Fear of height

[Sunrise Guy]

I actually feel more secure tied in at fifty feet up than walking around below. Having broken my arm some years ago by tripping over the dog's bed in my damn kitchen, I find the feeling of ropes steadying me in the canopy very comforting. When I'm SRT'ing up an oak, past the halfway point up to forty or fifty feet, hanging out in the middle of nowhere because of the logistics needed for rigging down a given limb, I usually try not to look down too much, as I have felt momentary fear when my crappy hearing has detected a slight creaking sound, or what I take to be such, from above. At that point I feel that I must trust my judgment in the limb I chose to attach my main line to and keep climbing until I can flip my lanyard around something additional. Panic won't help so I usually stay cool, but if I hear another crack or creak I hit my descender and scrub the climb. In this case, a measure of fear is helpful, so I keep it with me.

 

[frashdog]

i find the hardest part about working at height, especially when longdrop rappelling a high cliff or a build, is getting over the edge. Once i'm in position and suspended on the rope, all is well.

no doubt. After I'm not weighting the rope, cause I'm using the tree to move around for awhile, and I weight it again a bit of a rush "focus" comes again.

I think another way to explain a fall factor of 2 for a dynamic rope is a 100 foot rope tied in at 150 feet (gotta leave some room for stretch), climber is 100 feet above tie in and falls 200feet before rope starts to slow climber down. This is max possible load to be put on a rope. Some reason I always though this was a factor of one, but I guess not.

Now I do not know the factors of elongaton but there are a certain number of falls rated for each dynamic rope. Being that a climber does not take fall factor 2's to often the rope last many short falls. Not quite a bungee return to them. More like a stretch with a bit of return. So fall after fall they stretch out and loose their dynamic abilities. A climber like me has a rope for a long time. I do not climb too far past my protection. Longest fall was maybe 30 feet, popped a piece of protection out on the way down. Very soft stop. No time to worry.

Maybe you folks saw the video of the dude rock climbing the 400 foot cliff solo in like 4mins somthin. I'm pretty sure he died by his other claim to climbing fame for jumping off big cliffs with dynamic ropes tied together end to end, I think a knot broke? Homes was pushin till the end.

 

[1984 Noob]

Maybe you folks saw the video of the dude rock climbing the 400 foot cliff solo in like 4mins somthin. I'm pretty sure he died by his other claim to climbing fame for jumping off big cliffs with dynamic ropes tied together end to end, I think a knot broke? Homes was pushin till the end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-oc-lhqpIA

 

[rebelman]

That's interesting, because I heard that the injury factor goes way up above thirty three feet.

 

[SRT-Tech]

^ depends on the rope used......

ie: if your were falling on a dynamic rope, the rope stretches a lot and cushions the fall. You still get jarred around, and there is secondary impacts (cliff face, tree branches etc), but it is a lot sofater of a fall than falling on a static rope (no stretch), where you will shatter bones at impact when you reach the end of the rope (no stretch).

if you ever get a chance, tie off a dynamic line to a bridge, over water. tie into the rope at the bottom, prefereably over a small embankment. push off and you'll feel how far the rope stretches out and cushions the fall. try it with a static line and you just hang there.

a dynamic line (60 meters) will stretch (average) about 3 to 10 meters for the entire rope. That distance shortens depending on how much rope you are on....

 

[beowulf343]

I don't have a problem with heights if i'm climbing a tree. But put me in a bucket or on a ladder and I am very uncomfortable. (Probably because i've heard too many horror bucket stories-guys falling out of the basket, the basket falling off the boom, and the boom coming right off the pedestel. In fact, now that I think about it, I have heard more horror stories about buckets than I ever have about tree climbers. weird)

 

[Jim1NZ]

I love heights and being in a massive tree. But there is still a point of height where i notice how high i actually am, its above 30m 100'.

I think it is essential to have full faith and trusting your gear and know what your doing up there and why. Also i believe it is important to know what is going to happen when making cuts and movements around the tree too.

Think 2 steps ahead helps efficiency while not wasting energy

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I think another way to explain a fall factor of 2 for a dynamic rope is a 100 foot rope tied in at 150 feet (gotta leave some room for stretch), climber is 100 feet above tie in and falls 200feet before rope starts to slow climber down.

So how far would that rope stretch?

 

[moss]

Anybody try sleeping on one of those hanging platforms? Was wondering if it might help with getting compfortable off the ground. Thinking about getting one and startin in the yard not too high up to get used to it. That would be a fun new way to go camping, tree camping. No flat ground needed, sick views.

The cool thing about portaledges and treeboats is that when you lie down in them, doesn't matter how high they are, fear goes away. It's the most total relaxation. Don't know why. I think it has to do with the inner ape part of the brain, for most animals sleeping in a tree is the safest possible thing they can do. It's also similar to what happens climbing at night. You'd think that it would get real scary. It's the opposite. Because your brain has no visual height information to process, no fear signal is generated. try it, you'll like it!

 

[SRT-Tech]

The cool thing about portaledges and treeboats is that when you lie down in them, doesn't matter how high they are, fear goes away. It's the most total relaxation. Don't know why. I think it has to do with the inner ape part of the brain, for most animals sleeping in a tree is the safest possible thing they can do. It's also similar to what happens climbing at night. You'd think that it would get real scary. It's the opposite. Because your brain has no visual height information to process, no fear signal is generated. try it, you'll like it!

i hold more night rappels under my belt than i do daytime rappels. The more extreme the environmental conditions/surroundings, the calmer i am and the more i enjoy it. Other people i climb/rappell with are absolutely terrified of ropework at night.

 

[inztrees]

fall?

in the bucket Im not afraid of falling im afraid of the lift bustin' off and being strapped into it in the tree i can move with more grace then i can om the ground afraid of hights not really falling some times respectfull alway I work on power distribution mantance there is alot that can get ya so I sweet the junk im in not how hi it goes

 

[xtremetrees]

Some good suggestions. I think the fastest climbers I know put it out of thier minds. It take years of conditioning not to look down. lol
I mean it seems veteran climbers over 20 years never really give it a thought I know they do thou they just dont spend time, its an automatic check. To me its like a kata or a routien set of movements in a tree.
You climb to first limb punch your rope a few times, climb to next limb punch the rope, it a sequence of moves or positions that are effectient and thoughless really. No wasted movement and just plain simple.
This will be my goal for the next 8 years effeciency. Effeciency is not the absence of fear but the proper placement of it I'd say.
Its another check just like check your biners, check your saw lanyard check your safety. Check Check Check is it a local check...lol
Fear in the tree certainly slows me down, not so much the physical but mostly the mental. I should always be thinking two steps ahead while working on the current step.
There is no other job I can think of that constantly keeps me in the NOW. one foot in the past one foot in the future your on your butt today.
So stay in today. lol Except when it comes to tree work think future moves but always check and re check.
This is the method I use to work the tree in 5 foot intervals. Just cut the tree as it comes to me. Normally not working on rope. Unless its a risky move or a large rigging movement expected , then ill thro on my escape route rope.

I got forced to work a bucket once, I was cutting and holding huge peices then one kinda got away from me so I held it it almost pulled me clean out the bucket on its way down. Before I realized it and let go it had pulled my body 1/2 way out my hips were over the lip of the bucket. I let go quick.

 

[Jim1NZ]

Yea thats the way Xtreme, just put it to the back of your mind. You will know your comfortable when you DO look down and it doesn't phase you

Have trust in yourself and your gear.

Suppose it just comes down to how high you are up a!

 

[benjycreeper]

It becomes something that has to be done, so after a while you dont think about it until you go that bit higher or that bit thinner!

It only begins to scare me when i lay in bed at night thinking about my day and worse case scenarios!

Sure beats working in an office though

 

[Jumper]

Yea thats the way Xtreme, just put it to the back of your mind. You will know your comfortable when you DO look down and it doesn't phase you

Have trust in yourself and your gear.

Suppose it just comes down to how high you are up a!

Sorta like looking straight down 12,500 feet out the open door of an airplane while spotting. :biggrinbounce2: I confess it took the breath right out of me the first couple of times. Academic I suppose as you are at terminal velocity after the first 1283 feet.

QUOTE Sure beats working in an office though UNQUOTE Yup!

 

[xtremetrees]

We'll I think that not only do we lay in bed and think wow that was close to the house or that was a tall tree, but also I walk around looking like a wack factor.
A wack factor is that factor or level whereas your chances of getting whacked are pretty high. A 2x4 limb smacking you in the jaw from a barber chair. wtc.etc.
I walk around expecting to get whacked at the nail salon. Its part of it I'd say not only a feqar of height but a "fear of whack!" as well.

 

[l2edneck]

its all in the love and knowin yer limit
sometimes that second guess is all we have
fear of heights-yea i got em- u have to
if I didnt I'd be just another homeowner
as far as the nights in bed....
i spend all day tryin to forget em'

 

[Bearclaw]

The cool thing about portaledges and treeboats is that when you lie down in them, doesn't matter how high they are, fear goes away. It's the most total relaxation. Don't know why. I think it has to do with the inner ape part of the brain, for most animals sleeping in a tree is the safest possible thing they can do. It's also similar to what happens climbing at night. You'd think that it would get real scary. It's the opposite. Because your brain has no visual height information to process, no fear signal is generated. try it, you'll like it!

Ive been stuck in a tree as it got dark trying to finish up a job, but I've never climbed at night. Sounds kind of cool. Some helmet lights, glowsticks for the cambium saver.
On the other hand, I did get stuck trying to finish up in a rainstorm. I live in Colorado, (don't like the weather, hang around ten minutes.) and there was no lightning when out of nowhere the heavens opened up and down it came. Everything was so wet, it could be rung out! The cool part was that the sun was shining the whole time! I got pics! I'll drop them here in a couple.

 

[moss]

Ive been stuck in a tree as it got dark trying to finish up a job, but I've never climbed at night. Sounds kind of cool. Some helmet lights, glowsticks for the cambium saver.

I like the idea of putting a glow stick on the cambium saver. I've been installing by feel in the dark. Light on the helmet is good. I've only repitched and retied knots once in the dark and that was enough. Helmet light is always on my saddle now. Though you'd be surprised how well you can tie knots in the dark, it's all muscle memory anyway. Best to set your line before dark, you can make short throws up in the tree to move your tie-in point around. If you can, keep your light off unless you're tying knots or repitching. Your eyes get acclimated and you can see enough to move around the tree. With light on you can only see a small area around you. Fear of height is one thing you won't have to deal with.

 

[Jim1NZ]

I think any arborist should be able to tie all their knots with eyes closed & behind the back, that before even starting in the tree.