Rope climbing questions

[Garden Of Eden]

Hello,

I'm kinda new to rope climbing the smart way. I've done many crazy, stupid things in the past to get the job done, so now I'm looking to do somethings safer.

I'm wondering after I get the length of rope in the tree, and I have it around a solid crotch of the tree, what kind of knot do I tie for a SRT. I'm thinking some kind of slip knot, but I'm not sure I'm 100% thrilled about my life being in a slip knot. lol 80' is a long way down.

Also, what is my redundancy for safety on the line. Do I use an ascender for my foot, and one for my weight, then a double or triple prussik for safety? or is the ascender for safety, and the prussik for my foot, and another ascender for my weight? lol I'm so confused. lol

I'm really not a HUGE fan of spurs, as I know I'm not doing it right, and will soon hurt myself if not instructed. So, I'm leaving that for a bit. lol

Thank you all very much, and God bless,

Jeff

 

[Tree Pig]

If you have to ask how to tie off your lifeline then you may hurt yourself doing SRT too. Find someone to give you some instruction.

 

[Saw Dust Smoken]

search SRT

Do a search on SRT.

 

[tree md]

Check out the book "On Rope". You can buy it for as little as $10 at Amazon. It's considered the SRT bible. Great book. I have been enthralled with it for the past couple of weeks.

 

[Garden Of Eden]

If you have to ask how to tie off your lifeline then you may hurt yourself doing SRT too. Find someone to give you some instruction.

Ha Ha Ha... No kidding. Hence the question here. lol I didn't really have to ask, just thought it was a pertinent question. lol

Check out the book "On Rope". You can buy it for as little as $10 at Amazon. It's considered the SRT bible. Great book. I have been enthralled with it for the past couple of weeks.

Thanks, I'll be grabbing that tonight.

God Bless,

Jeff

 

[canopyboy]

As for tying off the (non-climbing) end of your SRT line, I take a couple wraps around the anchor tree. Then I tie a figure 8 on a bight in the free end. I then clip a biner through the bight and around the loaded end of the line going up, making a "slip knot" if you will.

On Rope has many, many pages dedicated to anchoring systems though. And a lot of other useful stuff for SRT.

 

[Garden Of Eden]

As for tying off the (non-climbing) end of your SRT line, I take a couple wraps around the anchor tree. Then I tie a figure 8 on a bight in the free end. I then clip a biner through the bight and around the loaded end of the line going up, making a "slip knot" if you will.

On Rope has many, many pages dedicated to anchoring systems though. And a lot of other useful stuff for SRT.

The figure 8 I presume is set then for belaying down? That's the way it sounds to me the way you've described it. Unless I'm missing something. Sounds pretty easy to me. Strong? Sounds like it would be plenty with 5/16 arbormaster?

Thanks a bunch, and have an amazing day.

Jeff

 

[canopyboy]

The figure 8 I presume is set then for belaying down? That's the way it sounds to me the way you've described it. Unless I'm missing something. Sounds pretty easy to me. Strong? Sounds like it would be plenty with 5/16 arbormaster?

Thanks a bunch, and have an amazing day.

Jeff

Uhh.....I need to clarify what you mean. Are you talking about why I use the Figure 8 knot for the tie-in? Because that really has nothing to do with belay. Belay usually involves another person taking in your rope as you free climb.

Do you mean rapelling down on the rope with a Figure 8 belay/rappel device? In that case, there are a ton of methods for coming down, the Figure 8 being one of them. I like using the GriGri in a RADS or yo-yo system. It's your safety going up, and an auto-locking descent device coming down.

Finally, 5/16 arbormaster? I thought Arbormaster was by definition 1/2" rope. I like the 10mm Sterling HTP for SRT. But are you talking about 5/16 prussik cord?

 

[Garden Of Eden]

Uhh.....I need to clarify what you mean. Are you talking about why I use the Figure 8 knot for the tie-in? Because that really has nothing to do with belay. Belay usually involves another person taking in your rope as you free climb.

Do you mean rapelling down on the rope with a Figure 8 belay/rappel device? In that case, there are a ton of methods for coming down, the Figure 8 being one of them. I like using the GriGri in a RADS or yo-yo system. It's your safety going up, and an auto-locking descent device coming down.

Finally, 5/16 arbormaster? I thought Arbormaster was by definition 1/2" rope. I like the 10mm Sterling HTP for SRT. But are you talking about 5/16 prussik cord?

Haha I actually read your post, then mine. I thought you were nuts for a second. I did mean rappelling down. I have not a clue why I said belay.
I've only seen the grigri in use, never actually used it.

Also, I do mean arbormaster, I just assumed 5/16, it probably is 1/2, honestly, it's a 1/16 of an inch. not bad for an eyeball. lol I totally understand the strength differences, but I just picked it up and though it felt thick.

So, you do not use the figure 8 in rappelling down then? How do you retrieve your rope at the end from the ground?

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[grizzly2]

Personally, if you're not sure about some of the basics of SRT climbing, then I would highly recommend mastering a more traditional climbing system prior to attempting to take on the advanced stuff. Most 'tree guys' out there who have been climbing for decades have never used an SRT system, and most likely won't.
That being said, for your own self preservation (things can get pretty harsh on this site), I would say get "On Rope" and "The Climber's Companion" learn everything you can from those two, then come back to this thread and ask whatever questions you still have.
Good luck, and be safe.

 

[Garden Of Eden]

Personally, if you're not sure about some of the basics of SRT climbing, then I would highly recommend mastering a more traditional climbing system prior to attempting to take on the advanced stuff. Most 'tree guys' out there who have been climbing for decades have never used an SRT system, and most likely won't.
That being said, for your own self preservation (things can get pretty harsh on this site), I would say get "On Rope" and "The Climber's Companion" learn everything you can from those two, then come back to this thread and ask whatever questions you still have.
Good luck, and be safe.

I've got "On Rope" on order. I've gotta say, I posted this question in what I feel to be the right place. And even still, I feel a little put down by a couple of the responses. If I knew what books/material to get, I wouldn't have posted here. lol I'm forever amazed at people flesh.

Thank you and God bless,

Jeff

 

[Garden Of Eden]

On Rope is a great book but you are not going to find anything on what arborist call the 'traditional rope climbing system', which is where you need to start.

Jeff Jepson's 'The Tree Climbers Companion' is a great book about rope climbing trees and a much better for those starting out.

Of course you need both books!

I'm making a trip to borders and a couple other book stores in a few minutes now. Thank you all for the wealth of info.

Jeff

 

[canopyboy]

Haha I actually read your post, then mine. I thought you were nuts for a second. I did mean rappelling down. I have not a clue why I said belay.
I've only seen the grigri in use, never actually used it.

Also, I do mean arbormaster, I just assumed 5/16, it probably is 1/2, honestly, it's a 1/16 of an inch. not bad for an eyeball. lol I totally understand the strength differences, but I just picked it up and though it felt thick.

So, you do not use the figure 8 in rappelling down then? How do you retrieve your rope at the end from the ground?

Thanks,

Jeff

If I'm climbing on the grigri, that is also my descent device, so no figure 8. If I do use a different method for ascent, then I've used the figure 8 for descending, but I back it up with a prusik or something. Let go of the prusik with your left hand and you stop quick. Still not idiot-proof, if you freeze up and hold onto the prussik while letting go with your brake hand you're toast. As for getting my rope back, I just pull it back out of the tree, usually from the anchor end.

You might have trouble finding those two books at Borders. Tree Climber's companion is found at most of the Stihl and Husky dealers around me. And of course both are available online.

I would highly recommend getting comfortable in trees on a DRT system before moving to SRT. But however you do it, just proceed slowly and be safe. I wouldn't go higher than you're willing to fall until you know your climbing system inside and out.

I'll stop spouting advice now. I'm no expert anyway.

 

[Garden Of Eden]

If I'm climbing on the grigri, that is also my descent device, so no figure 8. If I do use a different method for ascent, then I've used the figure 8 for descending, but I back it up with a prusik or something. Let go of the prusik with your left hand and you stop quick. Still not idiot-proof, if you freeze up and hold onto the prussik while letting go with your brake hand you're toast. As for getting my rope back, I just pull it back out of the tree, usually from the anchor end.

You might have trouble finding those two books at Borders. Tree Climber's companion is found at most of the Stihl and Husky dealers around me. And of course both are available online.

I would highly recommend getting comfortable in trees on a DRT system before moving to SRT. But however you do it, just proceed slowly and be safe. I wouldn't go higher than you're willing to fall until you know your climbing system inside and out.

I'll stop spouting advice now. I'm no expert anyway.

Please, keep the advice coming. That's how new climbers like me learn. Lol. I'd have my wife make you all some cookies, providing of course she could. Lol.

Thanks a million guys

Canopy, that's what I was thinking about descending. Thanks

 

[md_tree_dood]

The main problem with this forum is people criticizing instead of actually offering advice, mostly because I don't think they know the answer. So here are some tips.

First off, ascenders aren't life support. You need to back up your system with some type of prussic, I usually put mine above my hand ascender. There are any number of ways to connect, heres one of the few that I mess around with.

-Petzl Pantin on right foot.
-Petzl right handed ascender with a 8mm endless prussic loop attached to the -bottom of the ascender and attached to my saddle.
-A 4 wrap Schwabisch (tenex) fastened to the top of the hand ascender with a double locking carabiner above the ascender.

As you ascend, you slide the e2e up with the actually ascender. If you were to let go, or take a break the ascender will hold you to the rope but if it comes off the e2e will hold you from falling. This method is nice because you can take breaks with the system.

You can alternatively use an endless loop with a kleimheist above your ascender clipped to your belt and just use a pantin and hand ascender which takes out a couple of pieces, but when you take a break you'll be sitting in your kleimheist which will have to be broken and redressed when you start ascending again.

Hope this helps.

 

[canopyboy]

The main problem with this forum is people criticizing instead of actually offering advice, mostly because I don't think they know the answer.

I don't know if that's the main problem, but it sure is a problem at times. It can be downright hostile to a newbie sometimes.

But there are those that are a bit friendlier, way to step up.

 

[tree md]

Personally, I have done little SRT and doubt that I will do much work on a single rope. What I have done on my own was inefficient and wrong as I found out later. I got the book On Rope mainly because I want to learn proper SRT to enter large trees for spikeless prunes. Sure, I can do it on a doubled rope but I think it will be much more efficient to not have to spend so much time isolating a limb for a TIP and I believe a good SRT climbing system will be faster and easier for tree entry on the big ones. I plan to change over to DRT once I enter the tree.

I also agree with TreeCo on The Tree Climber's Companion. It has all the basics of working on a traditional system which I think is imperative to learn before moving on to more advanced rope work.

 

[grizzly2]

I plan to change over to DRT once I enter the tree.

It is to my understanding that SRT, much like the secured footlock method, are for entry purposes only. It is not to be used to work from.

 

[D Mc]

I expect that SRT for work climbing is going to be getting ever more popular and will be the dominant climbing system of arborist in the know.

Ha! The evolution has already begun! I hear even some old guys, hard core doubled ropers, are now using it for not only entry but working the tree.

Who'ld a thought?

Unfortunately, the only way to efficiently accomplish this so far, that I have found, is with the Unicender. There is the F8 system, but I have not tried it and don't like systems that produce difficulty with slack tending. There is no problem with slack tending with the Unicender.

With the proper tools and technique, SRT has some distinct advantages over doubled rope. And I am well versed in doubled rope, having used it for my main stay in climbing longer than most.

Dave

 

[Greystoke]

Unicender

Ha! The evolution has already begun! I hear even some old guys, hard core doubled ropers, are now using it for not only entry but working the tree.

Who'ld a thought?

Unfortunately, the only way to efficiently accomplish this so far, that I have found, is with the Unicender. There is the F8 system, but I have not tried it and don't like systems that produce difficulty with slack tending. There is no problem with slack tending with the Unicender.

With the proper tools and technique, SRT has some distinct advantages over doubled rope. And I am well versed in doubled rope, having used it for my main stay in climbing longer than most.

Dave

Replaced the Lockjack with the Unicender huh Dave. I would like to check that thing out sometime.

Cody