Who's a self taught climber?

I was taught the tautline, and coached on how to spike up and flip a lanyard. The rest was self-taught, unfortunately. Not many training programs when LBJ was prez.
 
I'm self taught, started at age 61. I also climb alone, in some really good trees in my own yard. Despite starting late and on my own,
I think I have arrived at a dialed-in system that's probably about as good as you need. I've been meaning to take pics of all the details,
but here is an outline: Sequoia Srt, with Secur harness - I use for tending my climbing system. CT Quick Step foot ascender, Haas Knee ascender, Rope Wrench/hitch, or HitchHiker for life support and descending. Armor plus 8 mm is the perfect friction cord. I use a rook pulley on a rope bridge. And CE lanyard, or the equivalent, which can provide a DDRT position system. I often climb with two ropes for safety and positioning. I switch between the two systems, though at any one time while ascending
only one rope is active and the second gets slack tended about every 20 feet, when I take a rest from ascending. I like the fat/soft ropes
like Imori and Vortex. I'd like to try a RopeRunner in the future but too much price for my recreational climbing needs. BigShot throw weigh launcher/ Kask helmet. I've got a basal anchor design I'm satisfied with and I often use a canopy anchor with a delta screw link and a butterfly stopper. Pulleys are used on lanyards and climbing lines, DMM pinto is the most versatile, though DMM Htchclimber has advantages in connecting options when used in conjunction with climbing lines. The becket on the Pinto creates a neat and compact
DDRT option.

Best way to tie a throw weight is to tie a 4" bowline loop on the line and then girth hitch it to the weight's D-Ring.


I am doing pruning and removing lower branches, to let more light in my garden. And I just took down a 36" maple. So I've invested in two saws, both Husky: the T540XP and 562XP - 24".

Needless to say, Treestuff is the place for most equipment needs.

There it is: everything I've learned (about setup. there's much more to learn in technique)
 
Gotta disagree with the throw weight. That bowline loop will catch on w nub or twig. I use a simple clove with a long tail. Never ever had it untied. Again. See what works for you. Mick likes his set up. I like mine. See what works for you.
 
Steve Connally said:
Gotta disagree with the throw weight. That bowline loop will catch on w nub or twig. I use a simple clove with a long tail. Never ever had it untied. Again. See what works for you. Mick likes his set up. I like mine. See what works for you.
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Funny, Steve...anytime anyone asks to use my throw line, it comes back with some knot I would never use. I use Harrison Rocket bags with thin throw line and use a girth...not a loop girthed, just a bight made at the dead end of the throw line and girthed on. It NEVER pulls out due to the flat profile of the ring material on the bag. It's like 4 hard corners that the line grips right to instead of rounded ring stock that would allow my hitch to roll out when pulled hard enough. The benefits?...to open it, just break the bar of the girth open with your thumbnail and pull the bag off on a split second. To install it, grab a bight and make the girth in a second. And, like you said, it will not snag in the tree because it's not a loop. :) This takes the edge off when the throw line rules are playing.

The thing is, the guys that borrow my line do not use the Rocket bags, so they tie what works for THEM, on THEIR kit...what they learned. I used to tie all sorts of variations on other bags until I noticed how well my current method worked. I wish I learned it long before.

The throw line just seemed like an example that plays into a bigger picture. Did I "teach" myself this? No. Did someone else teach me this? No. I just observed when things seemed like a pain, or when I just thought there could be a way that worked better for me. I agree that self-learned goes hand in hand with being taught things. With all the resources around today, you can take yourself to school. What makes a better student (in my opinion) is to try things without judgement until you can honestly know what works best for you.

The other thing I've found is that if I am working with another person on building knowledge and technique, I really try not to draw hard lines. I'd rather throw out numerous methods for a person to use with their kit. This can work to build a broader base on which to build for the future. I would also never want to squash the opportunity of learning something new from someone else! You never know who might offer up magical solutions.
 
The bottom line is, personally, aside from a few things here and there, I learned most of my climbing stuff on here. Rigging on the jobsite. I basically had to unlearn the majority of the "Rules" for rope work that were engrained by the fire department I work for. Look, listen, watch and ask questions. Most of the time guys will really work with you if you PM them rather than get in the middle of a thread that is way past the beginner level. Sometimes even asking for a phone number and a phone call is warranted. There are a bunch of guys on here I really respect and would love to meet someday. I'd be intimidated climbing with them(confidence killer lol) but I'd sure like to shake their hand and buy them a pint. To me, these forums are the epicenter of professionalism that is a anomaly at the average job site.
 
I'm so far from being self taught! In Quebec we are pretty lucky , I've been to school and have perform a climbing arborist degree. wich is 900 hours of practice , theory , about every things from climbing , srt acces , rigging force , bio mechanic , biology , tree preservation , tree ID etc... I was lucky and have only work for really serious compagnies and I still learn from the olders climbers , guys with 20 + years of tree climbing and teaching experience. This forum is also a great tool , sometime I see stuff here and talk about it with the others climbers in the compagny and it help us understand and modify somes techniques. Best job in the world period.
 
Somewhat self taught, the first place I climbed for we had a tweeker climber who was always flaking out so one day my boss showed me the tautline hitch and left me to it. I had very little guidance but I was climbing every day so I learned the basics pretty quick. I have since learned so much more advanced techniques from all the places I have worked. Everyone has a different bag of tricks so it's cool to pick up on new stuff all the time, the key is to never stop learning.
 
I wouldn't say self taught but I learned old school natural crotch wraps around the tree rigging climbing on the tauntline. Wanted to learn a little new school so I started watching YouTube and lurking around aborist forums for info and tips it helps as lot. I watched alot of old Reg videos on negative blocking and his YouTube channel helped alot
 
I have not climbed much in the last 12 years because I moved to management,,I started with a landscaper dude that said I looked like I could climb palms really fast,,put these on,,,that was 1976 and soon after that he had me climbing on my new saddle,,yup, bow-line on a bight. Good times. My craftsman chainsaw lanyard was a dog leash.
 
jeffswede said:
I have not climbed much in the last 12 years because I moved to management,,I started with a landscaper dude that said I looked like I could climb palms really fast,,put these on,,,that was 1976 and soon after that he had me climbing on my new saddle,,yup, bow-line on a bight. Good times. My craftsman chainsaw lanyard was a dog leash.
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lol, I rocked a craftsman and a dog leash once in a pinch.
 
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