Texas Tree Monkey Man

[Adkpk]

Got myself a Texas Tree Monkey System. Very impressive hardware. It's my first mechanical assender and it's more than I expected. Very handy to set to the rope and with the large foot straps it's an ease to get going on it. Working it took no practice I was up the tree before I had time to wonder how I was doing. I would have liked to have gotten some pics form further away but not much chance as I was alone for this climb.

Tip. I think this is the right way to tie in for srt.

Upper ascender.

Lower ascender and foot strap.

Reset the line with the cambium saver repeled.

Slim splitail setup.

Repelling on the 8.

 

[md_tree_dood]

The Lava is where its at. Excellent rope choice.

 

[tree md]

Looking good!

 

[Adkpk]

I did a little dead-wooding in a pine yesterday. I tell ya it(TTMS) makes it ridiculously easy. Up, dead wood on the way down. Done and started the lawn clean-up which I will finish today. Trying to find a another tree to prune to make as fun as yesterday. The kids were in a third floor window cheering me on. Work couldn't be more fun.

 

[tree md]

I'm looking at that climbing system now. I have CMI ascenders but the foot ascender I have won't work mid line. It's a PITA. I'm thinking of buying the Texas system.

 

[clutch25]

You climbers are awesome!

I can barely tie my shoes and yet every climbing thread I see 90 different knots...very impressive!!!

 

[Marty B]

High Water

You climbers are awesome!

I can barely tie my shoes and yet every climbing thread I see 90 different knots...very impressive!!!

Knot to get off topic....clutch25 are you helping with the sand bagging up there in N. Dakota?

 

[clutch25]

Knot to get off topic....clutch25 are you helping with the sand bagging up there in N. Dakota?

No...I'm not. My little town that I live in has been working on a ring dike for the last 3 days. I have been working on keeping my own property dry as I take water from 3 others (due to one neighbor who can't figure out why water won't flow uphill). The neighbor to the north works for the county so his wife has been going it alone for the last day or two. Tonight I get to move all the snow we got last night out (4-6inches)....and do the neighbors too.

 

[Marty B]

Good Luck Buddy!

No...I'm not. My little town that I live in has been working on a ring dike for the last 3 days. I have been working on keeping my own property dry as I take water from 3 others (due to one neighbor who can't figure out why water won't flow uphill). The neighbor to the north works for the county so his wife has been going it alone for the last day or two. Tonight I get to move all the snow we got last night out (4-6inches)....and do the neighbors too.

I've been to Fargo a number of times to watch my son wrestle at Nationals....When I've been there the river that runs between N.D. & Minn. seems so low and slow, I'd like to see it at flood stage. I imagine the flood waters have no good way to go......There are some pics. of the Fargo Dome all flooded out during construction with aluminum boats all over the place.......Good Luck Be Safe! Marty B

ps. Lots of good folks in N.D. .....very friendly

 

[clutch25]

I've been to Fargo a number of times to watch my son wrestle at Nationals....When I've been there the river that runs between N.D. & Minn. seems so low and slow, I'd like to see it at flood stage. I imagine the flood waters have no good way to go......There are some pics. of the Fargo Dome all flooded out during construction with aluminum boats all over the place.......Good Luck Be Safe! Marty B

ps. Lots of good folks in N.D. .....very friendly

Here are some pics...somewere on the website.

http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/fargoflood/

Sorry again for the thread highjack!

:spam:

 

[Adkpk]

Well I managed again to get up a tree. Topped some dead leaders form a silver maple today so I could drop the rest. Nice, clean, quick. Finished and ran as I am doing now. Off the Broadway fella's for a show. Gf's birthday present. I am such a nice guy.

I'll check out the sandbagging thing later. New to me.

 

[masiman]

....
Tip. I think this is the right way to tie in for srt.

Is that a Butterfly?

 

[masiman]

No, it's a poorly shaped bowline. Part of tying a knot correctly is to shape and snug up it's parts before loading.

Thanks.

I have never entered a tree without spikes, but I only enter trees that I'm taking down. I'd like to try some rope entries. Use a bowline over the butterfly because a bowline is stronger? Advantages and disadvantages of each knot? My guess: the bowline is stronger but the butterfly won't bind as readily?

 

[treemandan]

One thing that you can do which might make it nicer is take along your other climbing line so you can just toss that in while you stay on the ascenders. I use the tail of the rope I srt with usually.

Now it looks like you got a line up around a branch and ran a bowline up to in and went up. That works too but usually you can just drape the rope through a crotch and tie the one end on the ground to a tree trunk... or trailer hitch. ( Hey, does anybody want to hear how I made pansy ass max burton pull me up a 125 foot poplar? I tied off to the front brush bumper and had to let him use the 4runner cause he couldn't drive stick)
Anyway, understand?

 

[Taxmantoo]

That works too but usually you can just drape the rope through a crotch and tie the one end on the ground to a tree trunk... or trailer hitch.

What happens if somebody hops in the truck and drives down the road?

 

[Adkpk]

No, it's a poorly shaped bowline. Part of tying a knot correctly is to shape and snug up it's parts before loading.

Running bowline, I believe. I don't tie many bowlines since I don't rig much. I should have used a butterfly. Does anybody have a good pic of a well set running bowline?

One thing that you can do which might make it nicer is take along your other climbing line so you can just toss that in while you stay on the ascenders. I use the tail of the rope I srt with usually.

Now it looks like you got a line up around a branch and ran a bowline up to in and went up. That works too but usually you can just drape the rope through a crotch and tie the one end on the ground to a tree trunk... or trailer hitch. ( Hey, does anybody want to hear how I made pansy ass max burton pull me up a 125 foot poplar? I tied off to the front brush bumper and had to let him use the 4runner cause he couldn't drive stick)
Anyway, understand?

I like it better this way. I did tail up the rope just in case I didn't think something out well enough. (I did totally plan out the climb in my head before hand, the ascent, a nap at top which I didn't need because the ascent was so easy. Re-string and belay on the eight. I did forget the prusik loop for a backup to the 8 but had a split tail with me as always and used that as the backup. I had a walkie talkie with me just in case I got stuck.) Two ropes would have been ideal but I only had one with me. If I had two ropes I think I would have kept going to the top. It was a perfect day for a climb.

On a more difficult climb I would use a trunk tied rope. Meaning a tree I couldn't get a straight line to a limb on. But of course I would need two ropes for that setup.

 

[jrietkerk]

welcome to SRT! Some will say that you should leave your access line in the tree, then use another line to work Ddrt on. If you need rescue, the other climber just scoots up your access line and goes to work. Or you can tie off at the bottom with a gri-gri, locked off 8, etc., and be rescued from the ground (if you're still on the SRT line) Other interesting options for rescue as well.

But in reality, install line, ascend, switch to Ddrt system, go to work. If you have a groundie, have them untie the anchor on the SRT line, and you can pull it up and work off it. If you don't have a groundie, take another line up and work off it.

What's the problem with his bowline?

 

[Rftreeman]

I have a question, how do you get the cambium saver or bowline out after repelling down? I'm old school but want to learn some of the new ways.

Thanks.
Use a bowline over the butterfly because a bowline is stronger? Advantages and disadvantages of each knot? My guess: the bowline is stronger but the butterfly won't bind as readily?

you can put all the weight in the world on a properly tied bowline and it will untie with ease, I don't know about the butterfly, I don't use it.

 

[tree md]

There is no way to retrieve a running bowline from the ground. That is why Dan is recommending bringing a secondary climbing system to work and descend on or trunk tie the bowline.

I have never used a butterfly for SRT. Not sure how it works doing SRT but it is a great mid line knot that can be untied easily after being heavily loaded. I used to use it all the time until I went using blocks and pulleys.

 

[Adkpk]

welcome to SRT!

Thanks.

Or you can tie off at the bottom with a gri-gri, locked off 8, etc., and be rescued from the groundand work off it.

That is only if there is enough rope to left over to get you to the ground, right? Did I understand that right?

I have a question, how do you get the cambium saver or bowline out after repelling down? I'm old school but want to learn some of the new ways.

That's the thing with this way up. You HAVE to make to the tip to get back down. That is if you want to take your rope back home with you.