Free Climbing

[JS Landscaping]

Hey guys, how many of you free climb to get to the top then set your TIP and work the tree on your rope....The company I work for pushes this over setting your line with a throw ball and line unless its ultimately impossible to go from limb to limb. I dont have a problem doing it usually, just wondered if this was a common practice. On conifiers such as white pine and hemlock i know this is much easier then trying to set a line in the web of limbs, but on hardwoods such as maples and oaks where sometimes the branches are more spaced out, it can get to be quite dificult and risky. On removals usually we just spike up without a tie in until we reach the top. After a close call on a white pine this past week that left me hanging on my right arm nearly 60 feet off the ground when a limb gave out under my right foot while climbing up has come to make me question this practice. A lot of the white pines around here have been severly damaged by the recent ice storms and getting up them with many snapped out and weaked branches has become almost impossible sometimes without a tie in point to accend on a rope. Should I try setting a line first in a riskier climb and go against what the company pushes to just "free climb" it? I feel that I can accend on a rope just as fast if not faster then free climbing a tree unless its a easy climb in a hemlock, spurce, ect. Is free climbing with no tie besides your flipline/lanyard occasionally, until the top done quite often?

 

[Blakesmaster]

If I can free climb it, I will. Assuming here that you use the term "free climb" to mean just having a safety lanyard. If you actually mean "free climb" as in no attachment to the tree...well...I think that's silly. On a takedown, I use my spikes and safety lanyard to get to the top and set my climbing line. On trims, just me lanyard till the line's in unless I need to set the line first in order to ascend. But most of these guys probably think that is too dangerous. Safety is first, but speed is second. Sometimes a compromise is made.

 

[Bigus Termitius]

Sounds like the company is clueless......not for long....one way or the other.

You pick.

 

[kennertree]

I'd find another company to work for. Safety is last on their list.

 

[guitarborist]

About 6 years ago I was in the top of a Norway Maple. I free climbed to the top and was starting to set my rope and friction saver in the tree. I grabbed onto the branch behind me; it was about 4" in diameter and 15 feet long. It was perfect for a hornets nest. I started to get stung about 1 second after I grabbed the branch. In the past I had zipped out of the tree to the ground on my climbing line, in this situation, not being tied in left me screwed. I missed a couple of days of work from the stings. I basically made a controlled fall out of the tree. I was very lucky I did not get hurt from the exit. I was bruised up and hit my head with the snap on my flip line. My hard hat somehow stayed at the top of the tree. I never free climb now and I use a helmet that will not come off in that situation. There are too many dangers to free climb in the trees, you only live once.

 

[Nailsbeats]

I do it all the time. Only in ideal conditions though. You will have to define ideal for yourself. I climbed for years with only a climbing line that had to be set in the top before beginning work. Now I have a flipline and use it more often, sometimes freeclimbing a section then clipping in on the flipline for a section, whatever it takes to get to the top.
It is a dangerous thing, you are completely exposed to danger, you could slip or get pulled from the tree. It is an unessesary practice that can be avoided if you have the right equipment, and I don't have all of it yet.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

As with any method, most people do it sometimes.

Where it becomes unsafe is when it becomes the rule instead of the exception.

Some trees it is near impossible to climb anyway else, using a flipline just gets in the way. IMO these are few and far between; say the first few feet of a spruce being spiral pruned, or a young Norway maple that has congested nodes from nursery butch trim.

Often with these a little polesaw work will open a path where a flipline is practical.

If you do this type of work every day, you should always have some mechanical contact with the tree, if not for safety, at least so you can do a little work on the way up.

 

[OLD CHIPMONK]

At least throw a lanyard around the tree, hopefully if you kick-out you"ll be standing up, instead of falling backwards to the ground. Always try to work safely & get home every night. All this dosen't take but 4 or 5 extra seconds.

 

[Magnum783]

Here is what I do may it be wrong or right just throwing ideas out there. I take my climbing line and and tie a biner at the end then use the biner like a running bowline around the tree but attach myself to the rope using a martin so if I do run into bees or they run into me I just lean back put my hand above the knot and safely rappel to the ground. Now I do know there a bunch of no nos in this system like using a biner instead of tying a bowline or using the end of your climbing line like a lanyard. I weighted my options and found this to be best. Any ideas on this system of further explanation would be great.

 

[masterarbor]

those white pines fracture easily. also look out for dead branches in the winter- they'll bite too. always use a lanyard!!!!!!! if you bring two with you and throw one down when you get to the top, you'll always be tied in!

 

[Mikecutstrees]

When I was new to climbing the guy I learned from free climbed alot. So thats what I did too. One day after a long week of climbing I was climbing a white pine to prune a few branches in the snow. The branch under my right foot broke I couldn't hold on with my cold snow covered gloves and I fell 25 feet to the ground. hit branches on the way down and flipped at least once. I didn't have a helmet on because it was cold and I rather have a warm hat. I cut up my forehead and dislocated my shoulder. It could have been much worse. Now I use a double ended lanyard on trees like that and tie in when I get to the top with a rope saver. I also wear my helmet with chin strap always now. I was lucky. Don't free climb. It's taking a big risk. Climb safe...... Mike

 

[CharlieK]

Thanks Magnum783. That's a great idea. bees do mess up a good plan!

I never free climb....
unless the tree is so tall - 100' - that I can't get a safety line over a strong branch by throwing or shooting it. I will always try to get a line up there first.

Nothing in this business is worth getting hurt or killed for.

Charlie K.

 

[twp]

gravity is a pretty simple concept. you can fall at any second so be attached at every second. right?

 

[Thillmaine]

beaner

I second magnums method. I always use when doing a removal on spurs. Using a running bowline creates a bit more friction then a biner, only enough to be a pain in the ass. Trying to use an overhead TIP wiht spurs on is stupid, it leads to improper positioning opn the gaffs, your butt angle so to speak is always too far vertical because ones instinct is to sinch up on the line as much a spossible rather then use your weight against the flipline.

 

[mckeetree]

gravity is a pretty simple concept. you can fall at any second so be attached at every second. right?

Right.

 

[lync]

The second you hit the ground you'll be wishing you set the line. If the tree is really crowded don't isolate the line, let a groundie belay you as you free climb with one end tied to you saddle.

Corey

 

[Magnum783]

I second magnums method. I always use when doing a removal on spurs. Using a running bowline creates a bit more friction then a biner, only enough to be a pain in the ass. Trying to use an overhead TIP wiht spurs on is stupid, it leads to improper positioning opn the gaffs, your butt angle so to speak is always too far vertical because ones instinct is to sinch up on the line as much a spossible rather then use your weight against the flipline.

I don't know if it is my method just the one I use and it works great. I have had my spike not spikes kick out once or twice and thought I was not going to fall because the other was still planted I was glad it was there to catch me. Also this works well if you are on a questionable tree and there is a sound one behind you. You can then tie off to that one with this method and be safe.
Jared

 

[clearance]

Maybe I am missing something, but on removals, do people always climb up to the top to set a line?
I climb high and set a line to move around if I am removing a big multi stemmed decidous tree (ie maple) but its rare. With conifers I just strip as I climb and chunk on the way back down. I have a rope coiled up along with me.
Freeclimbig with spurs? Not so much now, it can be a long way down, and it hurts.

 

[Mikecutstrees]

hey clearance, to answer your question, on big single stemmed spruces and pines I go all the way up and set a line on a friction saver. This way I can take the pressure off my feet once in a while and I can move around easier, I mostly use my spikes and lanyard but It's nice to have a line in the top. It's nice to have a line in the top if I need to descend too like if my groundie needs a hand etc. On multi leadered complex trees I use a tip tie in too. Only on simple little trees do I skip the climbing line.

 

[oldirty]

As with any method, most people do it sometimes.

Where it becomes unsafe is when it becomes the rule instead of the exception.

Some trees it is near impossible to climb anyway else, using a flipline just gets in the way. IMO these are few and far between; say the first few feet of a spruce being spiral pruned, or a young Norway maple that has congested nodes from nursery butch trim.

Often with these a little polesaw work will open a path where a flipline is practical.

If you do this type of work every day, you should always have some mechanical contact with the tree, if not for safety, at least so you can do a little work on the way up.

spoken like a true professional.