Climbing a Tree without a Dominant Stem

[SlimJim1983]

All

This may be on the forum somewhere, but I could not find it.

What is the easiest way to climb and trim/cut a tree without a dominant stem? I have a few locusts on my property where the main stem comes up to about 7 feet, then splits off into 27 different branches that go generally straight up. None of them are particularly large, and I would rather not spike them just to take a few branches off them. I want to keep the main branch, just trim some off it.

Any suggestions would be welcome. I haven't come up with any great ideas so far. Thanks!

 

[ATH]

1) No spikes on a pruning. Those are for removals only.

I'll often tie into the best trunk there is and try to work everything else from there.

If nothing is big enough to tie into, perhaps pole pruner and pole saw work from the ground?

If it is a lot of co-dominate trunks, you probably need to work towards getting some of those out of there altogether.

 

[SlimJim1983]

Here is a picture of the tree. There are a couple good junctures I was thinking of tying in at on the right side to work that side, then tying at a good spot on the left to work that side. This is on my property. The tree house is about 10 feet tall, and as
you can see the stem basically ends there. There are a few horizontal branches I want to take out plus some dead ones that need to go too. I climb on an MRS system with a hitch climber pulley, just FYI.

 

[Yarz]

I've never done it yet, but to me that looks like a good candidate for a dual rope setup. It'd mean buying more gear, but I'm thinking that if you could use a throwball to get 2 systems installed (one in the left, one in the right) you should be able to put yourself just about anywhere in the canopy that you need to be.
This would do two more things I think would be positive:

1. Lessen your loading of each individual tie-in - I can't tell very well how big the branches are, and have no idea how high you want to go.
2. Use the strength of the tree in compression as your systems pull the tips together.

 

[Del_]

Set multiple ropes before you leave the ground and you can pull them to you when you need them with a pole saw. Then double crotch your way over to the next leader. What is really handy too is a short rope set up. My lanyard is about 16ft. long and can be used as a stand alone short climbing system. And a nice Silkey pole saw.

 

[Dave1960_Gorge]

L

Here is a picture of the tree. There are a couple good junctures I was thinking of tying in at on the right side to work that side, then tying at a good spot on the left to work that side. This is on my property. The tree house is about 10 feet tall, and as
you can see the stem basically ends there. There are a few horizontal branches I want to take out plus some dead ones that need to go too. I climb on an MRS system with a hitch climber pulley, just FYI.


View attachment 896394

Looks like there are quite a few forks about 1 1/2 times the height of the roof. I would use two ropes (rigged as double line ) and a positioning lanyard to move around; makes you very stable and feel comfortable pancaking a stem while you lean back a little — you don’t need forks for your footholds.
I would thin out / reduce the crown with a pole saw or bypass shear head on a combination of poles; maybe start with an 8 and then add a 6 or another 8.

locusts are tough but can be brittle too— so you want to reduce the end weight of the long stems; this does not necessarily reduce the length by much. Over time you create more taper and stronger stems.

 

[Dave1960_Gorge]

L

Looks like there are quite a few forks about 1 1/2 times the height of the roof. I would use two ropes (rigged as double line ) and a positioning lanyard to move around; makes you very stable and feel comfortable pancaking a stem while you lean back a little — you don’t need forks for your footholds.
I would thin out / reduce the crown with a pole saw or bypass shear head on a combination of poles; maybe start with an 8 and then add a 6 or another 8.

locusts are tough but can be brittle too— so you want to reduce the end weight of the long stems; this does not necessarily reduce the length by much. Over time you create more taper and stronger stems.

To be clear , and like Yarz said above, use two lines; my preference is a double rope system, meaning each rope goes through a crotch and back to you through your mechanical device ( for example the prusik and pulley or what I use, a ZigZag).

 

[ATH]

Lots of places I'd tie in based on the looks from that pic (subject to in person inspection!).

I'd probably climb it 2-3 times as if it were separate trees...but using 2 tie in points at the same time as others have mentioned is a good idea as well.

 

[SlimJim1983]

To be clear , and like Yarz said above, use two lines; my preference is a double rope system, meaning each rope goes through a crotch and back to you through your mechanical device ( for example the prusik and pulley or what I use, a ZigZag).

I use the Hitch Climber, I still have the MRS. As a homeowner and very occaisional tree guy for friends and family I cannot yet justify the expense for an SRT system.

 

[SlimJim1983]

I've never done it yet, but to me that looks like a good candidate for a dual rope setup. It'd mean buying more gear, but I'm thinking that if you could use a throwball to get 2 systems installed (one in the left, one in the right) you should be able to put yourself just about anywhere in the canopy that you need to be.
This would do two more things I think would be positive:

1. Lessen your loading of each individual tie-in - I can't tell very well how big the branches are, and have no idea how high you want to go.
2. Use the strength of the tree in compression as your systems pull the tips together.

This sounds like a great idea. I would have never thought of it on my own, that is why I posted the tree here. I have the ropes and setup to go double rope. Now that I think of it, that would work for a couple of the other trees on my property too. I wish I would have done this a year ago!@

 

[Dave1960_Gorge]

Its real helpful to take an old style click together pole saw in the tree that has a hook on the head. That way you can hang a foot of climbing line on it with a steel biner, drop it through a fork, and pull it back to yourself. With some practice you can handle to 8 ft sticks. With two lines angled apart at least 30 degrees (well overhead!), you can branch walk with ease, and do a lay back and go up or down a side trunk at any angle; on top, to the side, maybe on the bottom.

Remember if you go way out from under your tie ins, you want two lanyards or a third rope so you are always tied in as you move--- the first two cease functioning as a fall protection system at some point. That uncontrolled pendulum swing is not a good thing. A controlled pendulum swing is entirely different.

With two ropes, you can also transfer across a gap you would not want to swing across or which you can't get to by pushing off. You gotta think in three dimensions at all times, and where your tie-ins want to send you from where you are at, and if it would be tolerable to go there if you lose your footing; if not you may not be tied in, but only relying on a positioning lanyard, which, guess what? When you unclip it, you are not tied in with it anymore.

You also have to do more than read posts like this before you do technical stuff. Awareness and skill comes with time and experience. Its also no fun freezing in place and realizing that you could be up there for a good long time because you are "stuck". You also need to stay calm and focused; you can cut your rope or yourself in an instant. I once threw my rope out of a tree (the entire rope) when I was 30 ft. up standing on a limb, because I was untangling it and had untied it. Doh. Had to come down on a flip line alone (no spikes on), and it was too short to use all the way down; I had to downclimb the last bit with my fingernails in the bark. Which brings up one more thing -- don't climb alone.

I share this stuff as cautionary tales. And I still consider myself a careful climber, who has made some mistakes that I am aware of. One thing I am quite focused on and conservative about is the quality of my tie ins -- I often move them to a stronger union or angled differently to help with the next moves. If you can, always put the rope around a vertical stem over several branches, or reset it that way when you climb up to it. Failed tie-ins are a significant factor in bad outcomes -- knock on wood -- not for me, I would like to think because I pay close attention to the tree.

 

[Dave1960_Gorge]

Its real helpful to take an old style click together pole saw in the tree that has a hook on the head. That way you can hang a foot of climbing line on it with a steel biner, drop it through a fork, and pull it back to yourself. With some practice you can handle to 8 ft sticks. With two lines angled apart at least 30 degrees (well overhead!), you can branch walk with ease, and do a lay back and go up or down a side trunk at any angle; on top, to the side, maybe on the bottom.

Remember if you go way out from under your tie ins, you want two lanyards or a third rope so you are always tied in as you move--- the first two cease functioning as a fall protection system at some point. That uncontrolled pendulum swing is not a good thing. A controlled pendulum swing is entirely different.

With two ropes, you can also transfer across a gap you would not want to swing across or which you can't get to by pushing off. You gotta think in three dimensions at all times, and where your tie-ins want to send you from where you are at, and if it would be tolerable to go there if you lose your footing; if not you may not be tied in, but only relying on a positioning lanyard, which, guess what? When you unclip it, you are not tied in with it anymore.

You also have to do more than read posts like this before you do technical stuff. Awareness and skill comes with time and experience. Its also no fun freezing in place and realizing that you could be up there for a good long time because you are "stuck". You also need to stay calm and focused; you can cut your rope or yourself in an instant. I once threw my rope out of a tree (the entire rope) when I was 30 ft. up standing on a limb, because I was untangling it and had untied it. Doh. Had to come down on a flip line alone (no spikes on), and it was too short to use all the way down; I had to downclimb the last bit with my fingernails in the bark. Which brings up one more thing -- don't climb alone.

I share this stuff as cautionary tales. And I still consider myself a careful climber, who has made some mistakes that I am aware of. One thing I am quite focused on and conservative about is the quality of my tie ins -- I often move them to a stronger union or angled differently to help with the next moves. If you can, always put the rope around a vertical stem over several branches, or reset it that way when you climb up to it. Failed tie-ins are a significant factor in bad outcomes -- knock on wood -- not for me, I would like to think because I pay close attention to the tree.

Hey SlimJim--

I guess I went om way to long. I thought I was replying to a newbie in another thread. My bad.

 

[SlimJim1983]

Hey SlimJim--

I guess I went om way to long. I thought I was replying to a newbie in another thread. My bad.

Don’t sweat it. I appreciate the info!