climbing over ivy.... help?

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O41 Super AV

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Does anyone have any advice for spur climbing a tree covered in ivy? The tree is about 80ft oak and has 25-30 feet of ivy up the trunk, i need to get my flipline over the ivy and i find myself not making much progress. I am using a steel core flipline with a rope grab and leaving myself extra slack trying to clear some of the ivy. The ivy is 360 around the whole tree, as the tree is the middle of the yard and gets sun from all direction, i'm trying the climb the side with the thickest facing me hoping the other side would be the least amount of resistance for the flipline. I don't not want to got out and buy a bunch of new rope climnbing equipment, and i know i shouldn't be spur climbing a tree that i'm not taking down, but i'm just not taking it down yet. the home owner didn't want to spend the money at this point in time but is worried about alot of wind broken limbs and some dead branches falling onto his pool cover or children who play in the yard. any thoughts or ideas would be great thanks alot
 
Sad to say but this post probably isn't going to go well for you.

You already have a saddle, so go get a rope, set it up as a closed system with a taughtline or a blakes. Go get 120' of 16 strand somewhere it'll be under a hundred bucks.

You're kind of operating under the same idea he is. He doesn't want to take down the tree "yet" because he doesn't want to spend the money. You don't want to climb it right because you don't want to spend the money. Something's wrong here...

No super flame here. Please go buy a rope, do it right, climb safe, and good luck.
 
thanks for the 2 cents, kinda what i expected to hear. i'll let you guys know how i make out thanks again

You have not heard anything yet... Spike climbing storm damage or prune is considered unacceptable as the industry standard. The fact that you are spike climbing through PI because you dont own the proper equipment or have the knowledge to rope climb makes you an idiot. Go cut grass or install gutters because your gonna get hurt cutting corners because your too stupid or too cheap to do things right. :msp_scared:


HOLY #### YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME... honestly this is a joke right?
 
I would rope climb a removal if it were feasible/safe to do so.

You're not likely to be able to get to all the storm damage on spikes anyways, even if you use a lanyard you'll only have one tie in point which isn't all that safe or easy.

Pics would get you more advice.
 
its really not so much the expense of the new gear, that is a issue but not my biggest, i'm not new to climbing with the gear i have and i feel confident. also this is one of my first larger jobs on my own, its just the one tree with the ivy on it giving me trouble. The company i used to work for was much more well equipped both with the proper tools and knowledge to use them. Starting out on my own has been difficult and i'm not just trying to cut corners and halfass the job, but at this point i'm not in a position knowledge wise to rope climbing correctly and safely. thank you for the advice
 
Pre-installing a line and hip thrusting or foot locking is the very basics of climbing and requires nothing but a basic saddle and rope. I would advise you to at least learn the basics before you jump out there on your own.
 
check the water before you jump..

another mr immortal... i get real tired of trying to stop foolish people from getting hurt... dont go up that tree mr.... if you do.... i hope you fall on your head... who knows... it might make you smarter...
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its really not so much the expense of the new gear, that is a issue but not my biggest, i'm not new to climbing with the gear i have and i feel confident. also this is one of my first larger jobs on my own, its just the one tree with the ivy on it giving me trouble. The company i used to work for was much more well equipped both with the proper tools and knowledge to use them. Starting out on my own has been difficult and i'm not just trying to cut corners and halfass the job, but at this point i'm not in a position knowledge wise to rope climbing correctly and safely. thank you for the advice

I would suggest you go back to your old company and get some more experience. This job might be too much for you right now.
 
A smart man knows when to say no to something he's not equipped to handle, skill wise or equipment wise. If your lucky you'll someday get to look back and see your folly, if not lucky.................
Think about contracting that tree out to some one. No shame in that.
 
A smart man knows when to say no to something he's not equipped to handle, skill wise or equipment wise. If your lucky you'll someday get to look back and see your folly, if not lucky.................
Think about contracting that tree out to some one. No shame in that.

That's the smartest thing he could do, but you can bet that he's priced tree for so little that he'd have to pay a climber the job check, plus out of pocket, and then do the cleanup for free + expenses. It'd still be a good deal for him.......I mean, that would be a cheap clue where none currently exists.

I just want to know how hes gonna take down dead limbs over the pool with no rope, and not have to buy a new pool???

041sav said:
also this is one of my first larger jobs on my own, its just the one tree with the ivy on it giving me trouble.

So how many other non removals did you spike on this job?

041sav said:
Starting out on my own has been difficult and i'm not just trying to cut corners and halfass the job, but at this point i'm not in a position knowledge wise to rope climbing correctly and safely.

The fact is, if you're unwilling to get the right tools and knowledge to do the job correctly, then YOU ARE TRYING TO CUT CORNERS AND HALFASS THE JOB.

There's no BS or silly rationalization about it. Learn how, and do it properly, or be another half-assed hack running around ####ing up trees and arboriculture.
 
its really not so much the expense of the new gear, that is a issue but not my biggest, i'm not new to climbing with the gear i have and i feel confident. also this is one of my first larger jobs on my own, its just the one tree with the ivy on it giving me trouble. The company i used to work for was much more well equipped both with the proper tools and knowledge to use them. Starting out on my own has been difficult and i'm not just trying to cut corners and halfass the job, but at this point i'm not in a position knowledge wise to rope climbing correctly and safely. thank you for the advice

If you're already familiar with climbing and you're comfortable with it, you should be able to teach yourself to rope climb over a weekend.

You're just removing some storm damage and dead wood, at worst you'll have to rig a slide line to carry away the limbs that are over the pool area.

A rope is the best way to go, ESPECIALLY if you're not going to remove the tree right now.

Seriously man, the storm did less harm to that tree than you will by spiking all around in it.
 
If you're already familiar with climbing and you're comfortable with it, you should be able to teach yourself to rope climb over a weekend.

You're just removing some storm damage and dead wood, at worst you'll have to rig a slide line to carry away the limbs that are over the pool area.

A rope is the best way to go, ESPECIALLY if you're not going to remove the tree right now.

Seriously man, the storm did less harm to that tree than you will by spiking all around in it.

This post makes absolutely no sense.
 
so I'm still trying to figure out why you would try going out on your own without one of the biggest essentials. how long did you work for a co.?

if you cant flip over the ivy you need to have more slack in the flip to get farther out when your advancing and flip harder


"The company i used to work for was much more well equipped both with the proper tools and knowledge to use them. Starting out on my own has been difficult and i'm not just trying to cut corners and halfass the job, but at this point i'm not in a position knowledge wise to rope climbing correctly and safely. thank you for the advice" so were you even a climber while you were at the co? maybe you should just go back???
 

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