Maine climber killed in accident

There is usually more to the story than what some news reporter puts out. Things the reporter doesn't understand about tree work. Such would be the case here. I get cutting through a life support line, but what about his second tie in? He was pulled to the ground by the falling top. Why? Was he tied into the top as well? Lots of question unanswered with this report. Be interesting to know the entire picture.
From first glance it seems he topped the tree when his main climb line was still attached up there. Came close to doing that myself once. But topping a tree with your climb line still up there, and, cutting through your lanyard (or second tie in) also seems like a lot of recklessness was going on without supervision.
Bad deal though.
 
Shadowscape said:
There is usually more to the story than what some news reporter puts out. Things the reporter doesn't understand about tree work. Such would be the case here. I get cutting through a life support line, but what about his second tie in? He was pulled to the ground by the falling top. Why? Was he tied into the top as well? Lots of question unanswered with this report. Be interesting to know the entire picture.
From first glance it seems he topped the tree when his main climb line was still attached up there. Came close to doing that myself once. But topping a tree with your climb line still up there, and, cutting through your lanyard (or second tie in) also seems like a lot of recklessness was going on without supervision.
Bad deal though.
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I had the same thought, lots of unanswered questions which only leaves us with speculation. Definitely some human error (or multiple errors), but of course still tragic.
 
Shadowscape said:
There is usually more to the story than what some news reporter puts out. Things the reporter doesn't understand about tree work. Such would be the case here. I get cutting through a life support line, but what about his second tie in? He was pulled to the ground by the falling top. Why? Was he tied into the top as well? Lots of question unanswered with this report. Be interesting to know the entire picture.
From first glance it seems he topped the tree when his main climb line was still attached up there. Came close to doing that myself once. But topping a tree with your climb line still up there, and, cutting through your lanyard (or second tie in) also seems like a lot of recklessness was going on without supervision.
Bad deal though.
Click to expand...
That's almost exactly what I was wondering based on the limited and often mistaken information reporters give.
 
Made my notch cut and was wondering why a couple of damn ropes were in my way when I went to make the back cut. Scared the hell out of myself when I realized what I was about to do. I was pretty high and it was a big top. Would not have ended well at all. Promised myself I would always, ALWAYS check and recheck before topping a tree, or any part of a tree for climb lines in, or climb lines beneath that might get hooked. Seems like I spend a lot of time checking, but it has paid off more than once.
 
I learned a procedure from Paolo Bavaresco...designer of the Treeflex saddle.

Whenever a climber was going to be secured to the climbing line will cutting the same stem a person is detailed as the shadow.

The ONLY thing a shadow does is stand outside the drop zone holding the tail of the climber's rope. They monitor what the climber is cutting so they don't cut themselves out. A true double check on the climber.
 
Back in the day my friend cut the top out while still tied in. He looked up and spied his rope up there as the top was starting to go, his thought was "this is going to hurt".

He quickly loosened his taut line and he was able to let his line run thru it with the falling top. He didn't get pulled outta the tree but did burn his hand.
 
cory said:
Back in the day my friend cut the top out while still tied in. He looked up and spied his rope up there as the top was starting to go, his thought was "this is going to hurt".

He quickly loosened his taut line and he was able to let his line run thru it with the falling top. He didn't get pulled outta the tree but did burn his hand.
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If he had time to loosen his hitch why didn't he just unclip? Assuming he was lanyarded in.
 
cory said:
Back in the day my friend cut the top out while still tied in. He looked up and spied his rope up there as the top was starting to go, his thought was "this is going to hurt".

He quickly loosened his taut line and he was able to let his line run thru it with the falling top. He didn't get pulled outta the tree but did burn his hand.
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I watched a guy working for me do this exact thing with a good sized pine top. We were all yelling at him trying to get his attention. Same result with burned hand.

We had a local tree service owner make almost the same mistake. He had rappelled back into the bucket to cut the top. His system was still tied in as he took the top. It pulled him out of the bucket and down with the top, killing him.
 
southsoundtree said:
I never cut faces while tied into the top.
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I do, but only on big sections where it helps me get around to put a good facecut in.
On things big enough to merit that my focus is already enough to ensure I untie before making the back cut.
Had a mate retopping multiple regrowth on a lombardy pop, maybe 10 stems. Roped high up in the biggest, started felling the others, did the one he was on without realizing, luckily it hung up in the others, no damage done.
@cory, ninja move by your buddy. Better than trying and failing to unclip in a split second.
 
On large sections where I'm not working against the lean, I commonly use Gord's Magic Cut, rather than a facecut with hinge, as is very effective, somewhat directional, predictable, fast, easy, and no risk of saw-snatching when double-cutting.

It does require a little more time standing in spurs while putting in the first horizontal kerf and snipe than being supported by rope while fiddling with a hinge (more time consuming on big cuts, especially more than bar length cuts).

I prefer keeping aerial cutting down to a modded MS460 with a 28", ideally, or 32" max. I don't care for the MS661/ 36" or 42" when I can avoid it.
 
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