Brotherhood Tree old growth redwood climb
- Thread starter mdvaden
- Start date
mdvaden
Participating member
- Location
- Beaverton. Oregon
I didn't watch or ask about everything they did, but a photo peeking into the canopy around 140 feet up shows them switching over to other ropes at that point. It's unique to watch from below because once they vanish into the canopy it reminds me of someone leaving orbit.
The first time I met Damien was back around 2011 when they (as Ascending the Giants) climbed to measure a world record height pine shown below. What I forgot to ask, and was curious about, what how they anchor across the chasm to traverse from one canopy to the other. The speck in the sky is Will Koomjian. The pine was 268 feet tall, and it looks like he crossed over about 200 ft. up.
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That looks like a lot of fun! Thanks for posting.
How old a tree might that be?
Bat caves...wild pigs...those trees are like mini ecosystems.
mdvaden
Participating member
- Location
- Beaverton. Oregon
Although a guess may be the only practical option, Trees of Mystery wrote "over 2000 years" at their website. Gauging by ring counts elsewhere and some research reports in nearby Redwood National Park, I think the 2000 year estimate is a very reasonable and close number.
I have wreaked a few Sugar Pines in the Sierra's that were in the 225-240 ft range. Sadly many of these remaining monster Sugar and Ponderosa's in California have been destroyed by the beetle and drought. Fucking tragic. I have a good buddy who has been working in the Yosemite Valley for a few years, and the size of some of the old Sugars they have been puling out of there is truly amazing.
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Popping a top out of a nice Ponderosa on the west side of Lake Tahoe quite a few years ago. We removed 3 dead or dying Pines ( 2 Ponderosa & I Sugar ) on this job, and all 3 trees were between 170-190 ft. If my memory serves me this top was taken at around 95-100 ft, and the top was in the 80-90 ft range.
These big Sugar and Ponderosa Pines are the linch-pin of this eco system and are becoming an extinct species in the Sierras at an alarming rate. The massive Pine death is beginning to have devastating effects on the Cedars and Firs, and if things don't change the Giant Sequoia's may be next.
These big Sugar and Ponderosa Pines are the linch-pin of this eco system and are becoming an extinct species in the Sierras at an alarming rate. The massive Pine death is beginning to have devastating effects on the Cedars and Firs, and if things don't change the Giant Sequoia's may be next.
GreenstoneVT
New member
- Location
- Londonderry
Your “top” is bigger than most of the trees I get to climb all year.
John@TreeXP
Branched out member
- Location
- Bainbridge Island
Several years back, I joined up with the group from Cornell Tree Climbing Institute. We climbed Sierra Redwoods in an area privately owned by UC Berkeley, known as Whitaker Forest, adjacent to Kings Canyon National Park. Being how there's two kinds of giant Redwoods, noted for their location as Coastal and Sierra Redwoods, they are the largest living beings on the planet and having had the privilege to climb one was a deeply spiritual and physically demanding experience.
Although the Redwood we climbed had been rigged in advance with a basal anchored static line, secured with a Pinto Pulley and a Pinto Pulley Spacer at the TIP, close to the top of the tree. We still set our primary climbing line with a fishing reel augmented BigShot. We also had a fishing reel augmented Crossbow on hand.
The climb plan was for each climber to to make an initial ascent into to the lower limbs. This was maybe about 150 or 160 feet high. From that point, the climbers switched from the initial ascent line onto a secondary 60 foot long lanyard, which was then used as a double ended climbing system in a flip flopping like manner. The original line set with the basal anchor was used primarily as a backup line.
On ascent, we climbed using a frog-like sit-stand method. We were trained to use a jacob's ladder like foot loop, a Petzl Chest Croll, and a hand ascender. For descent we switched over to an ATC descender with a prusik backup. We used the ATC to avoid overheating the descending device on the long descent, to the point where it might scorch or melt the climbing line.
Given what I now know about climbing and climbing gear, I will certainly use a more efficient climbing system in the future when climbing Redwoods, but I can honestly say this was the most physically and spiritually transformational experience I've ever had.
Here's a few pics of the experience and a big shout out to my friends at @CornellTreeClimbingInstitute and all my fellow climbing buddies.
Although the Redwood we climbed had been rigged in advance with a basal anchored static line, secured with a Pinto Pulley and a Pinto Pulley Spacer at the TIP, close to the top of the tree. We still set our primary climbing line with a fishing reel augmented BigShot. We also had a fishing reel augmented Crossbow on hand.
The climb plan was for each climber to to make an initial ascent into to the lower limbs. This was maybe about 150 or 160 feet high. From that point, the climbers switched from the initial ascent line onto a secondary 60 foot long lanyard, which was then used as a double ended climbing system in a flip flopping like manner. The original line set with the basal anchor was used primarily as a backup line.
On ascent, we climbed using a frog-like sit-stand method. We were trained to use a jacob's ladder like foot loop, a Petzl Chest Croll, and a hand ascender. For descent we switched over to an ATC descender with a prusik backup. We used the ATC to avoid overheating the descending device on the long descent, to the point where it might scorch or melt the climbing line.
Given what I now know about climbing and climbing gear, I will certainly use a more efficient climbing system in the future when climbing Redwoods, but I can honestly say this was the most physically and spiritually transformational experience I've ever had.
Here's a few pics of the experience and a big shout out to my friends at @CornellTreeClimbingInstitute and all my fellow climbing buddies.
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- Location
- Reno
Hey John, thanks for sharing the photos from your climb! I was curious what the crew used as a weight for the reel-mounted BigShot? Did they just use a throw bag or a smaller, dense weight? Thanks!
John@TreeXP
Branched out member
- Location
- Bainbridge Island
I'm trying to remember, but I think it was a basic 8oz or a 10oz throw bag.
- Location
- Reno
Great, thanks for the help!
Trust me when I tell you a 8-10 oz throw ball ain't gonna cut it if your setting lines 125 ft and over in shaggy conifers...
- Location
- Reno
Definitely, I've got the whole lineup of throw weights from 8 to 16oz! I figure I can start heavy and work lighter if I need more height on my shots. I'm assuming the fishing line will also offer less resistance both over branches and when launching the throw weight. I usually go with a 12-14oz weight when setting lines in the pines/firs/incense cedars I climb in the Sierra Nevada for work but I'm trying to figure out a good setup for big old-growth giant Sequoias.
My average job around here involves me hitting spots from 125-175 ft, and I occasionally need to go to 200 ft. After a lot of trial and error ( BigShot, crossbow, fishing line, reels, ect, ect ) I have found that the most consistent and relatively hassle free setup is an APTA, 400 ft of DynaGlide throw line, and a 12-16 oz throw ball. I don't rec climb myself, but get suckered into setting lines for folks looking to climb old growth around here, and the ATPA consistently kicks ass in that scenario as well. Highly recommended.
John@TreeXP
Branched out member
- Location
- Bainbridge Island
We were shooting fishing line off a reel, attached to an BigShot with an extended pole.
Been that route which as you know can work very well in a recreational setting... For daily work it was a no go for me... Too many moving parts and when fishing line goes haywire you have a world class mess on your hands...I have also found that a I can get a lot more altitude with the APTA.
John@TreeXP
Branched out member
- Location
- Bainbridge Island
FYI: A great webinar just ended, about the Natural History of Redwoods ... check it out.
https://www.facebook.com/treewolfcostarica/videos/370254453991904/
https://www.facebook.com/treewolfcostarica/videos/370254453991904/
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