How to be an excellent groundman

[Mick!]

You can talk yourself out of making any sort of investment.

What did the guy say ‘if you think you can’t do it, or you think you can, you’re right’

 

[Frankie]

That was Henry Ford and it’s truth ...

 

[flushcut]

This thread needs a bump.

 

[stikine]

This thread needs a bump.

Haha, The Frankster lives again...sort of!

 

[Mick!]

I’d add a few thoughts.
There’s a difference between the way a two man team and a three/four man team operates.
On a two man team the climber has to be much more mindful of the groundies work flow.
Come down and help during the job if possible.
Lower limbs on a rope (even if not strictly necessary) so he can get it in the chipper easier.
The climber can pull the rigging rope himself after a lower to save the groundies time/effort.

 

[SeanKroll]

The climber can lower a lot of things for themselves, too.

 

[biggun]

I find on a two man crew it usually is a lot more efficient to use a speed line on a lowering job.

Takes around d the same amount of time to set up and the drag can sometimes be halved or more with the assist of gravity, a few slings and an anchor.

Obviously, not every job but you get my meaning, if something below the tree has to be saved from impact then zip it away.

 

[SeanKroll]

100%.

A climber can easily tension and slack a speed line (foot ascender can be helpful, with or without controlling a lowering line, IME. An elevated bottom-end of speedline termination sometimes helps.

As well, this can be done well while solo work forethought, and possibly more than one speed line.


If I'm solo, I'll sometimes double-whip tackle my Wraptor down a line (using a climb line tail, or dedicated speedline with the climb line or rigging line for lowering).

 

[Burnham]

I think being a solo op as climber/groundsman combo really teaches interesting development of alternate techniques.

 

[SeanKroll]

Makes having assistance even more productive.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I more make my rope man or single groundsman haul the rope back up to me.
My thoughts.
He has to manage the rope, if I haul the rope, he then has a tangled pile of shat to sort before the next piece. I'll then rig while he moves the last piece we just took off rope.
Hauling a line back as the climber often has the disadvantage of the rigging being equal or not far above your work postion. Cant really pull much length at a time and hard on the body. Less advantageous. But again, more so about the mess someone will have to sort out. Solved by the ground just flaking the rope.

If I am lowering to one guy, I'll have him catch the piece and then I'll take over. Safer for all involved.

Solo, I can if needed. Retrieve and do again.
Speedline, set the tied off base and work the line into the tree. Tension on a mini porty. Often this is done with a throw line prior to ascent. Line is now already awaiting my arrival to fix onto the porty and redirecct with slings etc.
Plan accourdingly.