HolmenTree
Banned
Yes a real good post, well said !
Beginner Tree Climbing Tips
- Thread starter Merle Nelson
- Start date
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Ta, trial and error, and some really good tutors.Merle Nelson
TreeHouser
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #28
Bermy, Thats inspired.
Just commenting on one or two of the amazingly valuable points there, I think it is so important for it to be ok to stop and collect my thoughts (my focus really). And imperative that I can call it a day if I am unable to keep that focus or I’m not on my game. I never work sick for that reason.
On the point of wrapping a lanyard, when I first saw you share that in another thread days ago It kind of struck me, “What would it be like to climb a utility pole, or some trees, and not know that?” I climb Euc. trees all the time that have 30 feet of beautiful slick trunk all the way up to the next branch. 5/8 inch steel core flip line, zero problems even on 3 ft stems. I just grab the lanyard on each side of the trunk, pinch the overlapping wraps together and walk up.
Just commenting on one or two of the amazingly valuable points there, I think it is so important for it to be ok to stop and collect my thoughts (my focus really). And imperative that I can call it a day if I am unable to keep that focus or I’m not on my game. I never work sick for that reason.
On the point of wrapping a lanyard, when I first saw you share that in another thread days ago It kind of struck me, “What would it be like to climb a utility pole, or some trees, and not know that?” I climb Euc. trees all the time that have 30 feet of beautiful slick trunk all the way up to the next branch. 5/8 inch steel core flip line, zero problems even on 3 ft stems. I just grab the lanyard on each side of the trunk, pinch the overlapping wraps together and walk up.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
I just keep a cinched lanyard on those smooth ones, no double wrap.
Merle Nelson
TreeHouser
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #30
By cinched lanyard you mean around the tree and clipped back on itself? If so how is that positioned so you can climb it up/advance it?
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
I just pull it tighter, through my Gibbs.
Merle Nelson
TreeHouser
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #32
Ok, now I understand. I'll do that at the beginning of the day, 10ft of clear spar ok, 20 ft of clear spar ok, 25 ft - I'm throwing an extra wrap. End of the day 8 ft of clear spar - oh, I better wrap my flipline.
bstewert
TreeHouser
Bermy, really good post!!
I'll add one little thing: make your climb line and lanyard two different colors.
I'll add one little thing: make your climb line and lanyard two different colors.
ch74
TreeHouser
Nice post btw Bermy .ty. Question, can you use your climbing rope as second lanyard so when u get to the top u can use it to get down. Masterb, Merle, what are those technique with the landyard are y'all talking bout have any pics.Could you please elaborate. I must say to all thanks for all the post. Sorry if I can't get on much this weekend in Fla at in laws . (Sighs)
pantheraba
More biners!!!
Bermy...one of the best posts in a long time...thanks. Good words for all of us.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Adam_P
TreeHouse WebMaster
Fiona, fantastic post! 
I double wrap in skinny tops. The closer my legs are the more difficult it is to maintain my positioning left to right.
I double wrap in skinny tops. The closer my legs are the more difficult it is to maintain my positioning left to right.
Tucker943
Bamboo Plantation Owner
My beginner tip...
Learn to tie in as high as safely possibly on removals and full prunes. When I started climbing I didn't want to tie in in the tippy top. I wasn't comfortable up there. It made life difficult tying in too low on the tree all the time.
Learn to tie in as high as safely possibly on removals and full prunes. When I started climbing I didn't want to tie in in the tippy top. I wasn't comfortable up there. It made life difficult tying in too low on the tree all the time.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
The higher you tie in, the easier moving around the tree will be.
pete mctree
Treehouser
Concentrate on what your doing, not where you are doing it .
So, apply the same safe method be it at 10ft or 210ft, does not matter, just focus
So, apply the same safe method be it at 10ft or 210ft, does not matter, just focus
Try always to do things the same way.
By that I mean the way you set and check your equipment.
That way, when you are up in a tree and scared shitless for some reason ( sudden storm coming in and having to finish because I had a bunch of powerlines taken down was my scenario) your chance of getting confused and screwing up is smaller.
Muscle memory will keep you going and staying safe.
For that reason I always use the same set-up, hich-wise etc for production climbing, unless I'm trying to implement something new, like SRT.
By that I mean the way you set and check your equipment.
That way, when you are up in a tree and scared shitless for some reason ( sudden storm coming in and having to finish because I had a bunch of powerlines taken down was my scenario) your chance of getting confused and screwing up is smaller.
Muscle memory will keep you going and staying safe.
For that reason I always use the same set-up, hich-wise etc for production climbing, unless I'm trying to implement something new, like SRT.
Appalachian
TreeHouser
- Joined
- May 8, 2013
- Messages
- 33
I started out on a weaver but strap sliding d.
It was ok working on spikes but I started doing a lot of view trimming w/o spikes.
Now I splurged and got an Edge but I would have like to been able to wait for the
Onyx but the Weaver put me in too much pain for a couple days after climbing to do much of anything
so I had to move on one with the season coming in.
Tucker943
Bamboo Plantation Owner
Another beginner tip that I thought of is this....
Do what you can, and nothing more. If it seems out of your league, don't let your pride push you into doing a tree that you aren't ready for. Some guys might disagree and say that's how you become better. It is, to an extent. But its also an easy way to get killed. Time and experience makes a climber better, and if becoming a great climber who can do the big uglies is in a person's blood, they will get to that point. But rushing it will end in catastrophe. Do what you are comfortable with if there is no mentor present to coach and guide you. Having a superior climber there to walk you into new territory safely is great. But when you are relying on your own knowledge and experience, don't bite off more then you can chew. That's hard to do sometimes, but will keep you out of a wooden box.
Do what you can, and nothing more. If it seems out of your league, don't let your pride push you into doing a tree that you aren't ready for. Some guys might disagree and say that's how you become better. It is, to an extent. But its also an easy way to get killed. Time and experience makes a climber better, and if becoming a great climber who can do the big uglies is in a person's blood, they will get to that point. But rushing it will end in catastrophe. Do what you are comfortable with if there is no mentor present to coach and guide you. Having a superior climber there to walk you into new territory safely is great. But when you are relying on your own knowledge and experience, don't bite off more then you can chew. That's hard to do sometimes, but will keep you out of a wooden box.
Merle Nelson
TreeHouser
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #44
First picture is what I might have looked like at first, thinking it was safer and easier to be further from the tree. A minute, or an hour latter I would have been closer to the tree as this puts an amazing amount of stress and discomfort on the knees.
This is closer to the way I climb most of the time, easy on the knees, and I think is about what MB was referring to as being 'cinched up.' (The flipline is accidentally hanging low on the far side.)
This is a full wrap around the stem, do you see the extra slack in the line between the 'tree' and my body? By pinching the flipline together on either side with my hands, I can just walk this up the tree kind of 'bouncing' that slack to and fro, away from my body and closer to it, as I keep friction from catching the flipline in any one place on tree. Up X feet until I stop and take extra slack out of the line. (As the tree tapers.)
This is what I mistakenly thought MB was referring to when he said 'cinched up' earlier, clipping the flipline back on itself. I use this anytime I think there is a chance I could produce a split top or rip. (Similar to Bermy's thought, 'What is the worst possible thing that could happen here? And how can I be prepared for that?') I would be standing there comfortably using my top flipline primarily, prep everything, and just prior to the more dangerous phase unclip my top line and work with the discomfort of using this lower fliplines asymmetrical hold on the tree.
Of course I'm not saying any of this is 'right' or safe you will have to think it through for yourself. I'm just answering your question and saying this is what I have done. I'm here learning things and at the very least nuances from almost every single post. One thing that I haven't done that might be far more safe is to work toward using my climbing line clipped back on itself at some times that I would have previously used the flipline clipped on itself. I'll be interested to see what others post in answer to your question about that.
I've had a couple close calls, but because I was either tied in high and tight, or had decided not to use a lanyard (needed the option to move quickly if a piece came down suddenly which it in fact did), I walked away from those close calls with nothing more than a few scrapes and a learning experience.
You WILL have a close call, you WILL have a sphincter buster...but if your technique is sound and your default is safety you should come away ok. The more you know, the more you know what can go wrong, the better your plan is for coming away intact, job done and money in the bank at the end of the day.
Yes you can use your climb line as a lanyard, I alternate going up using my lanyard and climb line, then set the climb line in the TIP when I get there. That's if I can't get a good TIP from the ground from the get go.
A tree climbers' joy is a HIGH tie in point!
You WILL have a close call, you WILL have a sphincter buster...but if your technique is sound and your default is safety you should come away ok. The more you know, the more you know what can go wrong, the better your plan is for coming away intact, job done and money in the bank at the end of the day.
Yes you can use your climb line as a lanyard, I alternate going up using my lanyard and climb line, then set the climb line in the TIP when I get there. That's if I can't get a good TIP from the ground from the get go.
A tree climbers' joy is a HIGH tie in point!
bonner1040
Nick from Ohio
Man, I always used to tie in to low... It makes everything harder.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Have Multiple Climbing Ropes
When you're in the top, look for other tie in points and don't be shy to set another rope for later.
Plan your climb: try to be at least three moves ahead. Climbing ain't checkers - it's more like a game of chess.
When you're in the top, look for other tie in points and don't be shy to set another rope for later.
Plan your climb: try to be at least three moves ahead. Climbing ain't checkers - it's more like a game of chess.
NHlocal
TreeHouser
And all this time I'm thinkin' Tic, Tac, Toe,.....
No, seriously, every time I work a tree it humbles me 'cause I realize how much more I need to learn.
Just when I think I've got the next 2 or 3 moves set something comes up that throws everything I had planned right out the window.....
Tucker943
Bamboo Plantation Owner
You are too hard on yourself. Time improves things.
ch74
TreeHouser
Thanks, Merle , and Masterb I'll try those techniques out this week after work. Thanks Bermy for the tip also with the climbing line for another landyard, so to speak.. But, now i have another question. Why when i tie a v.t. the last two cross overs by my beener straighten out when i put all my weight on it. I have tried it different ways and it still straighten's the last two cross-overs. I have the lengths right before i do the cross-overs and it still does it. I'm getting aggrivated. Any help will be helpful.
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