Mass tree guy
ArboristSite Member
hey f it the first 23 are free
RC: climbs with a ladder
- Thread starter Mass tree guy
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
treemandan
Tree Freak
I think he is talking about the rungs on a ladder? The first 23 steps are easy but watch that 24th step ITS A DOOZY!
ozzy42
Addicted to ArboristSite
Ladders provide a quick and easy means of entering the tree when branches are low enough to permit their use. The safest method to enter the tree with a ladder is to install a climbing line and tie in with an approved friction hitch with micro pulley.
Finally,have a second person belay the climber by holding down on the climbing line.This will cause the micro pulley to advance the friction hitch.If desired ,the climber may perform a self belay on the line.
It has also been customary fpr a climber to free climb the ladder and secure his or her position with a lanyard when a suitable tie-in point is reached.
A climbing line is then installed using one of the rope installation/advance methods.A second worker steadies the ladder during the climb.The climber must always be tied in with either a climbing line or lanyard when performing work from a ladder.
Before all the ladder nay-sayers chime in let me give credit to the author:
The tree climber's companion
.....................Jeff Jepson
.
Finally,have a second person belay the climber by holding down on the climbing line.This will cause the micro pulley to advance the friction hitch.If desired ,the climber may perform a self belay on the line.
It has also been customary fpr a climber to free climb the ladder and secure his or her position with a lanyard when a suitable tie-in point is reached.
A climbing line is then installed using one of the rope installation/advance methods.A second worker steadies the ladder during the climb.The climber must always be tied in with either a climbing line or lanyard when performing work from a ladder.
Before all the ladder nay-sayers chime in let me give credit to the author:
The tree climber's companion
.....................Jeff Jepson
.
Slvrmple72
Addicted to ArboristSite
Noooo! Say it isn't so! How can our venerable trade be so degraded... Oh wait! ( Hides ladder behind garage ) Nooooo! :greenchainsaw:
Sigh... if only they worked like they do in the cartoons. Climb up, pull ladder up into thin air and repeat as long as user is unaware of gravity.
Sigh... if only they worked like they do in the cartoons. Climb up, pull ladder up into thin air and repeat as long as user is unaware of gravity.
ozzy42
Addicted to ArboristSite
Noooo! Say it isn't so! How can our venerable trade be so degraded... Oh wait! ( Hides ladder behind garage ) Nooooo! :greenchainsaw:
Sigh... if only they worked like they do in the cartoons. Climb up, pull ladder up into thin air and repeat as long as user is unaware of gravity.
Thats nothing .
I just ordered an anti gravity switch from acme Co.
When it gets here ,we won't need no STEEENKing ropes.:hmm3grin2orange:
gwiley
Addicted to ArboristSite
That sounds like a cool native american name, I envision a bare chested dude holding a bow and arrow saying "I am called climbs with ladder".
My native american name is "Saws with feet on ground"
My native american name is "Saws with feet on ground"
treeclimber101
UNCLE BUCK
I carry a 38ft fiberglass ladder on the racks at all times , I couldn't prune large trees all day without that break that simply climbing a ladder to enter a tree provides. It is also extremely safe if done properly.
Sunrise Guy
Addicted to ArboristSite
I always have my 32' with me, but I really don't like to climb into a tree with it unless there's no other way, and there usually is. There's something about coming to trust a tree, especially a dicey one I'm about to take down, that comes from roping my way up and feeling the structural integrity of the tree as I make my way up it. Also, those few feet of separation from the tree, when I'm going up my ladder, may keep me from seeing and feeling little defects in the tree that may warn me not to trust it. Today we took down a 70' Black Pine. As I spiked my way up it, I could feel it was OK to trust it. As I popped the top out, tied in at about 60', I had no worries about going for a ride. I knew the tree was sound. With a 32' ladder, if I make it up to the top of the ladder, tie in, and then the tree fails, I'm seriously injured, or worse. If I'm roping my way up the same tree and it starts to warn me when I'm a few feet up it that it's not safe, its "feel" is bad, then I'm safely down in a few seconds to figure out my next step.
John Paul Sanborn
Above average climber
Ladders scare me 
tree md
Addicted to ArboristSite
Ladders scare me
Same here.
The only time I ever got seriously injured on the job was when I took a shortcut and used a ladder that belonged to the HO. Long story but it was a difficult removal on a large pine that was covered in Ivy. I had been up and down the tree 3 times in two days and decided to use the ladder instead of climb the Ivy covered spar again. Big mistake. It was the first time I had ever used a ladder in the tree.
That being said, I will still use a ladder to enter a tree for pruning. We have a low canopy here and it just makes good sense to use one to enter the trees for pruning. Especially when you have a lot of them to do on a property. However, I will only use one for entry and once I'm in the tree the ladder disappears. I would never make a cut from a ladder.
Where I started out doing trees we had a high canopy and most of the trees we did a ladder would be useless. I can't remember any tree service ever carrying a ladder back then. I certainly never carried one. They all do here (except bucket crews). With the low canopy in the region I now live, A crew with an orchard ladder and a pole pruner will dam near put a climber out of business.
I have done rural properties with 100+ low canopy Blackjack Oak where every tree needed pruning (storm work). In the rainy season it is impossible to get a lift or bucket into these areas. In situations like that you save so much time by using a ladder to enter the trees. As you are finishing one tree your groundie is setting up the ladder in the next one and you just go tree to tree.
Last edited:
Mass tree guy
ArboristSite Member
We were running a 3 man crew on Monday (nice day).. Pruning small canopy pitch pines (40-50 feet)
1 ground guy 2 climbers, 1 24 foot extension ladder, a few pole saws and chainsaws, 3 climbing lines..
the groundie would get one of us set up with throwline and climbing line, and just keep going with the next setup..We pruned over 20 of them before before noon. we still had to hip thrust and foot lock up a few feet but no way could we of done that w/o ladder
1 ground guy 2 climbers, 1 24 foot extension ladder, a few pole saws and chainsaws, 3 climbing lines..
the groundie would get one of us set up with throwline and climbing line, and just keep going with the next setup..We pruned over 20 of them before before noon. we still had to hip thrust and foot lock up a few feet but no way could we of done that w/o ladder
tree md
Addicted to ArboristSite
That is pretty much how we were doing it on the large rural properties with many trees to be pruned.
We would use two and sometimes three climbers and work zones. Each climber had a groundie to move the ladder for the climber to get setup in the next tree as well as assist the climber. We had 2 floaters who's job was only to drag brush. When the climber didn't need assistance the groundies would run the saw and drag brush. We would blow through storm damage using this system. Most of the trees on these rural properties were low canopy and did not even need to have a line installed before climbing, Just hit the first branch and climb. The ladders really were key in completing those jobs in a timely manner.
Rftreeman
Addicted to ArboristSite
nothing wrong with ladders if all is secure and you're tied in..
