Single Rope Ascent styles

[chemist]

Something I forgot about until I did it yesterday.

When your in the tree, you can anchor your line to the trunk or a good limb around. Then when you are finished, if you don't want to set up a rappel, you can just clip the rope into your harness an lower off from your grigri. There's a lot of friction if your not using a friction saver, but you can get out of the tree really quickly without ever taking yourself off the main line.

 

[treemandan]

Just fire the rope over a bunch of limbs and tie it back at the base. This way if the primary TIP limb fails you have many backups. The double weighted TIP becomes a non issue.

Oh what the heck, why not? do dit did do dit dit do dit dity do

Twas fine. just wanna get off the ground a few feet real quick.

 

[treemandan]

I dunno but sounds like step #3 is suicide :monkey:

I suppose it could be

 

[rbtree]

Quote:
Originally Posted by UnityArborist
Most single line ascents go like this:
1. One end of the rope is secured to the base of the tree
2. The free hanging line is then climbed
3. The climber lanyards in to the tree and calls for his ground guy the untie the rope.
QUOTE=lostcoastland;1681932]I dunno but sounds like step #3 is suicide :monkey:[/QUOTE]

Why? You'd be lanyarded in. You have to rely on a ground person to untie the line, with this method. I've been doing this for many years.

 

[chemist]

In reality you only need the ground man to untie it.

If your worried about the re-attachment, when you re-crotch at a higher position re-anchor the other end from the point your standing at on the trunk. do your work, return to that point, clip that end into your harness and you will be tied into a giant loop, then lower off. If your really high up, or worried about excess friction, get the mid point of the rope around the crotch, hook up your ATC and rappel down on both lines.

 

[chemist]

I suppose it could be

That's secure!! I typically sling the tree and clip in with a locking biner and figure 8 knot.

 

[lync]

Srt styles

Just some food for thought. I'f your going to tie off at the base consider that you must keep an eye on that leg of the rope as well as the one your ascenders are locked on to. If you do some work as you climb keep your hand saw and pole saw clear. In a Ddrt set up both ropes are right next to each other in srt they can be in two differen halves of the tree. A climber buddy of mine trys to tie the base off to a different tree to keep that 1/2 of his line out of his work area.
Choking with the climbing line at the tip elimnates the above scenario, however you must isolate, which is one of the reasons I use srt to begin with (you don't have to isolate) the climbing line. You may not have to climb to the tip to get your choked line. Leave a long tail as you tie your running bowline, tie a loop at the end, you can either reach it by hand or with a pole saw from below the tip, or tie your throw line to the loop of the bowline, before you run it up, come down on atc fig8 then pull down the choked loop with the throwline.
Each climb is different is it just one dead limb or a whole tree to be pruned

 

[BCbound]

In my opinion, the main downside to tying off using a running bowline to a branch is that you must reach your tie in point to remove the rope. Normally, that's not a problem. But, for instance, when you get that last minute emergency call, and you need to bail off the jobsite, you still have to go up and retrieve your rope. Terminating your rope around the trunk alleviates that concern. I could come up with a number of other reasons, but I think you get my point. I know I've had to stop what I'm doing, and change gears to another job or task, and if my rope is committed to the tree it becomes a major downside.

Also, I've read that SRT is now approved (or being approved) to work from, so you don't have to ask a groundhog to untie your anchor end.

Hey Grizz,

If your worried about leaving the rope, tie a tag line on the running bowline and problem solved.

As for the figure 8 vs ATC thing. I'm shocked people still us a 8. The mess it puts your rope in simply not worth the hassle. There's many products out there similar to the ATC for any size rope with multiple functions.

Personaly I use a grigri for almost all senarios. I have a similar product to the ATC mad by trango, but usually sits in my bag. In a big pinch I'll use a munter hitch, but this screws the rope as much as the figure 8

Have fun climbing!

 

[rngrchad]

That's secure!! I typically sling the tree and clip in with a locking biner and figure 8 knot.

I'm a big fan of the retraced figure 8 tied directly back into the main line.

 

[treemandan]

That's secure!! I typically sling the tree and clip in with a locking biner and figure 8 knot.

Oh, I test it first by having a groundie seat it in real good, if he makes it out alive then I know I have a pretty good shot myself.

 

[chemist]

Oh, I test it first by having a groundie seat it in real good, if he makes it out alive then I know I have a pretty good shot myself.

I wasn't being sarcastic, it is actually more secure than using a sling! If you did an extra wrap around the tree you would eliminate any chance of the rope creeping up the tree (not that there is much anyway)

I use a sling and locking carabiner to save rope abrasion (especially towards the end where it is handled the most) and avoid having to have someone untie a knot if need be while I'm in the tree.

There are less points of failure from using the rope directly, therefore your way is technically more secure than mine!

 

[chemist]

I'm a big fan of the retraced figure 8 tied directly back into the main line.

I'm not saying it is bad. it is actually more secure than using a sling and locking carabiner. The sling/carabiner saves some wear and tear on the working end of your line, and makes connections and disconnections faster and safer for ground personnel.

Its more straightforward to clip and lock a biner than to have someone mis-trace the figure eight by accident.

in neither case are you putting yourself at any greater risk when the lines are secured properly.

 

[moray]

I like the sling and locking biner as well. When I am up at the top and the rope goes slack, the biner and sling eye can (and will!) flop down in unpredictable ways. To prevent this, I take a wrap of light cord around the tree, passing it above the biner through the rope eye and tighten securely. Now when the rope goes slack, the light cord holds all that attachment stuff securely in place, preserving the geometry just the way you left it.

 

[moss]

I like the sling and locking biner as well. When I am up at the top and the rope goes slack, the biner and sling eye can (and will!) flop down in unpredictable ways. To prevent this, I take a wrap of light cord around the tree, passing it above the biner through the rope eye and tighten securely. Now when the rope goes slack, the light cord holds all that attachment stuff securely in place, preserving the geometry just the way you left it.

Good strategy, I like that a lot!
-moss

 

[Nailsbeats]

What is an ATC? I use an 8, but probably just cause I don't know what this ATC is.

For securing my static rope to the base I put a double fish and a krab on the end, wrap it twice around the tree and clip it back to itself. Maybe throw a marl on, then wrap and hook, kinda like you would if catching heavy wood off a spar. Whatever you feel comfortable with.

 

[canopyboy]

What is an ATC? I use an 8, but probably just cause I don't know what this ATC is.

For securing my static rope to the base I put a double fish and a krab on the end, wrap it twice around the tree and clip it back to itself. Maybe throw a marl on, then wrap and hook, kinda like you would if catching heavy wood off a spar. Whatever you feel comfortable with.

Air Traffic Controller by Black Diamond. Googling it will give you a better idea of what they look like and how they're used. Developed for rockclimbing I think. Other brands make similiar ones. I think generically they are known as " bucket type" rapelling device.

They're cheap, light, and don't hockle your rope like an 8.

 

[moss]

What is an ATC? I use an 8, but probably just cause I don't know what this ATC is.

An 8 is a more versatile device to have on your harness. ATC is a very compact rappel device but it's really only good for going down a doubled rope, for SRT rappel it's not a good ride IMHO.

For securing my static rope to the base I put a double fish and a krab on the end, wrap it twice around the tree and clip it back to itself. Maybe throw a marl on, then wrap and hook, kinda like you would if catching heavy wood off a spar.

That's my go-to attachment, that way if you slack it, it will be fine when you reload it. I use a steel delta scewlink for that setup so it's totally cool no matter what happens (no crossing the gate problem).

Otherwise, different strategies for different situations.

Whatever you feel comfortable with.

The truth

-moss

 

[treemandan]

Air Traffic Controller by Black Diamond. Googling it will give you a better idea of what they look like and how they're used. Developed for rockclimbing I think. Other brands make similiar ones. I think generically they are known as " bucket type" rapelling device.

They're cheap, light, and don't hockle your rope like an 8.

And 1/2 rope barely fits it... you forgot to mention that.

 

[treemandan]

I just want to say I never really was comfy with the fishbend.

 

[Nailsbeats]

An 8 is a more versatile device to have on your harness. ATC is a very compact rappel device but it's really only good for going down a doubled rope, for SRT rappel it's not a good ride IMHO.



That's my go-to attachment, that way if you slack it, it will be fine when you reload it. I use a steel delta scewlink for that setup so it's totally cool no matter what happens (no crossing the gate problem).

Otherwise, different strategies for different situations.



The truth

-moss

Guess I'll stick with the trusty ol' 8, thanks Moss. I use 1/2 KMIII for my static line, and if Dano is right about it not being a good fit, well then there it is.