How to secure a broken limb with a single rope, no hardware?

rope-a-dope said:
I feel like I can tie a cow hitch pretty tight by using the first bend/bight to sweat the line with a sort of vector pull twist around the trunk. Probably enough to prevent a 2 foot drop.
One thing about a situation like you described, a big pull upward on the broke limb could actually dislodge the thing. Sitting on the stub can be a big part of why it's still up there!
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I think that would work pretty well with the cow hitch. The reality is that I just needed the line taught...not necessarily tight. Only hang up with the cow hitch would be if there was a lot of rope left over on the standing end prior to tieing. I've never tied one using a big ass bight though. I would imagine that would hold it just the same.
 
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How about natty crotch to a tensioned barber poll of rope around the trunk...takes away a lot of stretch and adds a bunch more friction to distribute the weight. Just need to ensure the first wrap is nice and tight...finish with cow or timber hitch
 
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RyTheTreeGuy said:
How about natty crotch to a tensioned barber poll of rope around the trunk...takes away a lot of stretch and adds a bunch more friction to distribute the weight. Just need to ensure the first wrap is nice and tight...finish with cow or timber hitch
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I like it. Would also allow the butt to be lowered using the same rope when the time came.
 
In these situations so much is dependent on what anchors are available...
So many ways to stabilize it but as far as leaving it hung there for days, I don't know. I myself would make it priority to get it done Immediately if not sooner.
I had to do something just like this a couple weekends ago by myself and it was complicated and took me 3 days to get it down and all cleaned up. 2 days to get it on the ground because some very less than ideal anchors and not the proper tools.
Had I had another skilled guy with me or better tools it woulda been so much quicker and easier but it all worked out. I used 2-3 ropes and did it basically like evo and everyone else did setting up MA On each rope to take out the stretch and support it then cut it back till the ropes held it in the air then cut it loose from the stem and let one of the lines down while the other 2 pulled it away to the ground.
It was hell but felt great when I was done.
 
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It occurs to me that maybe we're barking up the wrong tree. Around here the power company is surprisingly responsive and timely (usually). Maybe we're mitigating the wrong obstacle. I might be tempted to call for a power drop, sounds like you'll need it anyhow, especially if you'll be back shortly with the proper gear. What's there to lose if it's going to take the service drop out anyway. Also, around here you cannot get the comm folks to drop anything, just put it back up when and if it gets ripped off the house or pole.
 
CjM said:
It occurs to me that maybe we're barking up the wrong tree. Around here the power company is surprisingly responsive and timely (usually). Maybe we're mitigating the wrong obstacle. I might be tempted to call for a power drop, sounds like you'll need it anyhow, especially if you'll be back shortly with the proper gear. What's there to lose if it's going to take the service drop out anyway. Also, around here you cannot get the comm folks to drop anything, just put it back up when and if it gets ripped off the house or pole.
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Service drop would be an option. I posted this as a hypothetical simply for the critical thinking skills to get the problem solved within the limitations provided. I was hoping to learn from others line of thinking...which I did. In the real world we would use gear and hardware to make things efficient and safe. In the real world we might also leave our gear bag in our other truck and only have a single rope with which to tackle our problem.
 
Heard that! I just remember this story from when I worked at Bartlett. For one aerial rescue training, they were racing to see who was the fastest rescuer in the office. Some out of shape non-climber PHC tech won by a landslide by just getting a ladder.

The most state of the art rigging set up is less valuable than just moving the decorative bench under the tree.

I just wanted to add this thought to this discussion, departure that it may be. I often get so focused on a task, my critical thinking skills sag. Every once in a while I need a crane operator to remind me at the end of a long day to just loop the big slings over the top of the spar. Usually after they're done laughing at me the 50th time I miss catching the shackle coming around.
 
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