Installing permanent static line for mainteance

soup-n-sandwich

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Richmond RI
Guys I'm climbing White Pines for radio communication systems. Once I establish the static line and work my way up then do the installation I want to install a permanent line for quick assess for maintenance or emergency repair. I would like to be able to lag or through bolt in an eye bolt or similar but it must be rated for something like this. I was thinking maybe one of these? https://www.treehousesupplies.com/category_s/74.htm

Could I use a Double Fisherman's loop or similar knot for this connection?

I will design a housing for this rope that will be remotely dropped when it's needed. This house will protect it from animals, bugs and weather.

Any ideas what might work for this application?

Thanks guys,
Chris
 
.....I will design a housing for this rope that will be remotely dropped when it's needed....

That sounds like more work and more complicated than is needed. I think that I would just hang a block or a ring-and-ring that would make switching between a climbing line and a retrieval rope easy to do.

As strong as those bolts are, they are not designed with side-loading in mind. How big is the wood at your work station?
 
A uv resistant para cord is easy. I have a client with a TV antenna he needs to clear periodically. I put the line in last time I was there. Pull your rope into place when it's time.
 
I thought about doing that years ago in our 'training tree' out on the farm. Never did it, but I thought drilling through the trunk at a 45 degree angle and installing a heavy eye bolt would avoid side loading the hardware as much.

And don't leave a climb line out in the weather - UV degradation will severely weaken it, and as one friend found out 30 years ago; some squirrels like to chew on things they find set in trees...
 
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  • #5
Thanks guys for your input. Well a few things about this I fail to mention. These trees may be located in the middle of a forest or on private land (with permission granted) but in a area where somebody might stumble upon. This is why I would rather not leave a dangling pull line hanging from the tree. The idea was to using some sort of hardware to make sure the climbing line says put and is safe but it must be fully enclosed to protect it from animals, bugs, weather and UV. I really would like to come up with a solution that isn't as involved as my initial idea.

Dmc the wood up there...well in this tree is 8" or larger in places but it doesn't have to be a the very top.
I like the pull line idea but I would have to conceal it. So in this situation time/speed of ascending into the tree may be really important. So if the climbing line wasn't installed permanently in the tree and I pulled it up when needed I would think a canopy anchor is faster to install than a basal anchor? Any suggestions how this would play out?
Chris
 
Agreed , using whatever you trust either natural around trunk and branches or something steel installed you can leave the knotted together ends with excess of a small diameter dark colored tag line up and out of sight. I will hide and retrieve it with the hook and pole gear. People no see it.
 
These guys are speaking the truth. Just leave a small throw line tagline whatever you want to call it but hard to see but not a Lifeline in the tree. We've had other guys come on the site asking the same question and you don't want to leave something your life depends on out in the elements. There's no way you're going to totally protect it from what's out there in the woods be it the weather, bugs, moisture, UV, animals. The only way you know it's safe is that you have kept it in a controlled situation and bring it with you. I had a treehouse for my kids and the windows were made of mesh safety netting. So the kids would not fall out. Over the years the squirrels chewed it periodically and damaged it. Squirrels will chew anything... including the PVC you try to put over the climbing line to protect it.
 
Dark colored string left in tree is damn near invisible and way safer than leaving life support rope in the tree
 
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  • #12
Thanks guys! Sorry about this long delay in my reply...I've spent a lot of time in this tree and each day after about 6 hours up there I'm DONE at the end of the day. Ok I will not try and place a climbing line in the tree permanently. I hear you all loud and clear.
A few of you had mentioned leaving a pull line up there. I can do that but what is the best way to do this so that it's not seen, the wind doesn't blow it out of reach and to ensure it's going to be a quick install of the climbing line?

These trees are holding an emergency radio communication node that may need to be serviced in a hurry...maybe after a lightning hit or faulty radio or controller. So I need to be able to get up there quickly.
Maybe leaving a false crotch/cambium saver with the rings? What's going to hold that in place?

thank you all for your time and efforts.
Chris
 
Chris...you gotta get your head right:

Maybe leaving a false crotch/cambium saver with the rings? What's going to hold that in place?

You don't get it yet...you do not want to leave anything that is life support in the elements or areas where you do not have control over it.

Leaving your ring/ring system in the tree somehow (and it could be done) is asking for potential trouble. It may be emergency radio communication equipment but YOU may end up being the emergency problem if you bust your ass trying to access the tree heights on gear that you do not know if it is safe or not.

Setting up the base-tie SRT system Sean mentions only takes a few minutes. If you get there and discover your throw line that you left there in stealth mode has been somehow compromised (weather, squirrels, dead limb breaks it, curious kids, etc) then you use a throw ball and line to set up another Tie In Point....TiP.

Don't leave life support gear out of your control. Good intentions of fixing an emergency communication node does not trump gravity.
 
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  • #15
Good point! Life support gear isn't just the rope I'm climbing on. Thanks Gary I agree. I won't go this route. I am climbing SRT with base anchor for the initial work but would a canopy anchor be a better choice for a "visit" back to this site? Something like a Alpine Butterfly loop on the working end of the line, placing the running end through it and letting it cinch down on the an appropriate TIP?
 
Black paracord, or equivalent string. Set it with just enough to reach the ground then tie it above head high in another tree or sapling to keep it out of sight. Needs to be tied off to avoid tangles from the wind.
Near impossible to see if you don't know its there and can be difficult to find even if you do.
 
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