Gaffing out?

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For what its worth, I usually route my climbing line through the biner on my handsaw (left hip, 9 oclock) and into my rope bag (7:00), with my climbing saw on my right hip (3:00). If I leave my bag on the ground, my rope doesn't want to go under a spur easily. If I don't have it clipped into my handsaw's biner, I drape it over my foot down to the ground. I don't really look down a lot, and tend to drag my foot up the tree, a bit Braille-like, and just step up. Works for me. I'm not going to jinx myself about spurring a rope.

A 540 degree lanyard wrap is good for positioning on skinny tops, and leaning stems.

Core strength helps a lot, by the way. Its something to train, as needed, as much as the other stuff.
 
stig said:
An 18 year old kid just found that out in Copenhagen yesterday.
Climbed up on a train and touched the hot wire......Puff!
No alcohol involved, just youthful stupidity according to the police.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't remember being that stupid, even at 18.
Click to expand...
Maybe not that stupid, but...
Had a guy here trying to get a boat under the neutral, climbed up, grabbed the neutral and stood up, putting his shoulder into the primary (7,200v). He then fell 20 something feet and landed on the pavement. Believe it or not, he survived, minus his arm and what small amount of good sense he may have previously possessed.
 
It might be silly but I have started using 2 lanyards. When I get to a limb I need to cross over I flip my lose lanyard over, cinch it up then unclip the other one. that way I am always tied in. If I shot my climbing up or already have it set on tip I just usually swap over. It's probably just me but it just makes me feel good to always be tied in and even have 2 tie in's at all times.
 
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Gauge , yea bud I always use my climb line as my main and I also test the other life support before I unclip and rely on one or the other. Takes a lil time but hopefully that won't get me fired....I might try the two flip line thing when I can get some money up and get me another rope grab. Thanks man....
 
Gauge said:
It might be silly but I have started using 2 lanyards. When I get to a limb I need to cross over I flip my lose lanyard over, cinch it up then unclip the other one. that way I am always tied in. If I shot my climbing up or already have it set on tip I just usually swap over. It's probably just me but it just makes me feel good to always be tied in and even have 2 tie in's at all times.
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Normal SOP, not silly at all if you are just spurs and flipline climbing without setting a climb line, which is also a perfectly normal and accepted method.
 
Yep...the two lanyard procedure would have saved me a broken wrist when I was learning to climb...in those days you just held on with one hand while unclipping the lanyard and advancing it past the blocking limb. What a dumb way to climb. I didn't have sense to think of using a two lanyard system...and no one teaching me was smart enough to do it either. Savvy teachers are awesome. So-so teachers can get you hurt.
 
Two fliplines when spurring up to TIP. One regular, one steelcore. Occasional cuts on the way up. Once desired TIP is reached, coil up steel-core and leave at TIP. Brush tree out. Grab steel core for top and blocking remaining wood. Very efficient and safe for single stem conifers, and lots of trees IMO.
 
Bixler said:
Two fliplines when spurring up to TIP. One regular, one steelcore. Occasional cuts on the way up. Once desired TIP is reached, coil up steel-core and leave at TIP. Brush tree out. Grab steel core for top and blocking remaining wood. Very efficient and safe for single stem conifers, and lots of trees IMO.
Click to expand...

That's an interesting approach, Bixler...thanks for sharing that. Using the steel core as an ancillary lanyard sounds good. I enjoy my regular lanyard, haven't wanted to use a steel core all the time...just using it for blocking sounds good...thanks.
 
I use one lanyard, and one climbing system. They are really a short and long version of the same thing, different materials.

I have a 15' steel core, or 30' rope lanyard, onto which I'll add another hitch and termination biner, I think. I switched over from a rope grab on steel core flipline to a hitch to lower out more easily, and have a cuttable link at the hitch in case if a stem split, as well as being able to release under load.

I like to be able to reach the ground at all to times.
 
I think the reference was not flipping 2 at once or doing like Gerry and advancing one and then the other but more climbing with one till you get to a limb, installing the second over the limb and then unhooking the first. Just a way to be tied in at all times.
 
Yes I alternate as well, i was just saying it doesn't hurt to stay clipped in on the one, then unclip after you crossover a branch with the other.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
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Good advice Gauge...I use my climb line as alt. lanyard. One less thing on my saddle, I don't like sounding like a change machine when I walk with my saddle on . From what I have been finding out you really don't need a whole lot of fancy gear plus the marble kitchen sink to get a tree down saftley and timely. What part of Tennessee are u in ? I lived in Clarksville for like 4 yrs when I was in the army.
 
Very true but I have seen a couple trees lately where that tip looked like a death trap once I got up to it and was glad I alternated twice on the way up.
 
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