First Hitchhiker Climb

[Eric H-L]

Over a year ago, I had started recreational climbing with industrial access gear (too long a story…) and recently I have committed to gradually getting real tree climbing equipment. The HH was first on my list. I was astounded by the warm welcome and helpful information from all the folks here when I asked a question about how to find the HH2 on a previous thread. Thanks to Paul, I now have a HH2 and have spent several days getting it dialed in. I thought I might be able to use it with a sit/stand frog style using a hand ascender with a footloop. I did not like that at all! Next, I tried to make a foot ascender and knee ascender. They both worked sort of OK but yesterday I decided to get a CT foot ascender and I am *very* pleased with it. Yesterday I took it up low and slow. Today higher but still slow. I climbed this majestic oak tree. Pin Oak? It is easily 36” DBH and soars maybe 100 feet above my house. I threw my bag for a lower limb above a good standing place. Although only 25 feet up, I was amazed that I succeed on one of my first attempts. (throwing not my strong suit!) I entered the canopy happy with the smooth running foot ascender and HH. (my homemade knee ascender works but still needs some modification Next I alternated tossing my lanyard and my main rope over progressively higher TIPs. I observed this in a broad crotch. Seriously what kind of critter climbs 30 feet up to take a huge dump! Glad I did not throw my rope over that crotch! I have had previous encounters with raccoons in trees. Is this a warning sign? I got about 60 feet up which is high for me. At that point I saw this well healed superficial looking scar spiraling slightly down the trunk about 8 feet long. What caused that? Could it compromise the safety of the tree? It was getting dark so I headed down. One final question: My foot ascender was easy to use even starting out with little rope weight underneath me. Never popped off. Only thing is: by the end of my climb it was digging into the side of my boot and causing some discomfort. Any tips? Do I need thick ankle skin?

 

[Broncman]

I shortened up the bootstrap so it sets closer to the bottom of my foot and now it feels great! Awesome post.

 

[Raj]

Nice. I work off a HH. Great tool. Nice sh!t pic.

I like my foot ascender low, never had issue with discomfort, but I don't work big trees.

 

[flushcut]

Looks like coon crap to me be very careful around that shit! It contains a toxin that destroys your central nervous system really bad ju ju.

 

[candoarms]

The scar in the tree is likely due to a lightning strike, but scars like this can also be caused by frost cracking when a very cold spell hits in April.

Joel

 

[Tim_B.]

Looks like coon crap to me be very careful around that shit! It contains a toxin that destroys your central nervous system really bad ju ju.

Wow, thanks for that piece of information. Also, on a similar note, I read a story once in a newspaper about a guy who bought a fixer-upper house. There were gaps in the wood that allowed pigeons to roost in the attic. He sealed off the openings, and commenced to cleaning up the attic. When he picked up the boards that had all of the bird poop on them, it put the bird poop dust into the air. It got into his system and attacked his brain, leaving him completely blind, and paralyzed on half of his body.

So thanks for this warning; good to know.

Tim

 

[MasterBlaster]

Jayus!

 

[Tim_B.]

Also, @Eric H-L; Welcome to the Tree House forum. Really great post you made, there. Nice photos!

Tim

P.S. Research the APTA.

 

[Eric H-L]

Broncman and Raj: before I started I tried to make my footstrap tight and keep the ascender low. It seemed like it loosened up during the climb. Next time I will really cinch it down!

flushcut: Thanks for the lifesaving information about the brain eating raccoon transmitted virus. Now I am even more thankful I did not drag my rope through it!

Joel, Lightning or possibly spring frost damage? Thanks!

Tim, Thanks for the welcome! Yes, APTA or Bigshot launcher are on my wishlist. Right now they are lower priority because I want to force myself to keep practicing and slowly getting better. Of the two you like the APTA better?


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[Mick!]

Welcome.

Re. The "lightning" scar, that would have to be a pretty small bolt wouldn't it?

Not disputing, just curious. Is there a "little lightning bolt?"

 

[stig]

Yep.
Took out two beech trees once that had been hit by one. split the bark on every limb, but no interior damage.
I was still pretty carefull about choosing my TIP, though..
Then there is "Huge lightning bolt":

 

[Grendel]

Nice! Your HH will only get better as it breaks in.

Cheers

 

[Altissimus]

Frost Checks always run right w the grain , Lightning scars usually run a spiral. Just my opinion.

 

[Bermy]

Great post on your first hh climb!
I swear by my Big shot for getting a line up, have not used an Apta yet, big shot is working fine, no need to upgrade....yet

 

[Eric H-L]

Mick!, Little lightning is a great concept. Made me laugh.
Stig, I will take your word for it Little lightning is real. That smashed tree is scary.

Grendel, Good to know about the break-in. Today on my second day of climbing I am seeing a little creep after a long descent. I just kept my hand in braking position in case. Is this normal? I might need to tighten my stopper knots/shorten up the space between the HH and the hitch?

Bermy, I value your opinion on the BigShot. I had been leaning towards rubber bands over air power. It just occurred to me that I would need to buy a Jameson pole. That makes the APTA look better pricewise since I already have a bicycle pump and an air compressor. If I could have predicted the future 10 years ago I might have gotten Jameson instead of Silkie Hayauchi.

 

[Bermy]

I have one 8' hollow fibreglass pole for my Bigshot...I don't think it added that much expense. But if you can go straight to an APTA for a good value, then do it I'd say.
I'm also staying with the Hayauchi...love it. Just replaced the second pole section, hubby dented it cutting a big branch that all fell together. Surprisingly I can get replacement parts in Oz that are VERY reasonable.

 

[Limbrat]

on my second day of climbing I am seeing a little creep after a long descent. I just kept my hand in braking position in case. Is this normal? I might need to tighten my stopper knots/shorten up the space between the HH and the hitch?

Not normal Eric but you're dead on. If tightening your hitch cord doesn't do it, take another wrap.

 

[flushcut]

You're welcome!

 

[Eric H-L]

I have one 8' hollow fibreglass pole for my Bigshot...I don't think it added that much expense. But if you can go straight to an APTA for a good value, then do it I'd say.
I'm also staying with the Hayauchi...love it. Just replaced the second pole section, hubby dented it cutting a big branch that all fell together. Surprisingly I can get replacement parts in Oz that are VERY reasonable.

Bermy,
I was not looking carefully at the prices. You are correct. The Bigshot with one 8 foot 'glass pole section is way less money than the APTA.

 

[Bermy]

Bigshot!!! Get a trigger release thingy too.
The one they sell is a boat clip, stainless steel, not exactly cheap but worth it rather than trying to hold all that stretch by hand and aim at the same time.
I went to our local marine store and bought the exact one that is in some of the catalogues for almost the same price.

 

[Eric H-L]

I am leaning towards Bigshot. Almost ready to make the decision! My inlaws are starting to ask what I want for Christmas. I am 54 so a little old for receiving gifts but it's hard to turn down. I think I saw you mention the stainless release in old post. Looks very helpful. I am also planning to use search to look through old posts and see what rope / hitchcord combos you all are using with HH. Are you still on the same rope/hitch as last time some asked this?


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[Eric H-L]

Ok, I found this recent thread so you all don't have to wear out your fingers typing names of ropes again. Anyone change their ropes or hitchcord recently?

2016 and HitchHiker. can you help me RE: Static lines
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur...&share_tid=19766&share_fid=18574&share_type=t


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[Raj]

Nope, same rope hitch combo for me, just because rope prices shot up here in Ontario. No complaints. Still working great.

 

[Tim_B.]

I am leaning towards Bigshot. Almost ready to make the decision! My inlaws are starting to ask what I want for Christmas. I am 54 so a little old for receiving gifts but it's hard to turn down. I think I saw you mention the stainless release in old post. Looks very helpful. I am also planning to use search to look through old posts and see what rope / hitchcord combos you all are using with HH. Are you still on the same rope/hitch as last time some asked this?


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Hey, Eric! Here is a link to a video made by an inordinately talented climbing arborist about adding a trigger to the Big Shot.

http://www.climbingarborist.com/trigger.php

I repeat myself a lot about this guy, just because I'm a huge fan of his big heart and his intelligence. He's the only person on the internet that I am aware of who deliberately set out to create and provide for free a complete series of videos that teach just about every aspect of climbing and rigging, plus a bunch more on minor things that are nice to know. His name is Daniel Holliday, and his website is climbingarborist.com.

Here is a link to his biography page, which explains where he's coming from with the site.

http://www.climbingarborist.com/about.php

It is better to view his videos on his own site, because they are all arranged by category there. Like a whole section of videos just about the knots. Another on climbing systems, etc. He has a presence on YouTube, also, I believe, but things are more randomized there, I think. At his own site, you can study intensely one area of interest at a time, easily, without pulling your hair out trying to find the darn things.

The fact that Daniel had assembled all of this information in one place, in one cohesive, progressive package, is what allowed me to believe it might be possible to learn how to climb on my own.

This forum and others have been great places to learn, also, but it is more fragmented and specific. Kind of like filling in all the details that one has questions about.

Daniel's video series is a place to go to learn and get up to speed pretty quickly on different aspects of arb work, and the fact that it's in video format makes it a lot easier to understand what's going on, and how to do things. It can be very tough to get across ideas about techniques involving physical things through words alone.

I confess that I haven't been keeping up with his website in quite a while, and now when I go back there to provide you with the links, I find he's got a whole new section dealing with SRT techniques, and more in that section planned for the future.

I know I'm kind of rambling here, I'm just trying to convey what a great thing he's done, and why I think you should spend some time there. Just the knot videos will make it all worthwhile.

Thanks for putting up with my yammering.

Tim

P.S. To Butch, thank you for having a big heart, too, in allowing the posting of links to other websites and even other arb forums. I went to one chainsaw forum that had a list of rules, one of which was to prohibit such activity. I couldn't believe it.

So, thanks again.

 

[Tim_B.]

Ok, I found this recent thread so you all don't have to wear out your fingers typing names of ropes again. Anyone change their ropes or hitchcord recently?

2016 and HitchHiker. can you help me RE: Static lines
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur...&share_tid=19766&share_fid=18574&share_type=t


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Hey, Eric! When I try to click on this link using my Samsung handheld computer I get a message that tells me that the protocol is not supported, and I see a blank white page. Just so you know.

Maybe someone else can post the link for you in a standard format.

Thanks.

Tim