Professionalamateur
New Member
Hello all, long time lurker here. Thanks to all for the knowledge over the years. I've got a rather long question so if you're not in the mood for a novel, please disregard.
I'm an occasional climber. I apprentice for an old school arborist in the spring and fall, but my main job makes the apprentice work minimal. When I climb for my boss, its closed loop ddrt w/ blakes hitch, hip thrust and advance the climb line with a pole saw. Either that or removals on gaffs, tied in twice.
When I'm working at my property or for friends/family I use a different method, which I prefer, and wanted to see what you all thought of it. I know there are more efficient techniques, but as I'm very part time, I prefer to do what I am comfortable with. My main concern is weather or not y'all think it's safe.
I set a climb line with a big shot and throwball/throwline. Where I live its pine and fir, so its usually over many branches (ddrt with closed loop would be verytime consuming to isolate a single branch or etc). I do this til I have the rope over a branch that angles upward. I use an appropriate basal anchor, fix one end of the rope to it, and climb the other end of the climb line srt. I do a "2 person bounce test" on the rope before climbing. (I use arbormaster with a spliced eye that has a caribeaner to connect it to the basal anchor, and its also connected to a lowering line in case i need to be lowered) I use a prussic on my main Ds ( I have a weaver wide back 4 d saddle) and a rope grab with a foot loop, which is backed up to my side Ds in case the prussic fails. Basically a sit-and-stand method. (I know a chest strap of some sort is preferable. But is it necessary?). I always carry a rescue 8/descender of some sort, secondary way to tie in (lanyard or 2nd rope), hand saw, and caribeaners. Once I'm as high as I like, I tie in a second time, usually with my flip line. I set up a lowering/ rigging line on a suitable anchor, branch, trunk, etc. In a second location, i set up a suitable anchor for my climb line. I just bring it up with me or have my grounds man tie it on to the free end of the rope i climbed. I then set the climbing system up for split tail ddrt with a blakes. I test it with my weight, unclip the flip line, and descend to the first / lowest area i want to work. At that point the grounds man pulls the srt rope/ system out of tree. I use the rope grab and foot loop to sit/stand my way back up as I work bottom up, instead of hip thrust. If I use a chainsaw I'm tied in twice.
Thanks for reading! Sorry I dont have photos but hopefully I make some sense. Any feedback appreciated!
I'm an occasional climber. I apprentice for an old school arborist in the spring and fall, but my main job makes the apprentice work minimal. When I climb for my boss, its closed loop ddrt w/ blakes hitch, hip thrust and advance the climb line with a pole saw. Either that or removals on gaffs, tied in twice.
When I'm working at my property or for friends/family I use a different method, which I prefer, and wanted to see what you all thought of it. I know there are more efficient techniques, but as I'm very part time, I prefer to do what I am comfortable with. My main concern is weather or not y'all think it's safe.
I set a climb line with a big shot and throwball/throwline. Where I live its pine and fir, so its usually over many branches (ddrt with closed loop would be verytime consuming to isolate a single branch or etc). I do this til I have the rope over a branch that angles upward. I use an appropriate basal anchor, fix one end of the rope to it, and climb the other end of the climb line srt. I do a "2 person bounce test" on the rope before climbing. (I use arbormaster with a spliced eye that has a caribeaner to connect it to the basal anchor, and its also connected to a lowering line in case i need to be lowered) I use a prussic on my main Ds ( I have a weaver wide back 4 d saddle) and a rope grab with a foot loop, which is backed up to my side Ds in case the prussic fails. Basically a sit-and-stand method. (I know a chest strap of some sort is preferable. But is it necessary?). I always carry a rescue 8/descender of some sort, secondary way to tie in (lanyard or 2nd rope), hand saw, and caribeaners. Once I'm as high as I like, I tie in a second time, usually with my flip line. I set up a lowering/ rigging line on a suitable anchor, branch, trunk, etc. In a second location, i set up a suitable anchor for my climb line. I just bring it up with me or have my grounds man tie it on to the free end of the rope i climbed. I then set the climbing system up for split tail ddrt with a blakes. I test it with my weight, unclip the flip line, and descend to the first / lowest area i want to work. At that point the grounds man pulls the srt rope/ system out of tree. I use the rope grab and foot loop to sit/stand my way back up as I work bottom up, instead of hip thrust. If I use a chainsaw I'm tied in twice.
Thanks for reading! Sorry I dont have photos but hopefully I make some sense. Any feedback appreciated!
