Moving in the canopy with near vertical limbs

[dmonn]

I'm still a newbie when it comes to moving around in the canopy. I'm looking for suggestions on how to move out on a near vertical limb that's not within reach of my climbing line, especially when where I want to go is near my TIP. I don't have a Captain Hook, and my mag throwbag is mostly useful where the limbs are more horizontal or there's a decent union to throw around.

If I'm climbing up and know where I want to get to, should I attach a lanyard as I pass the union with it and then keep myself attached to the limb as I climb? Any other good ways to do this?

 

[chiselbit]

There’s several ways, here’s one. Sometimes you can put your lanyard around the limb you want to climb, loosen it until you are able to hold yourself up without your hands by pushing your feet straight into the limb. You can walk up a couple steps pushing against your lanyard and then take up slack on the climb line to capture your progress then with some practice you can flip your lanyard up as high as you can and repeat the process. When you are closer to your t.i.p. Sometimes you can spin around on your lanyard until the limb is between you and your tip and then use the opposing forces to your advantage. Loop runners in various lengths are handy too. I carry at least 3 all the time and find uses for them often.

 

[dmonn]

I like it. Thanks.

 

[colb]

I'm still a newbie when it comes to moving around in the canopy. I'm looking for suggestions on how to move out on a near vertical limb that's not within reach of my climbing line, especially when where I want to go is near my TIP. I don't have a Captain Hook, and my mag throwbag is mostly useful where the limbs are more horizontal or there's a decent union to throw around.

If I'm climbing up and know where I want to get to, should I attach a lanyard as I pass the union with it and then keep myself attached to the limb as I climb? Any other good ways to do this?
View attachment 73381

Lots of ways, all as odd as the next.

You can put a monkey fist in your tail, jam it in the acute crotch, and pull yourself across. If you can't pull hard enough, make a system the let's you use your foot ascender to make progress and capture it with a hitch or multicender. Obviously you have to have a bit of confidence in the integrity of the dead wood...

You may or may not be able to power up the underside of the branch with the dead branch.

You can re-establish your TIP in smaller, higher wood.

You can cinch the last 10 feet of your tail around the limb with the dead limb and use your foot ascender on it + lanyard around the branch to capture progress.

Since it's not life support, you can carve your own hook out of a board.

You could use a pole saw if you can drop the branch.

You can do it in Apex Legends with Pathfinder...

 

[Tuebor]

Use throwline to predirect through a union close to the target. Use a separate rope or if you have a long enough rope, use your tail. Take the end(s) up with you and then use the other rope/tail to pull yourself over.

 

[Birdyman88]

Use throwline to predirect through a union close to the target. Use a separate rope ...

This is my preferred method if pruning. 10 easy minutes on ground vs 20 strenuous min in tree.

Otherwise loop slings and walk up, but it's slow.

If there are any side branches or stubs, I'll just "rock climb" moving my lanyard up to prevent a slip and swing.

If I have a high enough main TIP relative to the target crotch on the vertical limb of interest, I can also use a throwbag and get groundie to pull tail through desired crotch on target limb. Groundie will take up slack and wrap tail around tree. I will just traverse the taught line over to somewhere at/below the target crotch and then climb from there. BE CAREFUL with the forces though! A 170 degree rope angle at the point where your hitch attaches generates 6X your body weight at each of the 2 TIP locations. I am very mindful of the limb behavior and watch it closely. It's basically a human speedline.

You can also bear hug and shimmie up. Actually not too bad with smaller diameters and chainsaw pants, but you might eventually destroy them.

Oh, and you can swing, but that generally only gets you so far depending on TIP height. Again, watch the forces here. I have no clue how much force this puts on main TIP.

 

[moss]

There’s several ways, here’s one. Sometimes you can put your lanyard around the limb you want to climb, loosen it until you are able to hold yourself up without your hands by pushing your feet straight into the limb. You can walk up a couple steps pushing against your lanyard and then take up slack on the climb line to capture your progress then with some practice you can flip your lanyard up as high as you can and repeat the process. When you are closer to your t.i.p. Sometimes you can spin around on your lanyard until the limb is between you and your tip and then use the opposing forces to your advantage. Loop runners in various lengths are handy too. I carry at least 3 all the time and find uses for them often.

Yep, make a foothold with a sling runner to hold your position to reset your lanyard ahead of you as you work up the inclined leader.
-AJ

 

[Phil]

Loop runners in various lengths are handy too. I carry at least 3 all the time and find uses for them often.

I use a 3/8" tenex tec ultra sling I made...essentially a loop runner with versatile and quick adjustability for length depending on what pocket you use. The main eye has a chafe sleeve and is made big enough to get my boot in. The chafe sleeve not only keeps out the dirt from my boots but helps to hold the eye open enough for me to slip my boot in without having to touch it with my hands.

 

[dmonn]

Awesome suggestion. I love making ultra slings, so that gives me an excuse to put another one together!

 

[SeanRuel]

I'll sometimes lanyard around the limb I want to get up, and just foot ascender climb while flipping my lanyard up that stem. Kinda awkward but it'll get you there. Loop runners are helpful too.

All options for getting out to work on a nude branch are awkward, IME

 

[Phil]

Awesome suggestion. I love making ultra slings, so that gives me an excuse to put another one together!

The 3/8 th size is also life rated at 6100 lbs so I'll occasionally use it for a quick redirect. Lots of uses.

Also use it to avoid one handing cut and Chuck scenarios on small piece. Cinch the limb, make my undercut, put my hand through one of the pockets so I can keep two hands on my saw, cut limb, limb hangs from my wrist, stow saw and now I can deal with the limb. Light duty only.

 

[Dan Cobb]

Not to be heretical, but has anyone ever tried using climbing sticks for that type of scenario?

 

[Phil]

Not to be heretical, but has anyone ever tried using climbing sticks for that type of scenario?

The whole tree is one giant climbing stick...also, what's a climbing stick?

 

[Cereal_Killer]

They're a saddle hunting accessory. Stap them into a tree and you have instant ladder rungs up it.
They're also dangerous as shit, bunches of people gash themselves open on the rungs every year.
Not something I'd even consider in real tree climbing (work or rec)

 

[Jehinten]

. I don't have a Captain Hook,

Assuming a hook will get you where you want to go, a diy traverse hook is pretty easy to build. I made one a few years ago and it has held up great. Its not as sleek looking as the captain hook and I'm certain its heavier, but the weight isn't excessive by any means and allows some decent throwing distance.

I don't have any pics that I could find, but mine is made from 1/2" black steel pipe and has a shackle welded on the end for rope attachment. A feature that I like of it, is that the only weld on the shackle is on the pin, going through the hook. I made sure to back the pin out a 3/4 turn before welding, this allows the shackle to rotate in line with the rope angle.

 

[rope-a-dope]

On SRT I will put my rope in footy and brace footy underneath wood or hook it around the outside, opposite the tip. Always been able to make a good secure step up like this until you reach harder rope angles, then the lanyard leg push takes over.

 

[SomethingWitty]

Usually there is something to climb. Changing your perspective is a huge help. The TIP is down. Keep your crotch pointed towards it. There are tons of times that I find myself trying to stand on a basically vertical branch and the solution is to swing around and use all four limbs to just climb up while creating traction by applying pressure with my rope. Eventually you can see the pausing points (to stop and tend slack) and what pendulums can do for you and you know before the attempt if it's going to be hard or maybe rarely virtually impossible to do without just inchworming. If you ever decide that's worth the trouble, do it quickly. Nobody looks cute squirming up a stem.

I found that being in the tree with someone who is very good at moving in one helps more than anything else.

 

[Birdyman88]

On SRT I will put my rope in footy and brace footy underneath wood or hook it around the outside, opposite the tip.

Interesting, anywy you can post a pic or drawing.

 

[rope-a-dope]

Hook your boot under lead and step up on footy, advance system by hand. Without open air, this will pin your foot underneath stem with minimal effort and fairly gentle force on ankle depending on footwear. Angles make or break this move, and device tending is on a diverging path from your progress out the lead.

 

[owScott]

There’s several ways, here’s one. Sometimes you can put your lanyard around the limb you want to climb, loosen it until you are able to hold yourself up without your hands by pushing your feet straight into the limb. You can walk up a couple steps pushing against your lanyard and then take up slack on the climb line to capture your progress then with some practice you can flip your lanyard up as high as you can and repeat the process. When you are closer to your t.i.p. Sometimes you can spin around on your lanyard until the limb is between you and your tip and then use the opposing forces to your advantage. Loop runners in various lengths are handy too. I carry at least 3 all the time and find uses for them often.

Yes I agree, this is a bit more strenous but generally only lasts 3-5 moves. I will choose quick and strenous over complicated and extra ropes which definately slows everything down. For me hauling a second rope around the tree, no way is that more efficient.Throw ball in a tree, no thank you. Not telling the others here who use that method they are wrong. I prefer to approach things simple and direct then increase complexity as needed. As a general rule when making these kind of moves I try and face my tie in.