Rigging out a root-sprung leaner

Burnham

Woods walker
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Mar 7, 2005
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I've been compiling a set of photos for inclusion on the USFS Treeclimbing progam website, and though y'all might enjoy some of these from one of our advanced rigging workshops. I may have posted a few these before, but if so it's been one or two versions of the THouse ago :).

This was a training excercise, on a windthrown leaner, a Doug fir about 100 feet tall. We set two climb lines in adjacent trees, one on each side of the leaner, so if our climber lost footing, no pendulum swings would occur.

We then set up a zipline and dumped the top and short logs off onto it, transfering their weight into a third neighboring tree to take the shock before loading the zip fully and pulling them off to the side with a haulout/back carriage.

It took 4 guys on the ground to run all the ropes. This is certainly the most complex rigging system I've ever helped set up and run.

The last 40 foot section was a controlled drop/letdown with two control lines. I faced it very wide and the hinge never broke as we laid it down on the ground in slow motion. Two ropemen on this.

Here's the pics of rigging out the top and upper sections.
 

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  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #2
And the controlled fell.

Hey, notice that orange saw in my hands? Just to show that I can make a non-Stihl work if I have to :D.
 

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Dumb question, as woods is woods for this city slicker, but why couldn't you freefall the pieces? I like the double tie in for the climber on such an unstable tree.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9
Dumb question, as woods is woods for this city slicker, but why couldn't you freefall the pieces? I like the double tie in for the climber on such an unstable tree.

Totally a training excercise, Brian. That's the only reason.
 
Oh, cool. How wonderful to be able to do that when there isn't the potential for $10K of property damage on the line. :thumbup:
 
Nice pics Burnham.

How's a fella get to work at the FS tree climbing school/ program? Probably all full. Only climber jobs on USAJOBS are east coast.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #13
Actually, to the best of my knowlege (which by all rights ought to be complete on this subject :)), there are no USFS employees whose job description is "tree climber". Everyone involved with the climbing program has other duties that are their primary work. We do climbing work, instruction, etc. on a project-funded basis, as the work comes along and we can fit it in around our primary duties.

I spent the first 25 years of my FS career as a reforestation specialist...it was there that I got into climbing, to help meet the need for planting stock by harvesting cones for seed planted in nurseries, and grafting scion for seed orchards. I currently work as an civil engineering technician, doing road system management and maintenance. At least the silviculture job had a major tie-in to the climbing program...the only reason I can continue to work in the climbing program as an instructor, evaluating facilitator, national program technical advisor and regional program coordinator is that by the time I had to take another position due to my refor job being abolished...no brag, just fact...I'd acquired the reputation of being the premier climbing instructor in the Forest Service, the most accomplished technical expert in the climbing program nationally. Important people far above me in the organization insisted that I keep my roles associated with the national treeclimbing program and provide some funding to make that happen, and my current supervisor accepted that pre-condition when selecting me.

So, get a field job with the FS, then search out opportunities to get the training and chase the project work...that's your route to a FS climbing career :).
 
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  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15
Oh...those jobs you are seeing on the east coast are most likely with APHIS, which is in the same Dept. of Agriculture that the USFS is, but is a different agency. They lead the ALB eradication efforts. Lots of FS climbers take temporary details in to help with that, but are FS employees. Those APHIS climbing jobs are the only full time tree climbing jobs in the US Govt., I think.
 
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Yes, B., they're with APHIS. A thread with some job info is in Announcements (hopefully the best place for it).

I meant that as far as fed gov't jobs, the only ones I found were with APHIS, not to imply with USFS. I'll take your info that the APHIS positions are likely the only designated climbing positions for the federal level.
 
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respect is what I have for you Burnham 100%, love the way your free with the info, and the subject so far has always been cool to read or look at!
 
Good show, Burnham...thanks for taking the time to share that. It is good to see what is possible with good gear, good rigging and especially good thinking. You showing your trainees how much control can be exerted over a large dangerous piece of a tree has to be an enlightening experience for your students.8)
 
Great pics Burnham.
That is one thing I miss about working for the Forest service: being able to take a day out of the scedule and set something like that up, just to educate the apprentices.
 
I was wonderin' if they use friction savers on the climb lines! And how the speed line was set up! But yeah Jay, having someone around to show the set-up is cool!
 
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