# Fell Yesterday



## Highclimber OR (Mar 8, 2009)

Yesterday I went out to do some work for a friend of mine who owns a small Tree Service.

When we arrived on the job it was like any other "small job", or so I thought. It was in the back yard a row of semi ornamental cedars that were about 40' tall. The customer wanted them topped down to about 20' and since it was not my gig I did not have a chance to lobby against topping them so I sized them up good. My friend said that he would start on the ladder with the pole saw but I knew I would have to climb to get a few tops as they were pretty tall and had some good back lean. 

We agreed that my best shot was to climb while he pole sawed. So all was going well and I was knocking them out pretty quick. I then came to a step over that was a bit far, but I was pretty certain that I could make it with the bow of the tree I was on. I was wrong. I got a hold of the top on the next tree which I already cut and started to shift my weight. When I thought I had it I quickly unsnapped my flip line and continued the step over. Suddenly the limb my left foot was on broke just as my right foot came off the other tree, I knew at that moment that I was taking "The Big Ride" and tucked my arms in and put my head down. On the way down I could feel all of the dead limbs breaking and, BAM!! I hit the ground. To my good fortune I landed on my A#@ in between two of the trees and luckily this guy had never raked under there as far as you could tell so there were plenty of dead needles to pad my landing. I didn't even land on my MS 200. It was about a 25" drop and I was ok. As soon as I realized that I was not hurt bad I let out a chuckle because I couldn't believe how stupid I was for allowing that to happen. The saw was good to go and I got right up and finished the job but I can't stop kicking myself for not tying in real quick as I more than know better. So I hope somebody out there can learn from my stupidity and not let this happen to you even on small trees. I became a little complacent and could have paid a horrible price, but instead I just have a swollen tail bone. So please be tied in even on the "little one's" as they present a danger all their own and you vets like me do not get careless as you may not be as lucky as I was.


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## Adkpk (Mar 8, 2009)

Glad to hear you pulled through. And yep on the hoping others can learn from your experience. Always helps to read the "Injuries and fatalities" columns if only to remind us that danger is always out there when defying gravity. Thanks for posting.


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## outdoorlivin247 (Mar 8, 2009)

Highclimber OR said:


> It was about a 25" drop and I was ok.



Would have thought you could have reached that fron the ground...JK...Glad you are ok...

When I was in the 6th grade I was in a weeping willow tree that had two main leaders...I was in one and wanted to be in the other, so I picked a limb and jumped...Needless to say after my 1st ride in an ambulance, bruised kidneys, peeing blood, and not being able to sit up w/o help for 3 days I decided I NEVER wanted to fall out of a tree from 30' again...


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## treemandan (Mar 11, 2009)

That would be God letting you know a few things, one of which is that you still are alive. He does that with me too.


I am sure your assement of the risk made you feel that you could do what you tried, and evry once in a while, when I have real good control and have sunk in real deep in a crotch and un-do my one lanyard... well, what can I say?

However its actually always quicker to do it right in the long run. I am still in the process of convincing myself to tie in and small ornamentals, not 40 foot ones, just those little tiny trees, real small.


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## joesawer (Mar 11, 2009)

These kind of trees are where long lanyards and short pieces of climbing rope come in handy.


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## ropensaddle (Mar 11, 2009)

Glad you lived and it is always the easy ones that get ya if ya know what I mean.


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## treemandan (Mar 11, 2009)

joesawer said:


> These kind of trees are where long lanyards and short pieces of climbing rope come in handy.



15 feet of line can get you a million more. That is about my shortest rope.


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## treemandan (Mar 11, 2009)

ropensaddle said:


> Glad you lived and it is always the easy ones that get ya if ya know what I mean.



yup


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## Nailsbeats (Mar 12, 2009)

I get the breaking branches thing. I took a ride out of a pine years back while trying to tie my friction hitch and holding both ends of the rope with one hand. All I remember is the branches busting and waiting to hit the ground, luckily I stoped about 9' short when I landed on the roof.

God was looking out for you as he was me. Here's to another day.


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## Farmer Ferd (Mar 12, 2009)

glad to hear your OK.

I might have missed something but where you only using one lanyard?

I find using two in a situation like that is the best fail safe. If there too far apart a short hank of rope can be made into a makeshift one. Good luck and be carefull out there.


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## ntsarborist (Mar 13, 2009)

i fell out of a chinese elm about 25' up a few years back. unclipped my lanyard to go around a limb. before i had myself tied back in i lost my grip and went backwards. broke 3 ribs and my right arm. since then i bought a grizzly 2in1 lanyard. lessons learned. good to hear your ok


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## Sand_Man (Mar 14, 2009)

*Close call*

Glad to hear you are Ok and able to continue on. May be that the big man was watching. :Eye:


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