Treehumper down and getting back up.

[treehumper]

Our other climber finished my tree. He told me it was the toughest climb he's ever done.

 

[Richard Mumford-yoyoman]

Rob! man, I'm happy to read these last few pages and read that you are doing so much better and got back up in the trees. Awesome, man!

BTW, last summer, I had a 5" while oak limb break out on my accent, SRT with raptor, I might have been 25 feet high, (I forget, but it's on cell ph vidoe) I fell softly about maybe 10 feet, till another 5 inch limb and 6 inch limb caught, then, maybe 40 seconds latter, BOTH of those broke as well, as they peeled off, I was touching the ground and ran backwards so I wouldn't get hit by the limbs coming down. no injury thankfully to me. There was no defects, but really hot temperature for 2 weeks and the oak was very abnormal. healthy white oak. I actually have it all on cell phone video, because I was filming the ascent just in case I felt like sharing it on instagram. I put out a warning that day on instagram for others to beware of abnormal dry oaks with "sudden limb drop" tendencies. That tree was so odd, you could take a live 1 inch diameter limb and snap it off the tree, like it was a tulip tree. the lowest limbs and interior limbs had the normal white oak elasticity and strength. I might have posted the video on my instagram, I can't remember. I even kinda forgot this happened to me, until I just read these other stories. Some day, maybe I'll write the details. I've only experience trees acting crazy from dry and heat, like 3 times in my whole career and when it happens, it blows you away.

Thanks for that report David. I'd love to see the video if you ever find it.
The more I hear of these, the more I am convinced, a sustained, observable, quite, no bounce, double load stress test might mitigate these. Whether it is done with mechanical advantage, or two guys standing on the line with foot ascenders. With two guys standing on the line just inches above the ground, it would be easy to see if the anchor is holding or starting to give way.