SRT anchor belay system

Tom Dunlap

Tom Dunlap

Here from the beginning
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Retired in Minneapolis
The anchor system for SRT is an evolving process. The system that I'm using now is quite simple and has a long history in arborculture. The belaying friction is developed by wrapping the rope around the trunk as many times as the climber feels is needed.

After the wraps are made a friction hitch FH is tied around the rope and then clipped off 'uphill' from the hitch. If a rescue lower is needed the groundie/rescuer would grab the FH and let the climber slide down. Since the FH is never untied it is a backup belay allowing the rescuer to move around if needed.

In the pics you'll see the black cord tied around the orange climbing rope using a Klemheist. This is fast becoming the preferred FH for this application replacing a prusik. The FH can be backed up again using another HMS biner and a clove hitch. I'm going to get pics of this setup tomorrow.

When the first spiral is run down the tree keep it quite vertical. Then at about 2/3 wrap start to flatten out the round turn on the trunk. End with the rope parallel to the ground with at least one full trunk wrap. My preference is to use 1.5 wraps or more.

When I was at Expo Octavius made up a eye/eye cord out of Icetail to have a high friction hitch. One end has a large eye for the Klemheist the other is small to keep it snug on the Mongoose.
 

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Nice idea Tom. I have been slinging a figure eight to the trunk and doing a knotted lock off on the 8 with the tail. Remembering that I work alone the Fig 8 has the advantage of familiarity to most rescue personnel. It also has the disadvantage of being a bit less tamper resistant than your set up.
 
Tom in your picture you have the bight of the rope tied to the friction hitch and then you have a figure 8 tied.
Any reason why not just clip the figure 8 to the biner?
 
I may be understanding this wrong. If a rescue were necessary, one would need a long rope to have enough tail remaining to lower the full distance from the TIP, basically 3X the distance to the TIP plus a little for safety. Is that correct?
 
Yes that is correct Blinky. If the person is all the way at the top of the TIP. If not all the way to the TIP there might be a little less than 3x the distance needed.
 
This technique really leans out the SRT system.
When I started SRT I secured the line with a tied off ladder descender, then changed to a tied off meunter. This is so gracefully simple and the setup time is absolutely minimal.
 
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I may be understanding this wrong. If a rescue were necessary, one would need a long rope to have enough tail remaining to lower the full distance from the TIP, basically 3X the distance to the TIP plus a little for safety. Is that correct?

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Only 2 x is necessary Blinky. The pics are from an old set up of mine. This pics I think Tom will post are of a refined system. The beauty is a knot can be passed quickly and easily as the friction is on the trunk. The ends of rope can be tied together in an endless loop.

Its a version of what Mark Chisholm posted in the 'Killer bees' thread.
 
Are you going to continue the explanation with the pics Tom?
The pic up at the moment doesn't explain the refined version.

Let me guess, the golden retriever mind kicked in again?

Here boy!......Come!.....

OI!.....BRING THAT DAMN STICK BACK!!!

wink.gif
 
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I hope Tom hasnt forgotten us ?

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More pictures?


Do you think the side load (from the trunk's radius) on the biner is an issue. Thats the only problem I might see, but otherwise I like that setup a lot.
 
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Do you think the side load (from the trunk's radius) on the biner is an issue. Thats the only problem I might see, but otherwise I like that setup a lot.

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Tom,

Do you think this side load is an issue?
 
Sorry about the delay in getting pics up. For the last ten days or so I've been in the midst of a move. Most of the boxes are opened now so I can take some time to work things out.

KS,

No, I haven't seen any setup where that would be an issue. Since the top wrap comes down very vertical and then the spirals flatten out around the trunk the biner tends to orient vertically on the trunk. Of course, thick, corky barked trees could be an issue. Small diameter trees the same.

On every setup I find that there is very little load on the biner when I get down. Since the trunk wraps are what generate the load the anchor becomes a backup.
 
Tomm your alive ! hehehee and moving again well salute to you. I was messing around and yes on deep barked trees it is some problems but a lil fooling around and it works.
Now to Mark we need to put brain cells in action to make this a great setup right.Ok thats asking alot on this end still on couple hours of sleep during days now with the plowing.
Nate
 
I like your setup Tom, really got me thinking a bit. i went home and had gear strewn all over the living room last night! I had a thought about a mod to your friction hitch idea.

1- anchor sling (webbing, loopie, tenex eye sling, etc) around trunk

2- eye and eye or split tail hitched to ropeand anchored to sling from step 1

3- hitch backed up with overhand bight clipped into sling as a safety

4- if need to lower the climber, unclip and untie back up loop, then grab hitch and lower away

Probably been done before, but I was happy as a clam when it worked on my coffee table! Ive done the figure eight tie off before, and it is definitely smooth to lower off.
 
The lest complex I've found is to use a whoopie sling ( a really long one that a friend had braided for me) and a small Porterwrap to tie off to. This creates a system that my ground guys are familiar with so no learning curve to getting this old man out of the tree if need be.
 
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