Suspended animation

[texasnative]

Last Thursday, I was doing a "routine" takedown on a fairly large willow oak that had been struck by lightning and was at about a 25 degree lean. I had the entire canopy, with the exception of one limb (about as big around as my wrist and about 8 feet long) removed, with the spar ready to be dropped upon return from lunch. This limb was growing off of the main leader at roughly a 20 degree angle. I had thought about going ahead and lowering this one as well, but then thought to myself, "It's not enough wood to affect the outcome of felling the spar, I'm tired and hungry, I'll just leave this one." Well I bailed out of the tree, and my ankle got caught between that limb and the main leader. It was as though the tree had grabbed me and was holding me there, suspended 50 feet from the ground. The tree was mocking me At first, I thought that I would be able to free myself, but the more I struggled, the more I wedged my ankle between the limb and what was left of the leader. I was already worn out like a dishrag when a bailed out. I was contract climbing for another climber (how embarassing). As soon as he was aware that I was dangling upside down, he had his saddle on, ready to asscend. I yelled down to him, "Don't sweat it, I'll be down in a minute." After about 10 minutes of struggling and wearing myself out more, only to make the tree get a better grip on my ankle, I gave up and told my buddy to come on up and get me. By now, I was fading in and out of consciousness. My arms and abdomen were burning from muscle strain to pull myself up and elevate my head above my heart, then I would have to let go and dangle for a while until everything would start to fade out, then struggle to maintain consciousness and pull myself back up. Repeat this process several times. It only took the other climber about 5 minutes to get to me and get my ankle free from the offending limb, but it was about the longest 5 minutes that I have ever indured. It felt like my ankle was broken, especially after I hit the ground. I had no circulation for 15 minutes in my ankle, and when I hit the ground, it was quite a sharp pain. Fortunately, I just stretched the muscles and I am fine. Lessons learned the hard way: never climb alone, and no tree is "routine".

 

[texasnative]

And listen to your gut feelings.

 

[Lifesabeach]

Thanks for that.

Tomorrow's a new day....

 

[darkstar]

im glad you made it out of that situation .... ive got my foot stuck befor as well except i was upright ... darn near panicked .... great you r bro saved your butt ........ sheew no solo work ever ... a learned lesson dark

 

[notahacker]

To TexasNative

Were you tied into the tree and then decending? Because if you were I cannot see how you got caught to the point where you were upside down. Or were you decending with your buck strap? How were you comming out of the tree? And...could it have been avoided? :Monkey:

 

[techdave]

Dang TN, i am glad you are ok. Did your foot slip forwards off the crotch letting your body slip over backwards with your head lower than your feet?

 

[CJ-7]

These lessons learned the hard way are invaluable for the rest of us, even as casual observers/rec cimbers. If something can go wrong, eventually it will and you need a backup plan. I am also interested in how you "bailed out". Is there one piece of common equipment you wished you had that could have allowed you to do a self rescue?

 

[Treeman14]

I too would like to know how you were tied in. I just cannot picture a situation where you wouldn't be able to pull yourself back up above the crotch and then lift your foot out.

 

[Stumper]

Native, I'm glad you are Okay but, like Brett, I can't understand not being able to pull oneself back up to unstick.

 

[Tree Machine]

I, too, am puzzled. We're glad you can share this as a lesson. The fact of climbing trees is, it only takes one situation and you're toast.

It is true that guys can die, just from hanging suspended. We're glad you're OK, Tex.

 

[Dadatwins]

I am guessing the tie-in rope was in the same crotch that the ankle was wedged in so there was not much 'up' to pull to. Also curious about spikeless? removal. Not very common but anything is possible. No mention of spike being caught, only ankle. I got myself hung up once with my climbing line locked into a tight crotch and it is a bad feeling, but had a laynard to secure me while I switched ends on my climbing line. Glad to hear you are Ok, but please fill in the blanks as to what happened and how it can be avoided next time.

 

[notahacker]

Comment on "spikless removal."

I do at least 95% of all tree removals without spikes. I only use them if I anticipate the work necessary to use them. For example, if I need to "chunk out" large sections and I have no natural foot position. Or, if I am in large wood with no natural foot positions. I find that the spikes are on more thing I have to think about when it comes to safety. Besides, I think all capable climbers don't really need them! Again, I use them when there are no natural options to work with. And I determine that during my work plan on the ground. What do you guys think? :Monkey:

 

[Tree Machine]

Ditto that. I have a former apprentice in the field who, two years after his training, has still never put on a set of spikes.

 

[Lifesabeach]

Spikes hurt my feet!

After hours in the tree it's the one thing, not my energy level, that slows me down more than any other. Wish there was another way to take down these coconut palms and giant Pines.

 

[texasnative]

I was not wearing spikes on that takedown, thank God. I leave them in the truck whenever I can as well. I was tied in at the same crotch that my ankle was in. It was the only one left. And the tree was a leaner. Perhaps if I had a longer lanyard on me, I would've been able to pull myself up, but my ankle was twisted as well as wedged, so I had a very limited range of motion.

 

[texasnative]

Climbing again though, btw.

 

[notahacker]

Texasnative

:Eye: I can see how that would happen now. Ouch!

 

[Stumper]

Understood-of course there are reasons for the "never stand at or above your TIP" rule.

There is a place for a falsecrotch in your arsenal-I admit that I climb on natural crotches most of the time-If things look delicate on a pruning job I may get out the falsie but I actually use it most on takedowns-so I can have a tie in point right where I need it.

 

[pbtree]

Understood-of course there are reasons for the "never stand at or above your TIP" rule.

There is a place for a falsecrotch in your arsenal-I admit that I climb on natural crotches most of the time-If things look delicate on a pruning job I may get out the falsie but I actually use it most on takedowns-so I can have a tie in point right where I need it.

And that is sound advice...I got stuck upsidedown once, but fortunately I was able to free myself after a few minutes. Otherwise the goundie would have had to learn to climb in a hurry!