I am a student at UWSP. I am hopefully getting a position in Northern California this summer with either the NPS or the USFS. In my spare time I want to climb redwoods. I have experience climbing using double rope, but not single. I am not even sure if this is how it is done. Any information or experiences you could share would be great.
Climbing Redwoods
- Thread starter Keith
- Start date
NickfromWI
Participating member
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
Well...whattya wanna know? Just imagine climbing a very, very tall white pine. You CAN climb a lot of them with just DRT..it might take you a little longer.
I usually SRT up into the canopy, then switch to DRT to work my way up to where ever I'm going. I've only climbed a few, but it's served me well so far...except that one time...
love
nick
I usually SRT up into the canopy, then switch to DRT to work my way up to where ever I'm going. I've only climbed a few, but it's served me well so far...except that one time...
love
nick
Keith, The California Arborist Association has hosted a "Climb the Giants" weekend for the past 2 years. It is held in the summer.
http://www.cal-arb-association.com/index.html
http://www.cal-arb-association.com/index.html
- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
The times that I've climbed big trees have been a blast!
Using the Big Shot or a similar tool will make your access to the first limbs easier. From then on there are options for in-tree advancing. smaller sling shots and launchers work. There was just a thread about this...I posted a couple of links to tennis ball/sling shot launchers.
Nick's advice is good...practice on the tallest white pines that you can find. The skills are the same the size of the trees is different
Using the Big Shot or a similar tool will make your access to the first limbs easier. From then on there are options for in-tree advancing. smaller sling shots and launchers work. There was just a thread about this...I posted a couple of links to tennis ball/sling shot launchers.
Nick's advice is good...practice on the tallest white pines that you can find. The skills are the same the size of the trees is different
- Location
- sunny Madison, WI
Careful where you climb... There are people that know people that know people who had their climbing gear confiscated for climbing in parks...
Where are you going to work out there? I have been out there, we didn't climb any redwoods though. It was spotted owl mating season so we stayted out of the trees (and my brother was chicken!)
Are you going to be at the WAA in Green Bay next week? I'll be there on Sunday and Monday.
Zac
Where are you going to work out there? I have been out there, we didn't climb any redwoods though. It was spotted owl mating season so we stayted out of the trees (and my brother was chicken!)
Are you going to be at the WAA in Green Bay next week? I'll be there on Sunday and Monday.
Zac
Redwood branches pop off easy, even if they are big. You can, on a removal just use a handsaw and take one swipe across the top of a branch and make it snap. I am not saying this to discourage you, climbing redwoods is fun. Setting a climb line can be tricky, partially because of the branches popping off easy and because they usually have a downward slope to them. I have never used a friction saver to rappel from but I think it would be a good thing to use coming out of a redwood.
NickfromWI
Participating member
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
I really like having my rope guide when I'm climbing redwoods. Then I can just go around the trunk...no matter how high up I am.
love
nick
love
nick
- Location
- Home of the New Jersey Devils
Say what? Around the trunk anywhere? The redwoods I climbed wouldn't accept my little RG unless I was 250' up or more. How long do you use Nick?
NickfromWI
Participating member
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
Mark, I made a 30' sling for my rope guide. I only put the rope guide on it when I head up to the Sequoias. That'll get me around almost a 10' diameter trunk.
I think the rope on my standard rope guide is only maybe 6' long. That wouldn't do much good up there!
love
nick
I think the rope on my standard rope guide is only maybe 6' long. That wouldn't do much good up there!
love
nick
I was also wondering about a system to ascend. I just watched the TREE Fund DVD purchased at the Wisconsin Arborist Conference yesterday. I saw Mars Bars and I saw something like the SherrillTree Tree Frog system. Anyone have experience using either of these to climb great heights?
I will definitely cruise around the California Arborist Association website.
I will be building hiking trails at Whiskeytown National Park, near Redding, CA. Or I will be taking inventory of the Baker Cypress in the Klamath, Plumas, and Lassen National Forests.
Thanks guys
I will definitely cruise around the California Arborist Association website.
I will be building hiking trails at Whiskeytown National Park, near Redding, CA. Or I will be taking inventory of the Baker Cypress in the Klamath, Plumas, and Lassen National Forests.
Thanks guys
