Foot slingshot used to set traverse

[cookiecutter]

Good stuff. If you haven't yet, pick up Jepson's Tree Climber's Companion. Also Bill Maher's "Getting Rigged" is an excellent DRT climbing reference from a well respected teacher in the rec tree climbing community:
Getting Rigged

Best thing is to find an experienced climber to get up into a tree with if possible.
-moss

Awesome, I appreciate the help. I have always used SRT in my past activities because I can set up a contingency anchor and set rope length while rappelling. I have honestly never seen the style of DRT with a blake's hitch, but it seems very simplistic. I will take your advice and pick up those references, as well as search for an experienced climber.

Again, much appreciated.

-cutter

 

[moss]

I have honestly never seen the style of DRT with a blake's hitch, but it seems very simplistic...

99% of technical tree climbers use friction hitch technique (Blake's is one of many possible friction hitch configurations) on a doubled rope to get around in the crown of a tree. The primary benefit is that you can switch from ascent to descent mode instantly and back again with no configuration change. Experienced climbers have their hitch systems tuned to be very responsive and safe. Many climbers use SRT to get up into taller trees because of the efficiency for long ascents into the crown (over 50-60 feet for example). Some are climbing 100% SRT using devices like the Unicender to allow the same up and down mobility that hitch systems provide. Other climbers hang DRT rigs off of fixed SRT systems. Tree climbers are extremely creative, there are as many variations on all of these systems as there are climbers.

But... before delving into all of that it's smart to understand through many hours of experience the basics of friction hitch climbing, it is the basis of all the technique.
-moss

 

[Tree Machine]

I'm of that other 1% . Having come from a friction hitch beginning, the inefficiency of 2:1 ascent with all the extra required physical motion and friction losses within the system and the inordinate amount of slack tending, I just had to look to other aerial disciplines. No one in the world uses 2:1 friction hitch methods except treeguys, and its a tradition from the manila rope age, passed from generation to generation before good hardware existed.

To be honest, I like tradition and I hope the friction hitch lives on. Currently, technical climbers incorporate ascenders or other rope grabs, pulleys, expensive and consumable high-tech eye-eye spliced tress cords, additional connectors, dog leashes, foot-mounted ascenders and friction saving devices at the tie-in point all to make this rather difficult system more tolerable.

Being able to go instantly from ascent to descent may be viewed as the primary or only advantage of 2:1, but if it only takes 5-7 seconds to change over from ascent to descent, using ascenders and a friction piece, I'll pay that price and take all the advantages that 1:1 doubled or single rope technique have to offer.

Watching guys hoist men up into trees with skid loaders, or ground men pulling tail in assistance, or dudes looking to multi-thousand dollar powered ascender systems just to overcome the inherent difficulty of friction hitch ascent just makes me shake my head.

On the descent, friction hitch methods are not too bad, as long as the doubled line above you doesn't rub across a limb or around a stem, and as long as you don't use redirects on your rope or drop down through a limb's natural fork to the limb below. I personally can't deal with the limitations imposed, the inefficiency and the extra effort required to use the friction hitch system.

But I do think the system is cool and applaud the innovators of past who came up with it. Up and down with nothing but a rope. I admire it deeply and find it next to useless, having the option of modern simple and economic devices.

Still, I say, long live the friction hitch.

 

[chewbacca]

Awesome, I appreciate the help. I have always used SRT in my past activities because I can set up a contingency anchor and set rope length while rappelling. I have honestly never seen the style of DRT with a blake's hitch, but it seems very simplistic. I will take your advice and pick up those references, as well as search for an experienced climber.

Again, much appreciated.

-cutter

Hey, I dunno where you are in Idaho, but if you're anywhere near Coeur d'Alene and you wanna go climbing, let me know.

 

[kennertree]

Cool technique moss, I like the little grapnel. It was raining the other day and I was sittin around the house and made a few grapnels. It's a little heavier than the new tribe grapnel but it should work just fine. It weighs around 5 ounces so with a heavier throw bag it should work.

 

[EdenT]

:yourock:

 

[moss]

Thanks folks. Again, I'm not the originator of the grapnel traverse pitch acquisition technique. I have added my flavor to it.

An unsolved problem is when the distance you're trying to set the line is longer than the height of the traverse line anchor point on the other tree. I'm working on it.
-moss

 

[Tree Machine]

Or where the pitch is level to, or at a higher grade than the height at which you are sitting. I think that one is solvable, too.

 

[moss]

Or where the pitch is level to, or at a higher grade than the height at which you are sitting. I think that one is solvable, too.

? No problem with what you describe, unless I'm missing something.
-moss

 

[Tree Machine]

More likely I'm missing something as I'm virgin to this style of traverse.

I'll ask the question because the answer totally stumps me.


In the video you shoot to a lower level, grapnel downgrade, snag the bag, pull it back.

The question would be, if you shot up-grade, to a level higher than where you're at and a distance out, how would you get the shotbag back to yourself? You can't encourage a grapnel uphill. How would you retrieve the bag? I can't come up with the solution.

 

[moss]

In the video you shoot to a lower level, grapnel downgrade, snag the bag, pull it back.

The question would be, if you shot up-grade, to a level higher than where you're at and a distance out, how would you get the shotbag back to yourself? You can't encourage a grapnel uphill. How would you retrieve the bag? I can't come up with the solution.

It's tough to tell from the video, I'm actually shooting upgrade, the target is about 10 feet higher than my position. I could've sent the grapnel out to bring the bag back from there but there were a few branches in the way so I climbed up even with the target to make it easier.

These drawings explain the retrieval principal, you can go downgrade, level or upgrade:
Traverse setting technique
-moss

 

[Plasmech]

It's tough to tell from the video, I'm actually shooting upgrade, the target is about 10 feet higher than my position. I could've sent the grapnel out to bring the bag back from there but there were a few branches in the way so I climbed up even with the target to make it easier.

These drawings explain the retrieval principal, you can go downgrade, level or upgrade:
Traverse setting technique
-moss

Where and what do you rec. climb Moss?

 

[cookiecutter]

Hey, I dunno where you are in Idaho, but if you're anywhere near Coeur d'Alene and you wanna go climbing, let me know.

Sorry for the length of time in response. I appreciate the offer, and will keep it in mind if I'm ever up there. I make eastern Idaho my home though. Climbing 30 to 40 trees. Still fun. Maybe I'll figure out how to squeeze through the thick pine trees and go a tad higher...still learning.

Moss, thanks again for the technique pictures. I've given it a try, still trying to figure it out for myself with the equipment I have available but it has been fun!

 

[moss]

Where and what do you rec. climb Moss?

I'm based in eastern Massachusetts, I climb where ever I find interesting trees, mostly in woods, plus 140' white pine is my favorite.
-moss

 

[Tree Machine]

Thanks for the illustrations, Moss. Now I get it how you can shoot lower or higher than your position and do the shotbag retrieval. Now I've got my head wrapped around it fully.

Fabulous method. Remarkably cool.