Coffee Break

[cory]

Hap Johnson musta been a stud athelete.

Jerr, do you think he climbed that spar any smoother/easier than most highclimbers, not counting you of course!

The cigarette ending is way cooler.

 

[sotc]

Sitting on top like that gives me the willies Especially when it's still flopping around!

 

[Stumper]

Willie, How can you ever not have at least one willy?

I agree though. I am a tree climbing chicken. Getting off rope at height ain't in me.

 

[cory]

Hap's probably the kind of guy who would do headstands on top of the spar at timber carnivals.

 

[Tree Reb]

Yes, and I don't think he'd like the edited ending.


Quote is from here, http://www.mtsthelens.net/MtStHelensNet/community.html

Best known for their exploits were Hap Johnson and Paul Searls, world champions in their specialties for many years.

Johnson, of Castle Rock, was tree topping champion for 16 years, all around best logger for four years and axe throwing champion for three years. He was actor John Wayne's stand-in for climbing action scenes in the movie "North to Alaska," and demonstrated his skills on several national television programs.

Searls, of Toutle, was champion log bucker for 30 years, and was featured on TV programs such as "You Asked For It" and others. The highlight of a dedication ceremony for California's famed Golden Gate Bridge in 1937 was a log bucking contest in which Searls sawed through a redwood log in two minutes, forty seven and two fifths seconds to defeat a champion from Idaho. He too was a guest performer on a number of TV shows

 

[cory]

You can see him smoking in the very last frames of the film.

Jerr, is it hard to take up the slack in that type of lanyard?

 

[sotc]

It's not as fast as and ascender. You take the weight with one hand while feeding or rolling the slack through the knot. I started climbing like that in the woods, those guys are still doing it

 

[stig]

They showed that film on danish television years ago.
It made one heck of an impression on people, apparently, because when I take trees down for older people, I'm often asked if I have seen that film.
I never have till now.
Amazing, really. I am so impressed with the smooth way Hap moves up that tree. He hardly uses the flipline to hold himself in with. His sense of balance must have been remarkable.
We can do a lot of stuff in trees today, with all our fancy gear, but to see something like makes me feel humble.
Thanks for posting it,MB.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Here's another interesting oldie.

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[OTGBOSTON]

Anyone know whats up with that saw lanyard? Seems pretty smart, I wonder why they aren't still used (or more widely used)?

Hey Gerry, whadda ya know???

 

[gf beranek]

Most of the high climbers I knew when I was starting out are dead today. All of them were hardcore and old school. Flip line and spurs and beat themselves to death going up the big trees.

When I showed up with a climbline and traversed into the big trees from a nearby pecker pole they were beside themselves in wonder.

And the ironic part of that is,, my techniques where new school then, but today they are considered old school. Now I use a big shot, and string a line through, and walk up a rope.

Now we have PC's Wrapter. What's next? Antil-gravity?

You got to hand to the old timers.. They were tough.

 

[MasterBlaster]

You damn skippy!

 

[OTGBOSTON]

but what abooot that whacked out saw lanyard?

 

[GASoline71]

I know high climbers that climb exactly like that to this day... No rope... just a belt and a wire core 3 strand lanyard with a cat's paw...

Gary

 

[JamesTX]

So, if you're climbing like in the first video and you slip, will that rope around the tree catch on something and stop you?

 

[cory]

I know high climbers that climb exactly like that to this day... No rope... just a belt and a wire core 3 strand lanyard with a cat's paw...

Gary

What's cat's paw, the knot on the belt?

 

[sotc]

Usually James

Yes, cat's paw is the knot tied around the d ring to adjust the length of flipline

 

[sotc]

Wow, thats a great video! Never heard of the hilky piler or the angels roost, very cool

 

[MasterBlaster]

So, if you're climbing like in the first video and you slip, will that rope around the tree catch on something and stop you?

Are you serious?

 

[sothere]

Dang,I don't think I could even pretend to have that kinda nerve.
I am having coffee right now though,,,and a cigarette

 

[JamesTX]

Are you serious?

Sure. What do I know?

 

[Stumper]

James, Yes.-Even on a small smooth telephone pole the lanyard will hold you IF you push out from the spar (but most old pole climbers have skinned at least one pole with splinter scars, gaff stabs or broken heels/ankles to tell about Which is what kept me off gaffs for the first portion of my career.)

 

[High Scale]

Solid bloke, much respect.

 

[cory]

Spartree is available on vhs from Pacific NW ISA for 10 bucks +s/h.

It has alot more in it and higher fidelity than the coffee break version.