MasterBlaster
TreeHouse Elder
You just lean forward/down, and cut. One hand on the saw, the other on the rope as your way to fine tune yur balance.
I think I said that right.
I think I said that right.
How would you like to work on this tree?
- Thread starter crtreedude
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Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
Sorry, that picture does deserve some explaining. I was showing how to go half way out on a compromised limb using no weight. By pulling yourself along, hand over hand, your feet float. The goal was to set a sling, and come back, without using feet, or putting any downward force on the compromised limb.
This means getting out there, hold yourself suspended with one hand; use the other to get a sling off your saddle, and choker it one-handed, and set a tagline in it. Then you get back to the trunk, still no feet.
It was just a game. The groundie was there to take a photo if my feet touched, and dang nabbit, he got me here.
TIAAJ
This means getting out there, hold yourself suspended with one hand; use the other to get a sling off your saddle, and choker it one-handed, and set a tagline in it. Then you get back to the trunk, still no feet.
It was just a game. The groundie was there to take a photo if my feet touched, and dang nabbit, he got me here.
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
On this limb, I solved the problem by doing a redirect above the sling site, and abseiling down. I used a light lateral side force with my knee to stabilize, and nailed it shut this time.
You probably shouldn't climb like this. I don't, usually, but it was a technical dare, so to speak. My groundguy had seen some
situations this last Spring after storms.
You probably shouldn't climb like this. I don't, usually, but it was a technical dare, so to speak. My groundguy had seen some
situations this last Spring after storms.Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yea, Fred? You should wear your hardhat
If it is 93 degrgees F and humid as, say, a rain forest, you ar eultimately in personal choice of whether you do or not. Heat prostration is not a good thing if you're up in a tree. Do carry water. This can be an intensely physical sport until you get the confidence and experience and understanding of physics. Water is your ammo, and the Camelback your secret weapon.
Now that you can stay hydrated, you can focus clearly and safely on your task at hand. We'll help you with that all we can.
If it is 93 degrgees F and humid as, say, a rain forest, you ar eultimately in personal choice of whether you do or not. Heat prostration is not a good thing if you're up in a tree. Do carry water. This can be an intensely physical sport until you get the confidence and experience and understanding of physics. Water is your ammo, and the Camelback your secret weapon.
Now that you can stay hydrated, you can focus clearly and safely on your task at hand. We'll help you with that all we can.
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
Also, I wanted to address Fred's question on the 'pole'. Here's a pic from a few years ago, before ZingIt line was developed. She's using a BigShot with a 6' pole. In this particular method I had her do as I do, fire from the crux of the hip.
This is not the only way to fire a BigShot. Some like an 8' pole with a boot. I imagine there's at least 50 ways to leverage you launchings.
you could fire at will, Bill,
shoot for the limb, Jim
Launch a 12 oz bag, Jag
Make an easy lob, Billy Bob
Tienes preguntas, Don Fred? Did you do any climbs over the weekend? Tell us
How
you
did....
This is not the only way to fire a BigShot. Some like an 8' pole with a boot. I imagine there's at least 50 ways to leverage you launchings.
you could fire at will, Bill,
shoot for the limb, Jim
Launch a 12 oz bag, Jag
Make an easy lob, Billy Bob
Tienes preguntas, Don Fred? Did you do any climbs over the weekend? Tell us
How
you
did....
crtreedude
ArboristSite Member
Oh boy do I have questions. Yep, I did my first climb. I survived. I only went up about 16 to 20 feet, thankfully. I did not fall, but I have a lot of fun descending.
Settting the ropes was easy, first throw was perfect (amazing) and then I tied off on the trunk to make it a SRT. (I think) I have ascended a single rope before in a ropes course, but this was different.
I'll tell you what, at great embarrassment to me, I will post the story. I write a series of stories called Life in the Campo which some of you might have read on my website. I sat down and whipped up one about my first climb. I'll post it and you can all have fun telling everything I did wrong.
I have the strangest way of getting into the weirdest predicaments.
Settting the ropes was easy, first throw was perfect (amazing) and then I tied off on the trunk to make it a SRT. (I think) I have ascended a single rope before in a ropes course, but this was different.
I'll tell you what, at great embarrassment to me, I will post the story. I write a series of stories called Life in the Campo which some of you might have read on my website. I sat down and whipped up one about my first climb. I'll post it and you can all have fun telling everything I did wrong.
I have the strangest way of getting into the weirdest predicaments.
crtreedude
ArboristSite Member
As promised, this is a whimsical story I thought you might like about my first climb, if you want to call it that. I figured since you all have been helpful that I would share this with you.
------------------------
All Tied Up in Knots - A Life on the Campo story.
Back some time ago, my brother and my daughter got me hooked on the sport of rock climbing. Up to that point, I would never have called myself fit, but with rock climbing, it encourages you to lose whatever extra weight you have as well as develop strength in your hands. This, of course, is incredibly useful in dealing with overenthusiastic sales people as well as in cracking nuts. There is also the joy that comes from having white hair and being able to easily go up obstacles that most jocks only wish they could. I call this the revenge-of-the-nerd rock climber.
A concern that I had about moving to Costa Rica is that I would have to give up my home rock gym and that there were no good places to climb. I mean, we are talking a rainforest. Everything has vegetation. Also, because of the daily rains, any granite or similarly good climbing surface quickly becomes eroded and also covered with slime.
I did check for rock climbing in Costa Rica, and there are a couple of places; both are more than 2 hours away. So rock climbing is not going to happen for me in Costa Rica, unless of course I build another rock gym.
I made the decision to pursue a new direction—tree climbing. Now, this is not like when you were a kid. These trees go straight up 75 feet or so to the first limb. Unlike rock climbing, I can actually justify this sport economically, since I am an owner of a tree plantation. It is actually important to clear off the epiphytes and vines from valuable trees, or their mass will eventually kill the tree and drag it down. These are not the trees we are planting for reforestation, but the older trees on the property, of which there are hundreds.
The first requirement of any sport is that the gear is cool. Understand, I have been rock climbing for about 5 years. You would think that I would have enough gear for tree climbing. Nothing could be further from the truth. You see, my dynamic rope is not suitable for ascending into a tree, so I needed to purchase 150 feet of 1/2" static rope especially designed for an arborist. Also, when rock climbing, you ascend using your hands, feet, and any other handy body part. The rope and harness are only to protect you if (when) you fall. So, I of course had to purchase a cool pair of ascenders. Also, I did not have enough carabiners, so I purchased about half a dozen more, plus devices for descending, which are not usually necessary in rock climbing, because your partner just lowers you.
About $400 later, I now have the additional gear I need for tree climbing. It fills one large duffle bag and a large box. I feel secure. Of course, if I were to drape it over my body, I would probably double my weight, but no problem. Also, I decided to use my alpine harness, which is not terribly comfortable but adequate for sitting in for short periods of time. The reuse of my harness is to demonstrate my frugality.
Finally, I secured a worker to help. First, I need a person to help carry all of the gear, and second, I need a ground crew to hand me tools when I need them. A great piece of luck, Luis used to work at a tourist site where he had seen people climbing trees with ropes and such. Since my Spanish is not great, having a person who had some idea what I was attempting was a great benefit.
Our first pitch, in rock climbing terms, was an old, huge mango tree. It is estimated that it is 50 years old, and that is quite old for a mango tree. Its diameter is probably 3 feet and it is about 60 feet tall. It is totally covered with epiphytes and small vines, and some of the epiphytes are quite large. It is one of the few trees near the barn and provides shade for the horses, so we really want to preserve it. It doesn’t provide mangos, unfortunately, because the altitude of the tree plantation is too low for good mangos.
We went around to the back side of the tree so that we would not be working in the mud. Of course, this was based on a strong hope that I would not need the soft landing the mud would have provided. I am happy to report that I did not need the mud. I had other problems.
We started out well. I had bought (of course) a special weight and rope for throwing into the tree so that you could pull up the larger rope afterward. We examined the tree like pros, looking for a good place to throw the rope, and when I threw it the first time, it sailed over the limb like I had been doing it for years. I proceeded to tie off one end of the rope to the trunk and attach the ascenders to the other end. I started to go up the rope, slowly and carefully (also slowly because it isn’t easy) until I got about 20 feet up. Excellent. Luis, my ground crew, was impressed and possibly thought that the gringo is not loco after all.
I pulled off a few epiphytes and vines just so people would think I was actually working and not just fooling around, and then I decided it was enough for one day. Good. I let Luis know I was about to descend. I looked at my ascenders and remembered that they only go one way!
One of the problems of dangling from a rope with an alpine harness is that you have a time limit. The harness is only so comfortable; it is not meant for taking a nap. Also, anytime you try to stand up, it requires hanging onto the rope with one hand while you try to work with the other. To further compound the problem, I have a touch of fear of heights, which mean things I can easily figure out on the ground are not so obvious 20 feet up.
The problem with using the descenders I have is that the act of releasing an ascender requires having all of the weight off the ascender. If you are not completely supported by your descending device, you are going to drop, and that can be pretty hard on you when you are using rope that doesn’t stretch. So, what I needed was a device that would ascend and descend—which of course I didn’t own. I would normally be very happy about this because I can buy another tool, but not when I am stuck 20 feet up in the air.
Thankfully, I had a book with me on knots for climbers and there is a really great knot called a prusik knot. It is used for ascending and descending which allows it to replace the upper ascender and then you can lower yourself with the knot and lower ascender. First, we had to get a piece of rope and cut it to size. Luis did not have a knife on him, so I had to dig mine out of my pocket and of course the top of my pocket was pinched closed with the harness. This took more time. After Luis cut the rope, I had to look up a knot to use to tie two ends of a rope together securely (since it was going to have to support me). Never having had to tie this knot before, I needed Luis to hold the book up so that I could see how to do it. Of course, while I am doing this, the harness is slowly cutting me in two.
After considerable contortions, I managed to get the prusik tied and attached to both the harness and to the rope and removed the upper ascender. Being in a hurry to release the tourniquet known as a harness, I start moving down. About 6 inches from the ground, I JAMMED THE PRUSIK. Argh! Nothing looks sillier than being stuck 6 inches from the ground. There is no way to release yourself, because you can’t get enough slack to do it.
I was seriously thinking of asking Luis to get under me so that I could use him for a stool to get off the rope. But, since my Spanish is none too good, I was almost sure that there was no way I could explain it without causing offense, and I sure didn’t want him to abandon me. Normally I could have easily freed up the prusik, but I was getting tired, and my hands were getting very sweaty. I could do nothing but sit there and engage Luis in idle chatter until I figured out that all I had to do was stand up on the foot loop of the lower ascender, then unclip the prusik loop and then step out of the foot loop. Relieved to be on solid ground again, I savored the sensation of standing on terra firma. It was then that I discovered another reason to be behind the tree—I had performed my aerial ballet out of sight of all the workers.
All in all, it was a very successful ascent. I survived with nothing more than a slightly bruised ego and tush. Wait 'til next time!
-------------------
Other Life in the Campo stories are found at http://www.fincaleola.com/life_on_the_campo.htm
I figured since you all have been helpful that I would share this with you.------------------------
All Tied Up in Knots - A Life on the Campo story.
Back some time ago, my brother and my daughter got me hooked on the sport of rock climbing. Up to that point, I would never have called myself fit, but with rock climbing, it encourages you to lose whatever extra weight you have as well as develop strength in your hands. This, of course, is incredibly useful in dealing with overenthusiastic sales people as well as in cracking nuts. There is also the joy that comes from having white hair and being able to easily go up obstacles that most jocks only wish they could. I call this the revenge-of-the-nerd rock climber.
A concern that I had about moving to Costa Rica is that I would have to give up my home rock gym and that there were no good places to climb. I mean, we are talking a rainforest. Everything has vegetation. Also, because of the daily rains, any granite or similarly good climbing surface quickly becomes eroded and also covered with slime.
I did check for rock climbing in Costa Rica, and there are a couple of places; both are more than 2 hours away. So rock climbing is not going to happen for me in Costa Rica, unless of course I build another rock gym.
I made the decision to pursue a new direction—tree climbing. Now, this is not like when you were a kid. These trees go straight up 75 feet or so to the first limb. Unlike rock climbing, I can actually justify this sport economically, since I am an owner of a tree plantation. It is actually important to clear off the epiphytes and vines from valuable trees, or their mass will eventually kill the tree and drag it down. These are not the trees we are planting for reforestation, but the older trees on the property, of which there are hundreds.
The first requirement of any sport is that the gear is cool. Understand, I have been rock climbing for about 5 years. You would think that I would have enough gear for tree climbing. Nothing could be further from the truth. You see, my dynamic rope is not suitable for ascending into a tree, so I needed to purchase 150 feet of 1/2" static rope especially designed for an arborist. Also, when rock climbing, you ascend using your hands, feet, and any other handy body part. The rope and harness are only to protect you if (when) you fall. So, I of course had to purchase a cool pair of ascenders. Also, I did not have enough carabiners, so I purchased about half a dozen more, plus devices for descending, which are not usually necessary in rock climbing, because your partner just lowers you.
About $400 later, I now have the additional gear I need for tree climbing. It fills one large duffle bag and a large box. I feel secure. Of course, if I were to drape it over my body, I would probably double my weight, but no problem. Also, I decided to use my alpine harness, which is not terribly comfortable but adequate for sitting in for short periods of time. The reuse of my harness is to demonstrate my frugality.
Finally, I secured a worker to help. First, I need a person to help carry all of the gear, and second, I need a ground crew to hand me tools when I need them. A great piece of luck, Luis used to work at a tourist site where he had seen people climbing trees with ropes and such. Since my Spanish is not great, having a person who had some idea what I was attempting was a great benefit.
Our first pitch, in rock climbing terms, was an old, huge mango tree. It is estimated that it is 50 years old, and that is quite old for a mango tree. Its diameter is probably 3 feet and it is about 60 feet tall. It is totally covered with epiphytes and small vines, and some of the epiphytes are quite large. It is one of the few trees near the barn and provides shade for the horses, so we really want to preserve it. It doesn’t provide mangos, unfortunately, because the altitude of the tree plantation is too low for good mangos.
We went around to the back side of the tree so that we would not be working in the mud. Of course, this was based on a strong hope that I would not need the soft landing the mud would have provided. I am happy to report that I did not need the mud. I had other problems.
We started out well. I had bought (of course) a special weight and rope for throwing into the tree so that you could pull up the larger rope afterward. We examined the tree like pros, looking for a good place to throw the rope, and when I threw it the first time, it sailed over the limb like I had been doing it for years. I proceeded to tie off one end of the rope to the trunk and attach the ascenders to the other end. I started to go up the rope, slowly and carefully (also slowly because it isn’t easy) until I got about 20 feet up. Excellent. Luis, my ground crew, was impressed and possibly thought that the gringo is not loco after all.
I pulled off a few epiphytes and vines just so people would think I was actually working and not just fooling around, and then I decided it was enough for one day. Good. I let Luis know I was about to descend. I looked at my ascenders and remembered that they only go one way!
One of the problems of dangling from a rope with an alpine harness is that you have a time limit. The harness is only so comfortable; it is not meant for taking a nap. Also, anytime you try to stand up, it requires hanging onto the rope with one hand while you try to work with the other. To further compound the problem, I have a touch of fear of heights, which mean things I can easily figure out on the ground are not so obvious 20 feet up.
The problem with using the descenders I have is that the act of releasing an ascender requires having all of the weight off the ascender. If you are not completely supported by your descending device, you are going to drop, and that can be pretty hard on you when you are using rope that doesn’t stretch. So, what I needed was a device that would ascend and descend—which of course I didn’t own. I would normally be very happy about this because I can buy another tool, but not when I am stuck 20 feet up in the air.
Thankfully, I had a book with me on knots for climbers and there is a really great knot called a prusik knot. It is used for ascending and descending which allows it to replace the upper ascender and then you can lower yourself with the knot and lower ascender. First, we had to get a piece of rope and cut it to size. Luis did not have a knife on him, so I had to dig mine out of my pocket and of course the top of my pocket was pinched closed with the harness. This took more time. After Luis cut the rope, I had to look up a knot to use to tie two ends of a rope together securely (since it was going to have to support me). Never having had to tie this knot before, I needed Luis to hold the book up so that I could see how to do it. Of course, while I am doing this, the harness is slowly cutting me in two.
After considerable contortions, I managed to get the prusik tied and attached to both the harness and to the rope and removed the upper ascender. Being in a hurry to release the tourniquet known as a harness, I start moving down. About 6 inches from the ground, I JAMMED THE PRUSIK. Argh! Nothing looks sillier than being stuck 6 inches from the ground. There is no way to release yourself, because you can’t get enough slack to do it.
I was seriously thinking of asking Luis to get under me so that I could use him for a stool to get off the rope. But, since my Spanish is none too good, I was almost sure that there was no way I could explain it without causing offense, and I sure didn’t want him to abandon me. Normally I could have easily freed up the prusik, but I was getting tired, and my hands were getting very sweaty. I could do nothing but sit there and engage Luis in idle chatter until I figured out that all I had to do was stand up on the foot loop of the lower ascender, then unclip the prusik loop and then step out of the foot loop. Relieved to be on solid ground again, I savored the sensation of standing on terra firma. It was then that I discovered another reason to be behind the tree—I had performed my aerial ballet out of sight of all the workers.
All in all, it was a very successful ascent. I survived with nothing more than a slightly bruised ego and tush. Wait 'til next time!
-------------------
Other Life in the Campo stories are found at http://www.fincaleola.com/life_on_the_campo.htm
Last edited:
MasterBlaster
TreeHouse Elder
Dang, Fred!
Don't hold back, eh?
Don't hold back, eh?
crtreedude
ArboristSite Member
Yeah, well hopefully I am a better writer than tree climber!
Okay, what should I have done? Obviously, using only ascenders was stupid - you know that other thread I started that asked what was the differences between rock climbing and tree climbing? Well, I think I would now say, you have to be concerned first in tree climbing on how you are getting back down!
Suggest away guys. Surely something obvious is staring me right in the face.
Okay, what should I have done? Obviously, using only ascenders was stupid - you know that other thread I started that asked what was the differences between rock climbing and tree climbing? Well, I think I would now say, you have to be concerned first in tree climbing on how you are getting back down!
Suggest away guys. Surely something obvious is staring me right in the face.
crtreedude
ArboristSite Member
You probably are right, it is a 1/2" rope now that I checked.
Okay, I will check out the double with blakes hitch. I have read an article from Tom about the SRT and it looked very interesting and similar to what I have experience with so it appealed.
Okay, I will check out the double with blakes hitch. I have read an article from Tom about the SRT and it looked very interesting and similar to what I have experience with so it appealed.
crtreedude
ArboristSite Member
KISS eh? Okay, well I deserve it after Saturday.
Any other words of wisdom out there?
Any other words of wisdom out there?
I'd like to recommend you drape both ends of the rope and climb them together as if a single rope. Having two strands allows the friction hitch to work without binding. Also, both strands fit the hands and feet (footlocking) quite well. There's nothing more satisfying than moving your friction hitch up 2' and being 2' further from the ground at the same time. The "traditional" method puts half the weight on the friction hitch (and your feet when footlocking) but you usually don't get quite the 2:1 advantage because of friction. So you're expending almost as much effort (certainly not half) for half the vertical advancement. No thank you very much.
I'd use a single strand if the friction hitch didn't bind so hard. The double rope gets a bit unwieldy due to weight of the rope, the farther up you get. But that's about the only real drawback.
You can use a figure-eight descender no matter the method you use to get off the ground.
Nice story.
Glen
I'd use a single strand if the friction hitch didn't bind so hard. The double rope gets a bit unwieldy due to weight of the rope, the farther up you get. But that's about the only real drawback.
You can use a figure-eight descender no matter the method you use to get off the ground.
Nice story.
Glen
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
Very good tree climb story !
Did you do this? You should learn how to do a mid-air switchover for the practical reason of if you ever need to do it, but normally you'll just ascend up to a limb, stand on it, securely and comfortably, flipline in for safety, set your descending piece, remove your ascenders, work the tree.
Rocky speaks of 99.9% of treeguys using a conventional doubled rope technique with a friction hitch. Quite possibly true. I'm in the 0.1% school, but that's because I choose to keep moving onto different systems in the mechanical device world. I'm a treeguy, but came from the rock world and currently hang with the caving community (except for a weekend at TCIA EXPO). This enables me to see and try a lot of different systems, and climb frequently as if my living depended on it.....
I've used all the friction hitches, just to have firsthand experience with them, but I find devices, once employed properly, to be swift, safe, less complicated, overall greater climbing advantage, and more easily taught. That's just me. You'll need to choose your initial method. However, the flipline is an absolutely necessary treeguy thing.
I would ordinarily mebbe suggest you go conventional, except that you have moist, vegetative matter all over your limbs. A traditional DbRT will grind your rope through chlorophyllic mush.
Then there's the other points Glens points out, which is more of a consideration, I think, than the the rope getting gunked-up, or hot spots on the tree's cambium. SRT spares this, as does going up a parallel rope with backed-up dual handled ascenders. You back up with a prusik. It is rare to ascend or descend with a prusik. A fig 8 can be used SRT or doubled rope (parallel lines to the ground), or doubled rope, conventional.
Did you do this? You should learn how to do a mid-air switchover for the practical reason of if you ever need to do it, but normally you'll just ascend up to a limb, stand on it, securely and comfortably, flipline in for safety, set your descending piece, remove your ascenders, work the tree.
Rocky speaks of 99.9% of treeguys using a conventional doubled rope technique with a friction hitch. Quite possibly true. I'm in the 0.1% school, but that's because I choose to keep moving onto different systems in the mechanical device world. I'm a treeguy, but came from the rock world and currently hang with the caving community (except for a weekend at TCIA EXPO). This enables me to see and try a lot of different systems, and climb frequently as if my living depended on it.....
I've used all the friction hitches, just to have firsthand experience with them, but I find devices, once employed properly, to be swift, safe, less complicated, overall greater climbing advantage, and more easily taught. That's just me. You'll need to choose your initial method. However, the flipline is an absolutely necessary treeguy thing.
I would ordinarily mebbe suggest you go conventional, except that you have moist, vegetative matter all over your limbs. A traditional DbRT will grind your rope through chlorophyllic mush.
Then there's the other points Glens points out, which is more of a consideration, I think, than the the rope getting gunked-up, or hot spots on the tree's cambium. SRT spares this, as does going up a parallel rope with backed-up dual handled ascenders. You back up with a prusik. It is rare to ascend or descend with a prusik. A fig 8 can be used SRT or doubled rope (parallel lines to the ground), or doubled rope, conventional.
crtreedude
ArboristSite Member
Thanks for the compliment.
I prefer to work with SRT if I can, one reason is I like the idea of having a worker up in the trees and I will be belaying him in case he hits something bad, like african bees, fer-de-lance, boa, howler monkeys - you know, the regular tropical hazards. The ability to get a worker out quick is very appealing to me.
Nope, I did not go above, I thought I was just going to do a quick test, and then come down. Ah well. Of course, I need to know how to do a switch over in case I need to descend quickly.
So, what would you recommend when you have to come down and can not get your feet under you?
I prefer to work with SRT if I can, one reason is I like the idea of having a worker up in the trees and I will be belaying him in case he hits something bad, like african bees, fer-de-lance, boa, howler monkeys - you know, the regular tropical hazards. The ability to get a worker out quick is very appealing to me.
Nope, I did not go above, I thought I was just going to do a quick test, and then come down.
Ah well. Of course, I need to know how to do a switch over in case I need to descend quickly.So, what would you recommend when you have to come down and can not get your feet under you?
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
First climb, you are still alive. This is good.
You're talking a slightly different animal here. SRT shouldn't be assumed identical to what you describe here. If you are belaying someone up in a tree, that is called top-roping, and is not a treeguy thing. This might be common in recreational tree climbing settings, but practically speaking, a treeguy does not want to be belayed by someoone else. That's putting our lives in someone else's hands; modus operundi in the rock world, unheard of by professional tree climbers, except in a rescue scenario.
SRT, to us, means anchoring one end of the rope, usually around the base of the trunk, ascending up the other end, and working off the rope as your own belay (self-belay).
Before we cut, we also secure into a limb or stem with the flipline so we aretied in twice. Follow this with 'stupid' and you have 'tie in twice stupid', or tits, as we like to refer to it.
I don't often use knots, since I'm hardware-oriented. I don't tie in twice, I CLip In Twice Stupid, but we try to keep our voices down with that one.
Wise to consider your being able to get a man down, from the ground. We can show you rigging scenarios for that. Good forsight.
Where do you get your gear? Who ships to Costa Rica?
To show you a mid-air switchover, we would have to know exactly the gear you are using to ascend and descend. Send us pics, Fred. We want you to be safe, secure and comfortable. Right now, you are the blind leading the blind, but we're hangin with ya. Many here are willing to contibute to your success.
You're talking a slightly different animal here. SRT shouldn't be assumed identical to what you describe here. If you are belaying someone up in a tree, that is called top-roping, and is not a treeguy thing. This might be common in recreational tree climbing settings, but practically speaking, a treeguy does not want to be belayed by someoone else. That's putting our lives in someone else's hands; modus operundi in the rock world, unheard of by professional tree climbers, except in a rescue scenario.
SRT, to us, means anchoring one end of the rope, usually around the base of the trunk, ascending up the other end, and working off the rope as your own belay (self-belay).
Before we cut, we also secure into a limb or stem with the flipline so we aretied in twice. Follow this with 'stupid' and you have 'tie in twice stupid', or tits, as we like to refer to it.
I don't often use knots, since I'm hardware-oriented. I don't tie in twice, I CLip In Twice Stupid, but we try to keep our voices down with that one.
Wise to consider your being able to get a man down, from the ground. We can show you rigging scenarios for that. Good forsight.
Where do you get your gear? Who ships to Costa Rica?
To show you a mid-air switchover, we would have to know exactly the gear you are using to ascend and descend. Send us pics, Fred. We want you to be safe, secure and comfortable. Right now, you are the blind leading the blind, but we're hangin with ya. Many here are willing to contibute to your success.
crtreedude
ArboristSite Member
Believe me, I appreciate all of the information. My biggest concern is learning enough to make sure everyone on the plantation is safe. To say that corners are sometimes cut in a third world country is an understatement.
Almost anyone will ship to me, I have a Miami address that forwards stuff to me in about a week, so there is no problem.
As far as flip line, absolutely, makes perfect sense.
I will be moving very slow, trust me, there is nothing that needs to be done either this week or next so I have no need to rush anything.
I'll take pictures of my gear in the next day or so. But assume I have a bunch, and it there is something that works well, I have no problem buying it.
Almost anyone will ship to me, I have a Miami address that forwards stuff to me in about a week, so there is no problem.
As far as flip line, absolutely, makes perfect sense.
I will be moving very slow, trust me, there is nothing that needs to be done either this week or next so I have no need to rush anything.
I'll take pictures of my gear in the next day or so. But assume I have a bunch, and it there is something that works well, I have no problem buying it.
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
For now, just a shot of ascenders + rigging, descending device, tress cords and slings.
NickfromWI
Addicted to ArboristSite
Let's get those pictures!
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