mainz germany tree cimbing in a park and cleaning the canopy of dead wood

[Richard Mumford-yoyoman]

Canopy cleaning in a park in Mainz Germany
Rope Runner SRT Ascent, ZigZag DdRT working the tree.
Enjoyed the carnival on the walk back.

 

[TREEfool]

Good thing you had that drummer singing his song to help make the road noise more appealing! Haha.

Richard, I don't understand how you protected yourself while climbing on the tiny branches at the summit. I mean, I never see the summit of a tree like you did because I am too afraid to advance my TIP any higher because the branches become so small. Usually I will use a lanyard to climb up past my main TIP onto the smaller branches so if a branch does break I will only fall to my TIP (which would still injure me of course so I don't climb more than 5-10 feet above my main TIP). So did you just use two different TIPS with the lower one being the failsafe and the higher one being a potential fail point or did you climb to the summit with the knowledge (attained from many years of climbing) that those tiny little branches would not fail on you?

 

[macswan]

What do you consider small, fish?I will(dependent on species) tie in to something as big as my wrist. But with multiple redirects I could go smaller than that. It is simply a matter of climbing a lot and knowing what a particular tree can handle. More you climb, more you learn. You know that though.

 

[TREEfool]

Hmm yes. I suppose the real issue then is that I don't know how to identify what type of small branch is safe and what isn't. And to be honest, I don't understand how one could attain this knowledge unless they have taken repeated falls throughout their climbing career due to branches breaking.

 

[Richard Mumford-yoyoman]

Hmm yes. I .....

All good points, now that it is cooling off I'm going to get with oldoakman and put the Enforcer to work and get some actual numbers.
To get to the top is like building a bridge........that is what is challenging about it, mentally and physically. Using the primary cinched anchor and advancing it as needed, the tail of my line has the ZZ or HC pulley for secondary anchor, lanyard for 3rd anchor, hands, feet etc.
A tree has strengh everywhere to stand against strong storms, snow weight, winds etc. Nature puts more force in that tree than we could ever apply with the weight of our body, even mine. Point is, getting it together can get you anywhere.

 

[TREEfool]

Hmm, I suppose when you state it like that it makes perfect sense. You basically have a web of safety between your ropes, lanyard, hands, and feet.

And I am no arborist but I am guessing that the highest branches are the healthiest because they catch the most sunlight. Does this assumption make much sense? Either way I am feeling bold with this new information and need to go reach the true summit of a tree. Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Richard Mumford-yoyoman]

And I am no arborist but I am guessing that the highest branches are the healthiest because they catch the most sunlight.

They are also the first ones to get "die back"....

 

[TreeLogic]

Don't forget too Fluffy, 2 or 3 small limbs lanyarded together can be stronger than 1.

 

[TREEfool]

Don't forget too Fluffy, 2 or 3 small limbs lanyarded together can be stronger than 1.

I'm a big fan of redundancy so I will definitely not forget that.

 

[RopeShield]

Good thing you had that drummer singing his song to help make the road noise more appealing! Haha.

Richard, I don't understand how you protected yourself while climbing on the tiny branches at the summit. I mean, I never see the summit of a tree like you did because I am too afraid to advance my TIP any higher because the branches become so small. Usually I will use a lanyard to climb up past my main TIP onto the smaller branches so if a branch does break I will only fall to my TIP (which would still injure me of course so I don't climb more than 5-10 feet above my main TIP). So did you just use two different TIPS with the lower one being the failsafe and the higher one being a potential fail point or did you climb to the summit with the knowledge (attained from many years of climbing) that those tiny little branches would not fail on you?

You can stand on broom stick if it's perfectly vertical. Horizontal gets tricky. Species, moisture content, temps etc all a huge learning curve to feel comfortable and confident. When ever you prune try snapping the limbs get a proper feel for tree strength. You find it usually snaps at the apex. I don't rec climb mb once or twice a year but I can summarily say it's the best feeling.
On the shoulders of your best friends.

 

[moss]

Richard, I don't understand how you protected yourself while climbing on the tiny branches at the summit.

It's all about the technique he's using. Climbing SRT with a friction device like the Rope Runner, Richard can very safely dance through the small upper branches supported by distributed anchors (redirects). This is very different than climbing on an anchor with single point of support.
-AJ

 

[TreeLogic]

Similar to using rigging redirects like X Rings to rig off of smaller rigging points.

 

[moss]

Hmm yes. I suppose the real issue then is that I don't know how to identify what type of small branch is safe and what isn't. And to be honest, I don't understand how one could attain this knowledge unless they have taken repeated falls throughout their climbing career due to branches breaking.

Climbers acquire that knowledge the opposite way, by being initially conservative and then working towards tying into smaller stuff as they learn more about the structural characteristics of individual tree species. The key concepts are understanding the strength qualities of wood per species and perhaps even more critically learning to assess the structural quality of the tree from the roots to the tip of the crown, for example recognizing symptoms of hidden hollows, codominant leaders, etc. etc. First time I climb any woods tree I proceed very cautiously, tie into bomber limbs and once I'm up in the crown do a close-up inspection. You will have significant trouble breaking a 1" diameter white oak branch where it meets the trunk but with say an eastern cottonwood the same diameter branch will snap off if you breathe on it ;-)

 

[Richard Mumford-yoyoman]

.... diameter white oak branch where it meets the trunk but with say an eastern cottonwood the same diameter branch will snap off if you breathe on it ;-)

....and poplars pop.

moss, like always.......so well said.
And sometimes we just get the willies and we don't know why. I have put my lanyard around the trunk a few times going up the first time when I absolutely knew I didn't have to.

 

[TreeLogic]

Real poplars or Tulip poplars?

 

[Richard Mumford-yoyoman]

Real poplars or Tulip poplars?

Tulip poplars. Smaller limbs on the main trunk of some of those will come off with a pop. Not like a pine or some others. Like an epicotyl limb on some others.