Climbing a leaning stem without spikes...

Anonymity

Anonymity

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Location
Ontario, Canada
Okay, I'll try and be clear and brief....

So say I have a good tie-in point, but want to climb a 15".....30' stem on a multi-stem maple, and it reaches up at a steep angle with no branches (until the top of course). What are some good techniques to climb the tree without SPURS! Lol...work boots don't grip that well. And no it's not close enough to just swing over to...it's just an awkward tree in my opinion...

I can think of a few ideas, shin up (scramble), double tie-in...but shining up a tree can be difficult, double tie-in can be time consuming...time matters because I'm being tested and only have a limited amount of it (time)...

My question may not be the clearest, but I hope people can read between the lines a bit, and don't feel the need to overly criticize the technical inaccuracies within my post.

Thanks in advance,
Ken
 
Pole hook over
grapple/rope grapple, works well for rigging limbs as well

sling the stem for foot holds
stem wrap around then run and kick off - use centrifugal force swing watch you don't break a rib or hip on the return if you miss your mark
throw a line over and down to groundie to anchor and srt over
set lines from the ground or from with in the crown.
I think most times it is easier to go down twenty feeet and climb back up and make use of the trunck walk method.

groundie may be able to swing you over with a tag line.

either way its a bear, monkey, spider or cat
and unfortunately for me most times its a ...... pig.
 
It's a pig! Lol ya sometimes i think i must look like a real idiot sweating and grunting my way up some sections of tree. Usually, it's good climbing, but there are those times...anyways thanks for the great answers...that helps...some times I thought...why didn't I think of that (or remember that technique), some were new and I never thought of it, like SRT...but of course creTree good point. Even if no one else responds, I have enough to work with now, so once again thanks for the tips buzzer's...it sweet...

Ken
 
[ QUOTE ]
...time matters because I'm being tested and only have a limited amount of it (time)...

[/ QUOTE ]

What is this test? It sounds like your tester is more concerned about time than safety. IMO that's a really bad thing, I'd reconsider what I was doing.
 
SRT right into the top, or throw your line through the leaning tree top and then in to another tree (if available and your rope is long enough)...essentially using the leaning target tree as a redirect for your SRT line which would place the force of your line while ascending along the length of the leaning trunk. I would not shimmy or hunch, I'd be gassed once I got up there. Loopie slings girthed to the tree used as footloops are a great tools as well.
 
Time is as important as safety, Some of the times.
The reason is if you are holding/climbing with your weight not on your rope and not making effecient movements that utilise momentum the energy expenditure can be much greater.
 
Banjo, I PM'ed you...just want to keep the who and why on the "down-low" you never know who will read this? and don't really want to look like I'm bad mouthing the tester....and I do respect the testers knowledge...

Safety is a concern for the tester...I can automatically fail if I do anything fairly unsafe...

Ken
 
If all I was going to do is work the canopy of the specified tree then i would probably SRT it as well, but I have used this technique on some large spreading oaks that didnt have any other suitable areas for redirects without needing to go to the ground and reset my lines, this technique allows you to moderately climb most leaning structure without spiking.

I have used a technique where i take a loop runner ~3' and loop it over itself, thereby making a 1.5' runner, i then insert both feet into the loop and almost 'hop' my way up the limb, the runner keeps my feet close together and the limb will fit into the V caused by touching my heels and pointing out my toes, and if you have the right angle, the force vectors will aide you in pressing into the limb and shimmying/ walking right up, and i just progress my lanyard as though i were spiking and taking up slack in my line to keep me in the optimal angle for climbing.

I got the idea for this technique watching the discovery channel a few years back. It is a aboriginal technique with modern applications.
 

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Steve That is too cool, thanks for sharing...now I want to give that a try...

Ken

P.S. Did the test and did very well...pretty easy I thought...thanks for all your help.
 
Could you be more specific about how steep it is? Like is it almost vertical or are we talking a little more than a 45 degree angle or something in between? Are there any strong suckers that would hold the other end of your rope (around the main wood, of course)? If so you could set set a second tie in about half way up with a polesaw, then once more once you reach that half way point.
 
Ken - Glad it worked out. FWIW, when I have had to ascend to a leaning branch far from the trunk, I have employed two climbing lines. I set both lines from the ground. First is my primary life support using SRT with RADS to ascend the trunk. Second, I use DdRT set to a crotch in the leaning branch. My left foot uses a foot-loop with the RADS system, and I attach a foot ascender to my right foot in ordr to pull me out towards the branch on the DdRT line. And even though I used this process on a couple removals, I prefer climbing to that leaning branch using ropes versus trying to maintain my balance on spurs while climbing a leaner.
 
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