Methods of traverse

[Climber2]

I did a search and found some neat ideas but wanted a separate thread on the subject. Anyone have any tips or tricks they'd like to share?

Mike

 

[OutOnaLimb]

Not quite sure what your talkin about there bud.

Kenn

 

[wiley_p]

If you mean from tree to tree, thhen double crotching, or if its only around 15-20 feet just swing.

 

[Climber2]

Mostly traversing tree to tree. I've read about some using grappling hooks to set line I'm looking for any and all ideas. Also SRT or DdRT preferences. I have set main tie in in other tree then tautlined the tail of rope to glide over. Or used SRT with handled ascender (requires groundhelp). I haven't done much and was looking for any tips. Thanks

Mike

 

[wiley_p]

sounds like youre working it out just fine. If you have alot of pruning, a good thing to do is have groundmen set lines ahead of you, its a skill that they should have and it saves you at lkeast 15 min. a tree.

 

[Tree Machine]

I like to set this up by using my pole pruners. 3 poles. I like to put one or two caribiners on the eyed end of the rope. Push the rope over the crotch up to 20 feet (6 meters) away. Use pole pruner hook to grab the hanging biner, and pull the rig back to yourself. Set your friction, then use the tail end of your rope as a self-belay tagline. Once vertical in the other part of the tree, ascend and work.

I love doing this up in huge canopies of majestic oaks.

If you're thinking more along the lines of a tyrollean traverse from canopy to canopy, that would be entirely different rigging.

 

[Tree Machine]

trying to see the advantage in that.....

You might use the pole pruner instead of the tag line from point A to B, but I would definitely recommend using the rope in getting over to point B.

You might try not using the biner, but what's going to happen is that when you pop the eye over the crotch, the weight of the rope will pull it right back through and your effort is for naught. Also it's harder to remove the eye from the pruner head without the weight advantage of the biner.

The weight of the biner keeps the eye suspended and hanging, once over the other side. You simply move the head of the pruner to the underside of the crotch, and hook the biner, pull it back to ya.

I have had an instance where the rope pulled the eye and a single aluminum biner back through, so now I'll often throw on a second biner, just for safe measure. It 'throws' off of the pole pruner head better that way, so one should not, in my estimation, skip either the caribiner(s) OR the rope. Thank you, Mike.

 

[jkrueger]

I've not found a sucessful way of doing the tree to tree working alone. With a ground person, they can tie on another rope to your throw bag line, etc. Alone, I've had to set the second line before climbling the first tree.

If anyone has a trick to do this alone, to another tree, I'd sure like to hear about it.

Thanks,
Jack

 

[Tree Machine]

The only way I've ever done it is alone.

Where do you see in the description of any help from a ground guy? You should have him stop and watch, of course, because it's a really cool move, and quite safe if done the way described. Just be careful, watch what you're doing.

The trees must be adjacent, of course.

Using SRT, I've done an almost horizontal start, belaying myself from 9:00 down to vertical 6:00. Usually you don't wanna start out much past the 8:00 position.

Be safe.

 

[jkrueger]

Mike,
Off topic and I just noticed you are in Wis. I was born and raised there in Appleton Wis. before going to the east coast on my own. I'm going back this winter for the first time in many years to see family and have my son climb with me as we do the family thing together. I raised him as a single parent in NYC and PA. He is now studying Physics at Hunter in NYC.

Sorry guys just had to say that.

And setting up another tree from the one your in is important stuff.
Jack

 

[lync]

traversing

Fot those large oak deadwood jobs I have a second climbing line about 60 feet long, I'll use that to double crotch instead of the tail of my primary climbing line. A drawback of using your tail is that there is no longer a line to the ground to send down your saw for fuel, or to bring up a lowering line for larger deadwood. Ive used MM's idea of pulling yourself out with the polesaw, but only short distances. i would hate to loose my balance and drop the polesaw with the razortooth polesaw blade. All these techniques work best with a high tie in point.

Corey

 

[Tree Machine]

I'm sorry, I see what you mean by pulling yourself over with the hook of the pruner, resistance increasing the closer you get to tree B. Gotta consider that the pole sections could pop apart, sending you backwards toward your tree A.

There is no 'second' rope in this system I described. You lanyard in with your flipline, use your climbing rope and reset it over a new crotch, up to three pole lengths away.

You use the tail only temporarily to cross the chasm, then you're free to use it again for whatever.

 

[glens]

Yeah, well, just so's you don't end up "up a tree without a rope", Jim!

Glen

 

[Tree Machine]

You would ultimately benefit from doing a rope reset in a setting where you might have to climb down 6 or 8 meters, and back up the same distance, when the point you're trying to get to is 2-3 poles away.

I'm gonna run outside, get a pole pruner head, an eyed rope, a couple biners and I'll show you just how I 'load' the pruner.

You stay right there, I'll be right back.

 

[Tree Machine]

wait....

 

[Tree Machine]

Here we go

By pulling the tether on the pole pruner, it 'pops' the biner off.

A little precise work in moving the pruner head around the limb and carefully hooking the caribiner, pull it back to you, and dial back in.

 

[roachy]

If your just looking for fun ,drop a line from tree 1 tied off at the bottom through a high crotch then throw it into tree 2 alittle lower have your groun crew pull it tight tie it off drop a biner and pulley on the rope then to you and go for a ride speedline style (remaing tied in to tree 1 until you get across)There are many ways depending on the situation ,Do you want to be able to go back to the first tree?

 

[Climber2]

Thanks for the replies. No need for me to go back to original tree. Actually would like everything out of original tree.

Mike

 

[Tree Machine]

The pruner push can be done in under a minute once you dedicated to that's what you're going to do. Don't rush it, though. Make sure you triple check everything before you do the move.

Another tool to use atop the pruner poles, instead of pole pruners-- and this works really well- is the wire raiser. It clips into the male end of your pruner poles. It's much lighter, and is a better tool for the job, but it doesn't multi-task very well up in the tree.