Traverse questions

[bstewert]

Wondering how often people here use a tree-to-tree traverse, various methods of retrieving the line, and at what height and distance apart does it make it more practical than just climbing down.

In this example, at only 50' up it doesn't seem worth it to go through all the hassle vs just climbing down and starting over at the other tree.

Do you like to use a monkey's fist or a throwbag? In this pic, look where my monkey's fist ended up. First shot.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Monkey's Fist 9 out of 10 times.

 

[gf beranek]

Monkey's fist is one of the most simple assists a climber can use to get into another tree, but the knot requires some amount of rope to make and you can get it stuck in a crotch farther away than you have line left to reach. Particularly so when using the tail end of your climbline. Because sometimes you have to extend your scope to get into the other tree where the knot is fixed. That predicament can leave a climber in a real fix. And then at a hard angle the knot can pull out of the crotch and wing you back to where you come from, slamming you hard enough against the tree you're tied into to break your neck. Other than these two minor details the monkey's fist works pretty darn good.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I rarely toss a closed MF; almost always I'll leave it open to reduce getting stuck.

But yea, Jerry's dern skippy - the entire works can come loose and send you on a swing back to where you came from!

 

[PCTREE]

I just throw a sack into appropriate crotch, come down , set line and Wraptor up. Since I started using the Wraptor I will some times come down from a big, spread out tree and Wraptor back up to another spot as ascent is now virtually effortless.....

 

[MasterBlaster]

But that's not traversing...

 

[Jack]

PRE-DIRECT

Wondering how often people here use a tree-to-tree traverse, various methods of retrieving the line, and at what height and distance apart does it make it more practical than just climbing down. ...

And now for something completely different ... here's an alternative that works for me (FWIW):

PRE-DIRECT

I almost never set-up a traverse 'in-the-tree'. {I should note here -- I work SRT exclusively. I don't think this would work for DdRT.}

When I have two (or more) trees to work that are too far apart to swing between them BUT are close enough that the climb line is long enough to work both trees, I'll set what I call a pre-direct -- that is, set-up the traverse from the ground.

I'll set a TIP in the first tree as usual. Then set the working end of the line over a second TIP in the second tree (and so on). Work UP the second tree -- traverse -- pull the traverse line out -- work DOWN the first tree.

It's been working well for me. Pre-direct saves a lot of time. Sometimes, if I'm lucky, I can get both TIP's in the two trees with one throw. Just an alternative to consider.

So then, to the OP question "what height and distance apart", the pre-direct concept works for any height or distance that leaves enough climb line to reach the ground on the last tree.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I try to set most of my traverses from the ground. Preset as much rope as I can. For in the tree I have a heavy throw bag I can biner to my climb line to advance it, or the fishing reel throw/throwline/weight combo that Burnam and some here have shown us. Now granted... I have a grounds man with me most the time and he can set lines ahead of me or send me up anothers tail. I also keep a prussic, pulley and biner on my harness when I feel I need to traverse.
I will be buying a grapple like Gord has as well... There have been a few times I could have used that. Like when you are dead wooding pondos and the HO asks if you could also do the one next to it 25 feet or so over and you are already 50, 60, 90 feet up.

 

[bstewert]

Monkey's fist is one of the most simple assists a climber can use to get into another tree, but the knot requires some amount of rope to make and you can get it stuck in a crotch farther away than you have line left to reach. Particularly so when using the tail end of your climbline. Because sometimes you have to extend your scope to get into the other tree where the knot is fixed. That predicament can leave a climber in a real fix. And then at a hard angle the knot can pull out of the crotch and wing you back to where you come from, slamming you hard enough against the tree you're tied into to break your neck. Other than these two minor details the monkey's fist works pretty darn good.

Gerry, are you suggesting to use a different rope for the other tree? To give you an idea of where I am in the learning curve, this was only my second attempt using the tail and a leather cambium saver on the other tree. I have dragged up a separate Ddrt system, preset from the ground with a different color rope, and it was MUCH easier to keep up with. I was definitely concerned about getting the fist stuck, which is why i was attempting to throw high on the branch and flip it down to the crotch later. Plus I had the SRT line (yellow in pic) just in case.

Butch, so you have now thrown your open MF to the other branch, 25' away. How do you retrieve the tail?

 

[bstewert]

I'll set a TIP in the first tree as usual. Then set the working end of the line over a second TIP in the second tree (and so on). Work UP the second tree -- traverse -- pull the traverse line out -- work DOWN the first tree.

What a great idea. Like a great, big redirect. Would you elaborate on the "traverse" part, since that is a single line?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Shoot a line threw both trees... Both trees are your TIP during the first tree. When done with the first tree, use the tail of the rope Ddrt wtth a Blakes or Taught-line to ease yourself over to the next tree... that already has your SRT TIP in it on the same line

 

[gf beranek]

Normally I used the tail end of my climbline. But have on occasion call for or used a separate line.

 

[Burnham]

I went to find a link to an older thread that covered traverses quite extensively. It's not in the Archives, but used to be locatable by searching google with "gypoclimber.com grapple". Now that there is no gypoclimber domain name, no search that way works. So no link, very sorry to say.

Another unanticipated result of losing the gypoclimber url.

 

[flushcut]

You would think it was stored in the inter net somewhere. Bummer!

 

[gf beranek]

I've always assumed that also. Certain pages on private computers may be gleaned I do believe.

 

[Burnham]

Maybe so...I dunno, but I couldn't find things that I used to be able to.

 

[Burnham]

Here's where I posted the link...seems to be dead now, but maybe one of our whiz kids can revive it. Hate losing more THouse history.

https://www.masterblasterhome.com/s...ine-management&p=466870&viewfull=1#post466870

 

[Marc-Antoine]

The forum's search gave only the thread you says, but with google, I found an other one in Masterblasterhome. Is that the good one?
https://www.masterblasterhome.com/showthread.php?11174-Throwline-trick-for-traversing

Maybe it's in the archives because the pics are lost, thereare only drawings.

 

[Jack]

What a great idea. Like a great, big redirect. Would you elaborate on the "traverse" part, since that is a single line?

Shoot a line threw both trees... Both trees are your TIP during the first tree. When done with the first tree, use the tail of the rope Ddrt wtth a Blakes or Taught-line to ease yourself over to the next tree... that already has your SRT TIP in it on the same line

YUP

 

[arborworks1]

I just throw a sack into appropriate crotch, come down , set line and Wraptor up. Since I started using the Wraptor I will some times come down from a big, spread out tree and Wraptor back up to another spot as ascent is now virtually effortless.....

Done this plenty of times pruning live oaks.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

This thread of Gord's had some good grapple shots

Windfirming

 

[sotc]

Or a preverse! Jack, thats truely a great technique, thanks for sharing

 

[Jack]

Or a preverse! Jack, thats truely a great technique, thanks for sharing

preverse? ... PREVERSE? ... I LIKE IT!!!
Maybe I could learn to say it with a 'sling-blade' accent.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Here is a thread that Nick contributed with a throw line trick....
https://www.masterblasterhome.com/showthread.php?11174-Throwline-trick-for-traversing

 

[top_notch]

Here is a thread that Nick contributed with a throw line trick....
https://www.masterblasterhome.com/showthread.php?11174-Throwline-trick-for-traversing

Great thread, Thanks for posting!