end of your rope than untie and retie. Similar to using a split tail Ddrt system stay tied in while throwing the end up. If you climb by yourself at least carry a cell phone. A 25 ft fall can easily be fatal.

I'm climbing SRT, rope over the crotch, tied off to base of tree, split tail tied on with Blake's Hitch clipped to harness front D ring with carabiner, with foot ascender and sling, loose end trailing behind me.

Your way would work except I like to lanyard off to the branch, then unclip my split tail from the harness, leave the split tail and ascender on the rope, but slide it down so that when I drag the rope over the next branch the Blake's hitch and ascender go across too, and are right there ready for me to clip back in and go on up without having to untie and retie.

I just have to remember to pull the slack out of the tied off end and put a Klemheist on the climbing line at the hip and clip it into the side D.

 

[tree md]

Yes, I have done that a couple of times... And had throw bags shot at me...

 

[Carburetorless]

Yes, I have done that a couple of times... And had throw bags shot at me...

That's why I climb alone.

 

[ROPECLIMBER]

Yep, that's one of the first things that came to mind when I thought it out a bit. Either that or unclip my split tail and clip it into the side D, or clip the foot sling in.



I haven't rigged a pulley on my system yet; Do you have it set up like a RADS or how?

Not good at akronms RADS? somtimes I put the micropully arround the tail right below the friction hitch attached by a small prusik hitch (3/8 double eye cord) to the working end accross from my friction hitch to tend the slack one handed, usually only on spralled out trees that walk out every where,
Paul,

PS mine is double rope technic, if you are just going up limb by limb like a spruce try the alternate lanyard technic using climbing line with hip prusik DRT as one of the lanyards

 

[axetree]

been there too, also had the throw bag thrown at me, seems like my groundy really enjoyed that, but i enjoyed not being there stuck up a tree!

 

[Fireaxman]

Thanks for the warning. Could happen to me. I also worry about dropping my descender while I am making the changeover from ascenders, but at least then I could use the ascenders to "inch worm" my way down.

My favorite "Stranded Up A Tree" trick is to climb DdRT and get the tail of the rope tangled around something on the ground, typicly a large branch I have removed that fell strategicly right in top of the coiled tail of my DdRT system. I also usually climb alone, so no groundy to free the tangle. First time it happened I had to go back up enough to get some slack, come off my DdRT system, tie one side off to a limb,, and come down the other side with a caribiner and a Munter hitch. Now I carry an SRT style descender with me, either an 8, an I'd, or a STOP, "Just in Case".

 

[Youngbuck20]

i was doing the same today but 60' up. just coiled up about 10' of rope and did an overhand toss to the next branch union while holding on to my line with the other hand, guys in my class have taken their snap in the face after missing a toss, been a few close calls on it going to the ground, not yet though. hopefully never.