False Crotch Feaux Pas

[GlenWimpy]

This little mistake, and the comedy of errors that followed it, cost me about 4 hours. Actually more than that, because it occured late in the day. I ran out of daylight messing with it, and had to come back and re-rig the next morning to get my rope down. Maybe I shouldn't show my ignorance like this, but I guess the only way I can cut my losses is if I can save someone else from similar mistakes.

The tree is a 100 foot Loblollie that had a broken, hanging top from Katrina. Then the IPS beetles got into it and killed a significant part of the midsection of the crown. The tree defeated the IPS with a good flow of sap, and there are enough green branches below the dead top to give the tree a pretty good chance, so the game plan was to clean up the top and try to save the tree.

The job went incredibly well for the first couple or 3 hours. I got my TIP up nice and high with the Bigshot on a lucky first shot. I got the broken top out and the dead limbs cleaned up and put this false crotch in on the clean dead spar to work from as I bombed the logs off. Had everything done and was back on the ground for 3:00 P thinking I had time to get the boat loaded for a fishing trip the next day. Nothing left to do but shake the false crotch out and retrieve my rope.

Nuts!

False crotch was too tight to the tree to let the overhand get through the ring (...FP1.jpg). I just could not believe it would not shake loose, so I fought it for a good half hour throwing loops at it thinking it would break lose, but as you might be able to see from the picts the rope was between two close branches. The loops I threw from the ground just hit the branches and never made it to the FC.

When I finally decided I had to re-set my TIP and climb up to get my rope, my throw line hung under the screw link of the FC (...FP3.jpg). I had to break it off and shoot for another limb.

Doncha know, could not hit worth beans with that Bigshot for the rest of the day between problems with ground clutter (Parsley Haws I did not want to remove), getting hung up with overshots into limbs of neighboring trees, and busting my throwbag up dead centering neighboring limbs. Its enough to make you break out the spurs. Clearance should have a field day with this one. But after I had cleaned the poor sucker up so carefuly I wasn't about to gouge holes in it with my gaffs.

Ran out of daylight fooling with it and had to come back the next day to get my rope. Missed the fishing trip. When I finally got up to retrieve the FC I found another problem. The FC would not have come through the top natural crotch anyway. The natural crotch was too tight, and I had left the unused portion of the tail of the FC on the wrong side of the natural crotch (...FP2.jpg).

Hindsight 20-20. As I worked my way down the spar I should have (1) loosened up the FC and (2) made sure my rope was clear to shake the FC loose before I came down. Of course I could also have moved the FC to or below the natural crotch.

Oh well. Hope my pain is your gain.

Fancy knots , buckles , hardware will get you in TROUBLE TROUBLE TROUBLE!

Keep it simple!

 

[GlenWimpy]

Fancy knots , buckles , hardware will get you in TROUBLE TROUBLE TROUBLE!

Keep it simple!

I see these guys , SHOWOFFS , climbing with 20 lbs of stuff they NEVER use! :wave:

 

[rahtreelimbs]

I see these guys , SHOWOFFS , climbing with 20 lbs of stuff they NEVER use! :wave:

Better to have it and hardly use it than to forget it and need it!

 

[GlenWimpy]

Better to have it and hardly use it than to forget it and need it!

Better to only take what you need , climb light , I get up in the tree , then have my saw sent up! I'm 48 , I used to expend alot of energy climbing when I was young , now I'm old , still faster then most , but I also conserve energy! If I need something , I ask and have the ground man send it up!

 

[Grace Tree]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlkOx3v-uCo

 

[Grace Tree]

I always climb "old school", how 'bout you, Dan

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Better to only take what you need , climb light , I get up in the tree , then have my saw sent up! I'm 48 , I used to expend alot of energy climbing when I was young , now I'm old , still faster then most , but I also conserve energy! If I need something , I ask and have the ground man send it up!

I am 46.............so I am right there too!!!

 

[GlenWimpy]

I am 46.............so I am right there too!!!

In bed by 8 pm up at 5 am
BC powder first thing in morning
2 Advil at night
eat light , lots of water

Just bought a BUCKET TRUCK!


If I climb 3 days straight , I need 2 days off. When I was 35 , I climbed 3 weeks , 7 days a week straight , but not at 48!