What is the Circle of Death?

[SeanKroll]

Fair enough. Well done.

I wouldn't want to approach a situation with a cut-my-way-out plan. I'll use a rope lanyard without a stopper knot for full stregth connection. Length has to be long enough, and short enough.

 

[pantheraba]

Hell, I dunno... it actually mostly happens when you have a heavy leaner and for some reason you back off on the cut, instead of going for it.

Here's one where I had the luck of seeing a tear/split start in a leaner. I had a tie-in in the tree behind and was able to abandon the one starting to split. If I had been lanyarded in normally when it split the results would have been catastrophic.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sZ02XShWlNM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

It's like Rich said...learning to recognize the potential danger and not being there for the danger is the best answer. Learning by trial and error in treework is tough...a good mentor is a big deal.

Awareness, strength, stamina, analysis go a long ways to help with survival.

 

[Grendel]

Thats so gnarly.

 

[SeanKroll]

Gary, to what did you attribute that peel?

 

[pantheraba]

I think my face cut may have been too shallow...as I made the face cut I ran into "space" where I did not expect any...the tree was hollow. There was a goodly amount of head lean so I was a bit skittish already. I thought there would be some hingewood...was not much there. When I sensed/saw something amiss I got the f* out of Dodge...and told my bud with the big Bobcat to pull. That exacerbated the split.

It may be that if I had just gunned the back cut I could have beat the split. I didn't have the kind of experience for that thought to even cross my mind when the split started. Something was very amiss from my usual experience of topping a tree.

In hindsight I could have put a binder (chain or strap) on the tree...I have done that on the ground but not up in a tree. I'll be curious to hear if anyone binds tops before they cut them.

 

[Mick!]

Good vid, thanks for posting. A reminder for us all.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

Not under tension Sean. I think Grendel posted a video with an old wire core that he just tapped with the saw and it went just like a standard lanyard.

Share this video
https://youtu.be/6iERnPNlWe8

For me, it's doubtful that this vid shows a steel core lanyard. Look at the end when the lanyard falls on the ground : way too snaky for a steel rope. You never get a so small loop with a free fall, excepted if a knot was tied and chocked on it previously (which is very unlikely on this sort of gear).

 

[Raj]

https://youtu.be/QEyXoCwLOP0

Sorry. Can't embed from my phone.

 

[Grendel]

For me, it's doubtful that this vid shows a steel core lanyard. Look at the end when the lanyard falls on the ground : way too snaky for a steel rope. You never get a so small loop with a free fall, excepted if a knot was tied and chocked on it previously (which is very unlikely on this sort of gear).

12' Yale Maxi-Flip Sport. I've still got the pieces. . .

 

[SeriousTreesAZ]

Yeah those types of situations suck... not sure if it would actually help in the event of a split but whenever I am topping a lead or working down a spar, (Okay maybe 75% of the time) I 360 wrap the Lanyard on the spar as well as choke the climb system with either my friction saver or just the climb system itself right before making cuts. Anyone have some solid input on this?

 

[MasterBlaster]

What does the 360 accomplish as far as surviving a barberchair aloft?

 

[SeriousTreesAZ]

What does the 360 accomplish as far as surviving a barberchair aloft?

Might give you more time to see the split coming? I don't know that's why I'm asking. I have never even seen it happen. Heard of it though. Only seeking input here.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Cool.

But, I can't see how you're tied in will increase your vision or your awareness.

 

[Grendel]

I figure there are a couple ways that can go. On a tear out or a "light" split, having wrapped your lanyard, or terminated your climb line on your bridge might do the trick, and stop the split or tear out from smashing you against the stem. On something like Gary's oak, not much is going to save you there, except a means to bail out, maybe a breakaway, like zip ties or a key ring holding the lanyard snap to your hip rings, but even then it could go really bad. . .

 

[MasterBlaster]

I don't think it will help much to stop the split.

 

[stig]

I'll be curious to hear if anyone binds tops before they cut them.

On dubious trees and heavy leaners I put a locking chain over and one under the cut.

That way I can futz around as much as I want and not get hurt anyway.

We top out quite a few hazard trees for the Forestry Service every year.
They typically want the stem left for wildlife/fungus habitat, so taking the top out in one go is usually the fastest and easiest way.
Makes for some big top drops. Some of them I honestly wouldn't consider doing without chaining them.

 

[Altissimus]

Yes ... cheap , easy , effective.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

12' Yale Maxi-Flip Sport. I've still got the pieces. . .

Thanks Grendel, I stand corrected.


I saw this vid years ago, and he wasn't very successful in his attempt to cut the lanyard and that's stuck in my mind, even if I know it's doable.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0h0x08KDSMQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Marc-Antoine]

It seems I didn't look at it close enough at the time.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Siw0nXZVi9E" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[rfwoody]

It is called a BOLA, I designed it as a lanyard adjuster that will release when weighted. Here is a video John made that shows its use better than my poor description.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNNaaQ_L_A8

Thanks surveyor. That is remarkable that you designed/built this device!

 

[rfwoody]

BOLA is awesome. Best lanyard adjuster ive used by far.
What Gordon means is that you clip back into the bola like you would a hitchclimber system. This isolates your body from a spar split but it makes for awkward positioning as you need to tie in to your bridge instead of the d's. You can do this with any lanyard setup by just clipping back into your bridge ring. As the spar splits it expands into the closed loop the lanyard makes that you are not a part of, and are free to unclip and descend on your backup/climbline.

greengreer, that makes sense about expanding into the closed loop instead of into the climber.

If I wasn't a total novice, I might go with this.... but I would want to get something more "mainstream" (e.g. from Treestuff).

Are there any other lanyard adjuster type devices that would do the same thing? (no offence at all intended to surveyor as I have very high respect for his ability to design and make such a thing!).

 

[rfwoody]

This can happen with tare-outs too, it's not just splitting. Just a big gob of bark can rip down your lanyard and slam you into the trunk. Terminating your lanyard on your bridge ring, along with a any number of other methods to keep your torso behind the loop, as opposed to in it.

There are a few cuts your can use to minimize this risk. Bore cutting and releasing, using stop cuts on the sides to prevent tear outs from propagating past a certain point, facing stuff up true to it's favor, binding the stem with ratchet straps, ext. . .

You want to stay out of it is all I can add. Learning to cut for the situation is the biggest thing but isolating your lanyard and a separate tie in point should be used as well for those times you guess wrong.
And I'm guessing one doesn't need to be quick with a knife when the 200T is already in hand and running. It was for me. Cut the lanyard and take the not so delightful swing. Sucks but your intestines don't come out your asshole.

Thanks Sam, treebilly.

Are there any mainstream lanyard adjusters (or would a prussik hitch of some kind work?) ... that would expand with the splitting wood if the whole lanyard loop were attached to your saddle bridge?

 

[rfwoody]

Breakaway attachments are better than trying to cut your lanyard.

Sean, what is (an example of) a breakaway attachment?

As I saw someone else call it... like a "fuse"?

Isn't there a danger of the breakaway attachment failing when you don't want it too (and one would fall?).

 

[rfwoody]

I wasn't prepared - just aware and reactive.

This seems to sum up a lot of the posts about cutting the lanyard in an emergency.

Being older and slower, while hoping to be 100% aware and reactive --- I want to do whatever extra stuff necessary to be prepared.

So is an "expandable" lanyard with both ends attached to the saddle bridge a way to avoid this catastrophe?

 

[rfwoody]

Fair enough. Well done.

I wouldn't want to approach a situation with a cut-my-way-out plan. I'll use a rope lanyard without a stopper knot for full stregth connection. Length has to be long enough, and short enough.

Sean, would you elaborate on the "rope lanyard without a stopper knot" .... would this allow the lanyard to expand/adjust bigger if the tree was to split?