After an ice storm trashed the trees I used my plastic boots and crampons to work the removals. Front pointing up was really cool. Walking on the limbs that had broken and were horizontal was so easy with the crampons.
After a day of ice climbing I climbed into a dead elm with crampons and both ice axes. That was interesting.
My infatuation with SRT started close to 20 years ago after reading the first edition of "On Rope."
One time I needed to climb above my TIP into a leader that was sketchy like what you describe. When I moved above the TIP I used dynamic rope, slings/biners as a second rope. The climb was a 'lead climb' with my arbo rope low as my ultimate belay incase the upper lead broke out.
After taking some ice climbing lessons I became friends with the instructor. He needed an elm pruned so I took care of that. Then I spent all of that money with him taking rock climbing classes. The basic movement classes helped me be a better tree climber. The 'ropes and anchors' class gave me the beginnings of an understanding of setting up rigging systems that didn't rely on natural crotches.
Webbing slings, biners and most of the rest of my kit had roots in rock climbing. About the only pieced of gear that I use that isn't adapted from rock climbing is the Unicender.
Take some pictures of your climb.
