What tool or method do you use to determine your elevation when in a tree?

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RajElectric said:
I think Nick from Wi has a Youtube video where he put a coloured stitch to mark the middle of his SRT line.

Just a though, anyone have GPS on their phone with an altitude reading?
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I've had a few ropes over the years with different length marks on them. It's super helpful.

The GPS apps can tell you the estimated altitude but you can sit there and watch it change by 50 ft while you're sitting perfectly still.

Try an app called See Level. If you can get an accurate length measurement, it can give you a very accurate height measurement...like measuring 80ft tall tree from 60-160 ft away to within 1-5 ft plus or minus depending on whether or not you're using a tripod. Nowhere near as good as a range finder, but then again, it only costs maybe 99 cents.
 
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MasterBlaster said:
I have all ya'll beat at 420 and 350 feet.

4721645679_78df658719.jpg
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MasterBlaster said:
No lanyard used on the ascent at all. Just three point free climbing.
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Would you lanyard off on the way up periodically in order to take a rest? I'd think otherwise you might run the risk of having some particular muscle get exhausted, and be without a way to stop and recover.

You definitely have bigger coconuts than I do. I'd need to be wearing an adult diaper to climb something that tall, out in the open, no tie-off. :lol:

Tim
 
Remember, this was a long time ago.

The last time I called Butch Shurley, he didn't answer the phone. The bastidge!
 
SouthSoundTree- said:
I bet a clinometer and a tape measure to be the most accurate, inexpensive tool, if you can get the appropriate distance away. possibly 66', one 'chain', IIRC. Someone help me out. The clino can compensate for looking uphill/ down hill or a combo of uphill and downhill to sight the top and base of the tree.
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From the thread I linked earlier...any distance works so long as you can see the top, or whatever point you wish to measure the height to, with the right calculations as described in the following post.

https://www.masterblasterhome.com/s...-of-the-dangle&p=232327&viewfull=1#post232327
 
Thank you, Burnham for clearing that up. I haven't used it much.

Are you familiar with the method of standing a 'chain' length, (66' right?), and measure, maybe using the other scale, degrees? Similar idea of measuring to the base and top. Looking down at a negative angle at the base, meant adding, looking up at a positive angle mean subtracting the two measures. I learned it from a USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit employee, Dan somebody, a senior employee, C cert, maybe you know/ knew him. Maybe close in age to you. Big FS.
 
Old fart, you mean :D.

I learned the chain distance method a thousand or so years ago, but in my working group we all threw that away due to the far more useful method I described, allowing the stand examiner to find the exact best spot to get accurate height measurements for a really good stand exam product. At this point, I'd be rambling to recount it. My silviculture ops group considered anyone who "had" to be a chain (66 feet) out to make a height measurement as short on expertise.
 
You method is a lot more effective. Being able to stand far, far back can add a lot to accuracy, as you mentioned, in certain situations like an obstructed view. Having to go that far away can be ineffective for a lot of residential settings, due to a fence/ building/ etc.

From what I foggily recall, clino's can be had for around $100 at Madsen's, probably cheaper online. Very useful, thank you. After the close cottonwood shot of Xmas eve, a little more accuracy of measurement would be nice. $100 doesn't go very far at a repair of a building which has met a battering ram. Clino goes on 'the list'.
 
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Burnham said:
From the thread I linked earlier...any distance works so long as you can see the top, or whatever point you wish to measure the height to, with the right calculations as described in the following post.

https://www.masterblasterhome.com/s...-of-the-dangle&p=232327&viewfull=1#post232327
Click to expand...

Thanks for this link to your old, invaluable post. I'm saving that page as a favorite place.

Off topic, possible minor derail, but a long time ago I purchased two of the Rock Exotica caribiners that you'd recommended to me as your favorites. I find I do prefer the motion required to open them to other carabiners, and the quality is just great, as you said. I just wish they would make a version as big as the Petzl William carabiner. I won't hesitate to buy more in the future where the smaller size is not an issue.

Thanks, x2. :thumbup:

Tim
 
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RajElectric said:
Less experienced!?!? That's me!

After topping and removing many sections off the top I'll get to a point where "I'll feel" the rest will fit in a suitable drop zone. I'll have at somewhat a mid point on my SRT climb line an alpine Butterfly to a metal link of some sort capturing the climb side of the SRT line, cinching on a spar. So after descent, I'll tie a knot in the non- climbing side of the SRT line, the "retrieval" side, at ground level. From this knot to the alpine butterfly will be the length of the trunk left standing. If need be I can lay out knot to knot to make sure the drop will fit an area. Or I'll measure, by arms span, counting. My arms span is about 5ft.
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Thanks for this clarification. I can see my long post previous to this was one large misinterpretation. Having said that, I believe your technique will work for both determining whether the remainder of a spar will fit in the area available, as well as whether or not your climbing line remaining will reach the ground.

I really love this forum. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread for all of the great information. Just being forced to think about things I don't quite understand as of yet leads to useful ideas and knowledge. This place just feels like home to me.

Tim
 
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Thanks for that link, Burnham. I was unaware of that product offering. I will save that page as a favorite place, also. It will probably be the next carabiner that I buy, when funds permit. I don't mind paying a premium for quality, especially when it comes to stainless steel. Thanks again for the "heads up".

Tim
 
Just be aware that it opens the other way round from everything else.
Drove me mad enough to make me give mine away.
 
Tim_B. said:
Thanks for this. I'd read about Jerry's 18% rule before, thanks for the reminder. I'm not at the stage as a climber where I'll utilize it yet, but your post points out a really good reason to want to be able to accurately assess one's elevation in a dynamic and continuously changing circumstance. Thanks for taking the time to post.

Tim

P.S. It seems like an accurate rangefinder tool would be the perfect tool for someone like you, as frequently as you need to reassess the situation. I just don't know yet whether or not any of the sub $100.00 ones are any good or not. Amazon has a few like that, but I need to do more reading.
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Thanks a ton Tim. I could probably deeply benefit from trying to pick one of those up. Amazon eh? I'll check it out.
 
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