Making a rope grapnel traverse with the tail of your line

[TimberSmith]

I've taken to making a bulky closed throwing knot at the end of my rope when I need to make a traverse and throwing it into a tight crotch in my target tree. Aiming to get it stuck to make my way over either hand over hand or with a Rad style 3:1 system using the haas on the line. With a rescue 8 on my saddle that I can lock off as I make progress. Once at the target crotch lanyard on and remove the stuck throwing knot.

Am aware of the safety concerns with this as the stuck knot could pop free especially as you approach closer to it and am prepared for an uncontrolled swing back towards my TIP. Although would consider it pretty safe in a tight enough crotch.

My queries are

Anyone else do this?
Any alternative methods of traverse you could recommend?
Any recommendations for a better type of grapnel knot?
Or improvements on the 3:1 progress capture?

I'm aware of products like the captain hook and yellow grapnel. But do prefer minimal kit on my rig. And prefer to learn ways to make it work with just my regular carry gear.

Thanks and I'm new to Treebuzz. Keen to start participating in forums and learn more.

Ps. If I've committed any rookie errors in the posting of this thread let me know.

 

[Brocky]

Welcome TimberSmith, wish I would have thought to use a big stopper knot back in the day. Great minimalist idea.
One suggestion is to tie a friction hitch on the rope for progress capture instead of using the figure eight. The hitch sets automatically if you had to go hands free mid-traverse and would keep you from swinging back.

Another suggestion is to simply descend from the present tree to the other instead of trying to go straight to the crotch where the knot is. Then if you want to go up to the knot, you are able to lanyard into the tree also.

 

[FreeFallin]

...Another suggestion is to simply descend from the present tree to the other instead of trying to go straight to the crotch where the knot is.

See, this is why I need to go to rec climbs with experienced climbers. This is so obvious when you say it but i never considered just sliding down to the other tree using the hook/tail knot/whatever as a hinge point.

 

[Brocky]

I found it was faster and easier to just slide over. It probably doesn't put as big of a load on the anchor points as the other method of trying to go straight to the other anchor point, as well. I used this before I got the Captain, kind of sketchy, so I wanted to get to the other tree as fast as possible, with as little disturbing of the grapple as possible.

 

[Dr. Cornwallis]

I would look into a Captain.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hatchetation]

Love the idea of improvised jammers.

If you like minimal traversing & redirecting, @oceans has posted a bunch of fantastic tips on here. When someone writes a Treeclimber Companion's Companion, this one deserves to be in there for sure:
http://www.treebuzz.com/forum/threads/advancing-the-tip.27453/page-4#post-512075

That's how I usually end up traversing. Adding a throw hook into the mix fits perfectly - it's just a temporary way to help get over to the other stem and get to the tail, and then either redirect or go DdRT.

Or, do it in reverse - transferring load to the hook on the other stem (low-angle, gentle on the "hinge"), then tossing the rope over a crotch which is now closer and at the angle of your choosing. Tail is right there to grab.

I've only been out with the hook a few times and it's already fast and making a ton of sense. Haven't even felt the need to use an ascender yet to make it useful at these angles - simple SRT hitchclimber setup has been great.

I'd be all over a knot if it would work in the trees I usually climb in.

FreeFallin: Watching good dynamic climbers use efficient angles to their advantage blew my mind the first time I saw it - it's like they defeat gravity by knowing its weak points. Going to comps is totally worth it.

 

[rope-a-dope]

I'm stealing this idea. Def need the right fork tho.