Am I the only one who gets this scared?

[david1332]

With a throw line? Lol.
And a basal srt anchor on a f8.

I use a friction saver when I climb drt


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Well duh lol
I meant if you were hand throwing or using a big shot or APTA. One of the benifits of SRT is being able to get that perfect TIP and using those systems really help

 

[96coal449]

I get nervie sometimes to this day. Mostly in tall skinny stuff. I hate tall skinny spars. The three bad rides I have experienced were all in 4-3'' diam. negative top riggs. Each time the green groundie did not let it ride, and each time I was gaffed out from the shock load. Luckily each time I put my flip line in choking fashion and have my climbing line tied in a Blake's hitch with my bridge shortened up so there's no slack to the spar. Now every time I rig out a top in this method I get a bit nervous ... especially with someone green on the ground.
Sometimes when it's a little breezy, I get a bit nervous and remind myself what my brother told me some time ago. " Your just an ant in that tree." In another words that tree doesn't even 'know' your there, weight wise. I just make sure the tree is sound in structure. If it's healthy .... all go. If not I start looking for alternatives. A neighboring tree to tie into, a crane, etc.

 

[Mel]

Well duh lol
I meant if you were hand throwing or using a big shot or APTA. One of the benifits of SRT is being able to get that perfect TIP and using those systems really help

Haha ohhhh

I hand throw as much as I can, if not I'll big shot it. What I like best about srt is no more having to isolate the branch for drt. Shoot it, if it's captured in a crotch then it's good. Then a good bounce test at around 5-10ft.


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[david1332]

Haha ohhhh

I hand throw as much as I can, if not I'll big shot it. What I like best about srt is no more having to isolate the branch for drt. Shoot it, if it's captured in a crotch then it's good. Then a good bounce test at around 5-10ft.


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Gotcha, I big shot 95% of the time since most of my tie ins are at around 65' or higher. It's a nice tool to have in the box, but I'm honking about building myself an APTA. Should be really cool

 

[96coal449]

I'm honking about building myself an APTA.

I was thinking the same ... then i bought one from TS. The quality of it and the butter fly dump valve made it well worth it. @Dave Rohach may have one available for you. If I remember correctly his was the older ball valve though.

 

[Frax]

I climb both but I just recently got the kit for srt and I'm enjoying it so it's my go-to right now.
So you mean something like the running alpine butterfly-type retrievable anchor method?


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Exactly. Choke it to the main stem. It sucks to climb when you have to wonder about your tie-in.

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[david1332]

I was thinking the same ... then i bought one from TS. The quality of it and the butter fly dump valve made it well worth it. @Dave Rohach may have one available for you. If I remember correctly his was the older ball valve though.

I'm sure I could get quality pipe and a stellar valve from a local plumbing supply shop no?

 

[Jem4417]

Haha ohhhh

I hand throw as much as I can, if not I'll big shot it. What I like best about srt is no more having to isolate the branch for drt. Shoot it, if it's captured in a crotch then it's good. Then a good bounce test at around 5-10ft.


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I find that saying you don't have to isolate srt base tie Is a bit misleading. It's correct on the fact that you don't have to isolate around your primary suspension but I feel to get the full benefit of loading your tip with a base tie you can direct your line around branches on the way down to reduce the load at the crotch. So number one it doesn't see the two to one factor and number two the friction created on the the other branches reduces the bounce you feel with twice as much rope. So your correct that a complete isolation is unnecessary but not only is it inefficient to just "drape" the line over the primary suspension point but it is more beneficial to lead the trowball over specific crotches to have a more favorable climbing set up

 

[Treezybreez]

I can remember the first time that I took a tree down on spikes. It was a spindly sweet gum that gave me a good scare when I topped it. I was using the Old leather T pads and the spike shanks would rub the inside of my calves so raw that I couldn't think about anything but the pain. A combination of pain and getting used to the way a tree is supposed to sway gave me the confidence that I needed at the time. Certain trees still bother me on occasion, but usually those are the ones that shouldn't be climbed anyway.

Different people learn well through different teaching techniques. I thrived under the military like teaching that my first boss gave me. I was determined to do or die trying. A young guy who works for me does not do well under that kind of teaching, because he takes everything personally. Instead he excels when you comment him on what he does correctly with a little correction added her or there.

It could be you just need to spend some time chill time in a tree after hours, when you can get used to the sway at your own pace.

Cheers from SC

 

[96coal449]

I'm sure I could get quality pipe and a stellar valve from a local plumbing supply shop no?

I sure you could find pipe there. But then you'll have a heavy anchor. You won't be disappointed with the TS version. Thick walled aluminum tube.

 

[treegongfu]

I am most comfortable with a base tie utilizing redirects to get better angles.

You can also cut the tree in such a way as to improve its structure during a removal.


After following all the good advice here: when I'm nervous I can sometimes narrow my focus and just concentrate on climbing up a few feet to where I need to get to. I don't think about the height or where I am I just climb, scrabble and pull myself up.

 

[DSMc]

.....to get the full benefit of loading your tip with a base tie you can direct your line around branches on the way down to reduce the load at the crotch.....

Yes! The potential for redirecting force with an SRT/SRS system is phenomenal and in most cases not achievable with a moving rope system.

 

[RopeShield]

http://www.treebuzz.com/forum/threads/web-bridge-and-limb-fail.35225/#post-519945
this thread may help
just spend more time free climbing small trees. small removals tie in and see what it takes with your own weight to fracture or snap limbs.
it takes time to gain the knowledge just be observant and keep loading wood to failure when ever possible, on the ground, in the air, all the time for measurable
climbing trees is easy - staying alive is the real hard learning curve. if your lucky in your career bruising and minor fracturing will be all

 

[Fairfield]

I am curious (because I see this mentioned a lot during these types of conversations and forums), what do you consider a "major force" at your redirect during climbing? To further the thought on it, what interior angle of the line is your personal " getting into danger zone"? For example, a highland or track line (depending on operation) has a widely excepted angle of 120 that you do not want to pass, unless other variables are met first.

 

[DSMc]

For me, I don't look at the load as in how much but how it is applied. When possible, I will go for angles as open as I can get them to reduce force multipliers with the angles equally divided on both sides of the suspension point to ensure that the force is being applied in compression.

 

[Scheffa]

What I have found is that trusting your gear takes time, learning to trust the tree takes knowledge gained over time.
By knowing the species you are working in the characteristics of it really help to understand what is safe and what isn't.
I found doing lone clearance work where I may climb 20 or more trees a day really helped me to understand the trees and the way that they move and respond to different forces

 

[JontreeHI]

I got started climbing mostly coconut palms with spikes. Not uncommon to find yourself at 60-70', in 10-20 mph trade winds, tied in at about 5 in diameter. Those babies can swing 8-12 feet off center pretty easily. I was scared all the time, but fortunately if you're good with a cane knife you only need to be up there about ten min or so before the work is done. I used to focus on my breathing, work a mantra ("I am a part of this cycle"), and zone in only on the work to do and get the hell out.
I've been in Oregon for about 4 years now, learning tons and growing lots. X2 on studying biomechanics and familiarizing yourself with species etc. also sharing the loads between multiple TIPs and rigging points is major, and using multiple ropes/climbing systems is huge for me.
Sounds like your foreman is a dick. Don't let him rush you, and if he is, go beyond him to his superior to discuss the serious safety concerns involved with a leader who values production over humans.
For what it's worth, when we visit in laws in HI, I am quite fearful of coconuts, including/especially some that I have climbed previously, often many times.
Some one once told me that being afraid isn't reason enough not to do something you want to do.
Nausea sounds like breath management might help, slow belly breaths. Cool thread

 

[Leroy]

Yes, good thread. There was one year when I felt really confident in big "sketchy" trees. Then, something happened... I just can't do it anymore.

 

[evo]

Yes, good thread. There was one year when I felt really confident in big "sketchy" trees. Then, something happened... I just can't do it anymore.

Same here, but I know what happened. My mentor, roommate, and socially adopted family member (who my son called Grandpa) had a 30' hemlock fail from under him, and he broke his neck on impact. As per his wife's wishes, we brought his body home for 4 days. It was a very intense time.
My climbing has taken a serious toll since, it's been about 7 years and just now feeling like I'm picking up where I left off...

 

[96coal449]

Yes, good thread. There was one year when I felt really confident in big "sketchy" trees. Then, something happened... I just can't do it anymore.

I'm the same way now myself now Levi. Sometimes anyway. I talk myself past it and push through. Once I get some weight off, to equalize my own, I find myself back in my own zone again.