spur climbing set up for redwood questions

[beastmaster]

Theres a certain knack it takes to get up a 5 ft tree or even 3 ft one on spurs. You have to develop a whipping motion with your lanyard so it climbs up the opposite side of where your gaffed in at. Just learning that and making it up 40 ft makes or breaks lots of new climber on big conifers.
If they had had big shots and I knew SRT, 20 something years ago I probably never would have learned how to gaff up a tree. I'm old and lazy but I would learn how to use a bigshot and climb a single rope to get in them trees. Hey how tall are them redwoods on your property? beastmaster

 

[norcalshoot]

I will look into the srt. they guy teaching me is a spur guy only. our redwoods are normal height for a 2-3 foot redwood. I don't know exact height. our few bigger ones that would be tall have all had the tops blown out at one time so they are not as tall as they could be. You could definably fined higher redwoods if you are just looking for a big tree to climb

 

[Fireaxman]

Probably lotsa folks be glad to trade you some SRT experience for some hang time in one of your "Redweeds". Me for one. I'm planning to be in your neighborhood in August. Be glad to stop by with a couple hundred feet of Snakebite and various ascenders and descenders.

Also planning a climb in a 240+ foot Doug Fir with Rob and Jason of Pacific Tree Climbing Institute near Eugene, Oregon in August. Good experience if you are interested.

 

[lostcoastland]

Redwood Spikes

Get the longest spikes you can get and a good handsaw,and a helmet with a chinstrap. get whatever steel core lanyard with a mechanical grab ( no prussik in case you cut that whats the point of having a wirecore, besides the flippyness) Get a weaver saddle with the buttstrap, a rope so you can tie in , and make sure to always be tied in with the wire core when your cutting. and never cut through your hinge when topping trees. Also a folding polesaw such as the longboy aloows you to advance ropes and cut branches all the way to the skinny tops. Make sure your cuts are flush so they dont sprout. Never do anything that doesnt feel right...dont climb out on forks unless you tie them together..it takes along time to be safe and actually be worth money people are paying you ..and remember Lion Tailing or Humboldt Palming trees looks cool and " Makes a big difference" but theres alot to learn about INTERGRITY . You need to formulate your own image by doing good work so you build a lasting impression. Those sprouts come quick and any bad cuts will need to be redone in a few years..for the ocean views ect....and dont spike firs you have to learn to climb them with ropes and deal with the sap ect..unless its a removal..

 

[jefflovstrom]

I sense your need to chime in.
Jeff :msp_sneaky:

 

[lostcoastland]

Yup

 

[norcalshoot]

Lostcoastland thanks for the info. When you say get the longest spurs you can find, Do you think that the climb right tree climbers with 2 5/8" spurs is long enough? A steel core flipline is what i am after. have you had good luck with the 1/2? or is it worth the extra 10 bucks for a 5/8? I barrow a new 3/4 x 18' steel core but I would have to buy a mechanical grab for it, Which cost almost as much as a whole steel core lanyard kit in 1/2".
Thanks again for the response everyone!

 

[Nailsbeats]

5/8" Wire Core has a much better meat and potatoes feel if you know what I mean. You'll know you got something there when you flip it.

I was just in your neck of the woods in early January, was looking for any chance to climb too. I actually met Jerry Beranek out there in Fort Bragg and picked up some videos from him. I would have climbed with you in a heart beat, granted I've never climbed a standing Redwood, but climbing a different type of tree is no big deal if you know the basics you can feel the rest out.

 

[sgreanbeans]

I was waitin' on that.:msp_biggrin:

Welcome to AS.
Do you drink beer?

LOL, I was wondering that myself, knowing you were leading him in!
I have pics of my kids in front of General Sherman at Sequoia Kings.
Amazing

 

[lostcoastland]

I barrow a new 3/4 x 18' steel core but I would have to buy a mechanical grab for it, Which cost almost as much as a whole steel core lanyard kit in 1/2".

Dude you gotta be a beast to climb with a 3/4 18' flipline..thats complete overkill for 3rd and 4th growth. If you did have a tree that big the old growth climbers would use two flip lines so they could work one while supported by the other. The hardest time ive had climbing was the first 20' of a 6 or 8 foot across RW with bark about 6 inches thick and you end up circling the tree stripping the bark off eating sh*t until you finally are clear enough to flip your line over the more compact upper bark. usually its easiest to spike little rw's and shoot the bigger ones with a big shot...In Beraneks book some guys actually used chokers as fliplines and then rap'd out perhaps thats where they figured out the flippyness of the steel cable. That was a different kind of tree work and thats not really what you'll be getting into these days. Redwoods are a treat to climb like a big teddy bear compared to the rock hard sappy firs, pines, madrones and oaks that lay ahead if you continue to climb in the area...look out for weakly attached suckers that grow off of rotted old stumps....that should be plenty of info to get you into a tree..remember we learn from our mistakes so error on the side of caution:msp_thumbup:

 

[beastmaster]

I use to cliimb 70 to 80in. dbh Pondarosa pines no problem using home made 1" three strand rope with a 1/4 in cable in it. I preferred the bigger heaver line because you could get a better whipping motion going. You need to learn to whip with both hands on a tree that big. It is a little tiring, but works well so long as there isn't a lot of stubs for your line to get stuck on.
I would have a guy on the ground letting me know what obstacles were in my way on the back side of the tree.
Now that I look back I guess it did kick your butt. You have to have a lot of slack in your lanyard to whip that rope around. That means your arms are holding up a lot of weight most the time. If I had only known about big shots and advance climbing tech. back then, I probably wouldn't hurt so much today. Beastmaster

 

[norcalshoot]

The 3/4 x 18 is one of those yale maxi lines i think. I havent bought any gear yet I am waiting for tax returns and they seem to be taking their sweet time with giving mine to me. I am going to get a 1/2" kit from wespur when I put the order in i think. thanks for all the info guys it all helps