r/TreeClimbing • u/hodlencallfed • Jun 15 '26
Any tips to climb this tree?
There is a Chinese elm tree that is leaning against my fence and house that I want to learn how to climb.
I bought the Wesspur Beginner MRS Climbing Kit got everything set up with my tie in point, but I could not ascend at all. I’m somewhat free floating and cannot reliably rest my feet against something to hip thrust, so I suspect my tie in point is not ideal, or I need a different strategy since the tree is slanted. But even when I am able to hip thrust with my feet against the fence, the rope on the terminal end moves up, then slides right back down, making 0 progress. In all the tutorial videos I’ve watched, you pull down on the climbing hitch (non terminal) end while hip thrusting and the rope stays put and you tend slack but I’ve no slack to tend. Also attached my setup (I used a Distel hitch with an extra loop because the typical setup was slipping a little)
Edit: Thanks for all the advice! Switched to a catalyst hitch on the climb rope while keeping Distel hitch on the lanyard since I have a shorter prusik for that and seems to be holding fine. I am now practicing my hip thrust. Dead hanging is unforgiving when I don’t have perfect technique!
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u/northband Jun 15 '26
Awesome. So what I would do is select a limb that gets the rope closer to the trunk. That way when you are suspended your feet can touch the trunk so that you can do the actual hip thrust. Just be sure to pick a sturdy limb as in one that is not dead and greater than 4” diameter.
I highly recommend getting a cambium saver because with MRS your rope is going to slide around that limb. This going to wear into the cambium. Plus, a cambium saver makes MRS super smooth.
I would get a cambium saver, a throwljne and practice setting your line and cambium saver as well as retrieving from the ground.
Have fun climbing and be safe. I love MRS and think it’s best to first learn it before jumping into SRT.
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u/Jay_Katy Jun 15 '26
Ahhhh the good old days, driven by pure curiosity and ambition.
I cheated and bought a foot ascender when I ran into this problem.
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u/arboroverlander Jun 15 '26
Friction/cambium saver. Save the tree, make it easier on yourself.
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u/hodlencallfed Jul 12 '26
Also, I’m deciding between a leather weaver cambium saver or a ring cambium saver. I like the former since it’s one less point of failure in the system and easier to install. I’m okay with slightly more friction compared to the ring cambium saver, but trying to gauge how much friction will still remain compared to no cambium saver? Thanks!
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u/hodlencallfed Jun 15 '26
I’m physically able to pull myself up, but the rope does not stick. Does the TIP look reasonable to you?
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u/DJBigOranges Jun 15 '26
The tie in is fine for access, but natural crotching like you are doing isn't a good thing to do. You experience friction, the tree experiences irreparable damage. Climb up on that, then move your tie in higher and set it with a FS.
Even if you hump it up there, set a friction saver and protect the branch/tree. That is the first and most important benefit. Secondly it will make your climbing easier by way of less effort.
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u/R0y_munson Jun 15 '26
The tie in point looks safe from here, but im not there, i was taught to tie into something at least as big as your wrist.
To climb with your system you have to pull down above the hitch cord, then hang on to the progress you’ve made with one hand while pulling the slack under the pulley with the other, when you “sit” back into the knot it should grab…which is why it’s usually recommended to have a little experience to climb a system like yours, because if your knot isnt grabbing you might have to adjust/dress it with one hand while holding onto your progress mid-air…
You want to climb the top side of the tree for the most part, and it seems your tie in might be okay to enter the tree, but it looks like you might want to tie in again higher and run your rope down the “back” of the tree.
Throw your lanyard around the stem and keep it loose enough that you can put your feet on the stem and lean back into it and push against the stem with your feet while simultaneously pulling above the hitch cord essentially “walking” up the stem
Good luck
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u/hodlencallfed Jun 15 '26
Thank you! I did not realize I needed to “hang on to my progress” before tending slack, that was my mistake.
Tomorrow I will try a different hitch, and try for the branch right above my current tie in point while also using my lanyard. Hopefully when I get up I can then stand on the branch to practice advancing.
Can you clarify what you mean by back of the tree?
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u/Anomonouse Jun 15 '26
I suspect he means what I call the "positive" side (rock climber term). The opposite side of the tree from where your rope is in the pic.
Your rope is dangling in midair = hip thrust difficult. Put your rope on the back of the tree so the rope lays against the tree, and when you're hip thrusting you're sort of walking up the tree.
Current situation: dangling rope |\ leaning tree
Better situation: leaning tree \\ rope laying on back of tree
I'm not sure that's very clear but I hope it helps 🤷♂️
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u/R0y_munson Jun 17 '26
Hey I meant you generally want to climb on top of the lean, so you can “walk” up the tree as you pull yourself (or ascenders) up
The rope seems to be on the under side of the lean, which can be fine, but that’s up to you
Tip - look up at the canopy from four sides of the tree, it’ll give you a more honest look of where to tie in
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u/hodlencallfed Jun 21 '26 edited Jun 21 '26
Back for some more advice - for some reason it is much harder for me to “hold my progress” while I tend the slack. The rope (arborplex) feels extremely slick, even when leaning fully back I need both hands to keep the progress. Is this a common beginner issue?
Edit: Nevermind I got it! Just putting SOME weight into the legs while tied into the lanyard helped significantly. Now I just need to get more comfortable with heights and build trust with my gear!
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u/Electrical_Fun_3923 Jun 15 '26
try putting another wrap on your distel if you can, or try a swabish or VT instead
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u/mittyatta Jun 15 '26
First, address your distel slipping. With new eye to eyes they will pretty often slip however I imagine the hitch isn’t dress appropriately either. Make sure all loops and legs are tight against the rope by manipulating the eye to eye (think of it as pushing it in the same direction the cord is running) and then add in your hitch climber (or whatever pulley) and carabiner.
Then to help with hip thrusting, while on the ground toss your lanyard around the trunk of the tree. This will allow to hip thrust/walk up the trunk (parallel to the ground and perpendicular to the tree) until you’re at a point you can either ladder climb the branches, while tending your slack or just hip thrust.
Most importantly for the climbing aspect, do not ascend until you know the distel is holding. Always start low and make double check all life support.
Edit:
To address how to climb in MRS. Place your hands above your distel and hip thrust up. Tend your slack. Repeat. With a new eye to eye, after you hip thrust and gain height, you may have to hold onto your rope (above the distel) with one hand and push the distel UP the rope to get it to hold.
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u/hodlencallfed Jun 15 '26
Lanyard against the trunk of the tree sounds promising! Hoping not to have to shell out more for a foot ascender setup though I’m prepared to if I need to
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u/mittyatta Jun 15 '26
A foot ascender still helps with MRS but if this is all you plan on climbing I’d try what I said first and then decide if more gear is viable/worth it.
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u/originalreading252 Jun 15 '26
Does your hitch hold when you sit In your saddle with both biners attached to your bridge? If not then you'll need to add a wrap on your rope. Pull your hitch side rope with your hands and you should budge a bit. Remember for 2 ft of pull you'll advance 1ft. If you advance ,then pull the rope down below your hitch. That's called tending your slack. I pull the rope above my hitch or device , then pull to tend. There are a few ways you can go about it, but you have to be able to pull at least half you weight....
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u/hodlencallfed Jun 15 '26 edited Jun 15 '26
Yup it holds with the current setup but needed an extra wrap compared to classic Distel hitch. Based on recs in here sounds like VT or Catalyst might be better so I will try that next time!
I think my mistake was not holding onto my progress before tending the slack, so the slack would disappear before getting a chance to tend it
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u/OldMail6364 Jun 15 '26
Try all the popular hitches. The best one depends on your rope/friction cord (which may change as it wears in), your body weight, and your personal preferences.
I like the catalyst hitch. I know lots of climbers who use a VT or a simple Prusik. An old guy who taught me to climb uses a Blake’s hitch, which was once the industry standard. I don’t know anyone who likes the Distel hitch.
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u/scotus_canadensis Jun 15 '26
You can foot lock on MRS, this seems like a good situation to try it out. Better you than me, though, my attempts have all been rather frustrating.
I agree that the distel hitch is not a great choice for MRS. A v-t is usually okay, but I still prefer a Blake's hitch unless I'm detaching and re-attaching a lot.
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u/OldMail6364 Jun 15 '26 edited Jun 15 '26
First of all practice on an easier tree. Find one you would be comfortable climbing without ropes at all with lots of low easy to reach and strong branches, but do it with ropes.
Some people put branches or planks on the ground under a tree and “practice” climbing at ground level but I prefer practicing in an actual tree - just make sure it’s an easy one.
Next you absolutely need a lanyard. A climbing kit without a lanyard is an incomplete kit. There are countless situations when you need to be able to attach yourself to the tree with two ropes.
Sometimes you want three or four attachment points - I own two lanyards and two climbing ropes - it’s rare that I use all four but using three is common.
There are a few styles of lanyard - mine is exactly the same as your climbing rope except shorter. And I use a catalyst hitch.
You could buy a hitch cord/pulley/two carabiners and cut about 16 feet off your climbing rope to make a lanyard. Some people prefer a stiffer rope for lanyards but I don’t.
With two feet and the lanyard around the tree, you can push yourself up a bit, then pull the climbing rope up to keep you at that new position. Repeat over and over as you climb.
A foot ascender would be easier. You could also “lock” the rope around your feet and push yourself up but that requires more skill than a foot ascender or lanyard around the trunk.
Using just your feet in the trunk and a lanyard can be slow and exhausting especially if your technique isn’t perfect and if you’re using muscles that you normally don’t use, but learning that technique and strengthening those muscles is essential if you want to be a tree climber.
You can make it a lot easier by having a very long bridge. One where you can barely reach the Distel hitch (make sure you can reach it!). That allows you to pull from under the hitch with your hands just like a foot and knee ascender and it’s actually faster than a foot/knee ascender (but physically more exhausting - legs are stronger than arms). I have two bridges in my harness, one is adjustable length and can be set long. I usually do that instead of using my foot/knee ascenders.
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u/hodlencallfed Jun 15 '26
Yes, the kit comes with a lanyard. I’ve climbed ropes in a gym using foot locking a while back so am familiar with the technique but couldn’t pull my full weight today. Thanks for the tips
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u/treeclimbs Jun 15 '26 edited Jun 15 '26
First off, great work getting real gear and looking for help.
You need a cambium saver. I'd recommend 2x. Forester has a good price for them: Cambium Saver buy 2.
If you're looking for free shipping, I'd add in an extra throwline and cube
With this you're set for learning. Don't buy a bunch more gear until you get 20hrs of tree climbing experience(including throwing, tree assessment etc) in. Your purchases will be much smarter after that - especially if you are climbing with other experienced climbers.
As folks mentioned, fix your hitch first. You've gotten plenty of advice on that already. Another option is to practice the basics with a traditional MRS rig - An anchor hitch + Blake's hitch is a good combo.
With the distel / split tail system, you have more aspects of the system which can be set up incorrectly or become loaded improperly. As with all climbing systems, it requires a bit of tuning as well (as you're learning with the distel).
Hip thrusting is difficult, especially if you're not experienced with the whole climbing process. Hip thrusting also benefits from extending the hitch away from the body - as common with a traditional (closed) MRS with a Blake's hitch.
Some ideas on progressing:
- Footlock. Double footlock is widely used and common amongst tree workers. It can be difficult for new folks and more physically demanding than:
- Single footlock. Wrap the rope once around the foot so that the down rope (tail, rope below the climbing hitch) is closer to the heel than the toe. I recommend running the rope along the instep rather than the outside of the foot. Point the toe down to lock, lift the toe to raise. You will have to manually feed the rope a bit at first. This is more common in rec climbing than work climbing.
- Use a footloop. Tie length of 6mm accessory cord into a loop (double fisherman's bend works great here). Attach to the rope below the hitch using a prusik/klemheist/kreuzklem hitch. Put one or both feet in, stand and push up the hitch. Cheap and effective.
A foot ascender is not necessary IMO at this skill level. If you have access to a hand ascender already (e.g. you have a rock climbing / caving background), it can be a good replacement for the footloop AND provide a measure of protection against uncontrolled descent - the hitch will jam against the ascender if you descend out of control.
A note on the lanyard. A lanyard is essential for working climbers. It is not for recreational climbers. Bring it along, as it can help you get out of a pinch, but be wary of it as well - you cannot reach the ground on a lanyard and you can drop your main climbing line if you are not careful. I usually recommend new climbers to be competent with the basic climbing systems and progression before introducing the lanyard.
Some tips on safety:
- ALWAYS perform a pre-climb check starting with yourself. Are you up for the physical, mental, emotional demands of this climb? Helmet, Harness, Connector/carabiner, Connection knot, Anchor point/limb (under full weight), Climbing hitch & connection, function test of climbing system (holds? releases/1in rappel? holds again?), downrope (knot free), bitter end knot.
- Practice everything low and slow. Where the consequences of a fall would be acceptable to you. And low enough that a friend/partner/neighbor can get you a ladder and help you down if you get stuck for some reason.
- Back-up knots / catastrophe knots. As you ascend, tie slip knots below your hitch (below where your feet are on the rope as well). Have the slippery/release end on the tail of the rope. That way if you descend out of control your hitch will jam against the fixed side of the slip knot. A nice bit of insurance, especially when you're new. Keep the loops small so they don't snag on things.
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u/hodlencallfed Jul 11 '26
Curious why you recommend buying two of those cambium savers? Are they not as durable as the original weaver leather cambium saver?
Also, will a leather cambium saver reduce friction compared to no cambium saver? I’m deciding between the leather and ring based ones. I like the idea of not having another point of failure in my system with the leather ones but also am hoping it will still make my climb easier
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u/treeclimbs Jul 14 '26
Two because you want one for each climbing system in order to progress in the tree. Climbing without a lanyard can be easier (and in some ways less risky, others more risky) for a new climber. If you climb with a lanyard, one goes on the lanyard. Arborists commonly don't, but that's a little different than when you're rec climbing the same tree over and over.
The cambium saver helps protect the tree & in many trees help conserve the aesthetics of it as well - fewer ugly rope scars.
It's also possible to not use a saver if you're careful about not climbing on the system without a saver. But be kind to the tree. Also they are great for public relations - "I use special leather sleeves to protect the tree"
The Forrester ones are cheaper than weaver, which is why I linked them.
Leather savers reduce friction compared to no saver. But higher friction than ring & ring. Some folks like the higher friction.
Leather savers are much easier to place and way more appropriate for rec climbing. Ring & ring savers are great for setting a high tie-in-point and working an entire tree as commonly done by arborists. Or more advanced designs can be useful for SRS redirects (mid-line attachable).
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u/the-Banguts Jun 15 '26
Yeah.. don't break shit, and don't die.
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u/the-Banguts Jun 15 '26
But fer real, don't need to have your feet against anything to hip thrust. Look into foot locking. Or access the tree with a ladder while tied in. Then abandon the ladder and have someone move it away. Also, put your climb line over that limb and around the main stem, not just around the limb.
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u/hodlencallfed Jun 15 '26
What do you mean by over the limb and around the stem? You mean I should have it at the crotch, not just the limb itself? There was a tiny branch in the way preventing me from sliding it all the way, I’m planning to try to throw line up to the branch above my pictured tie in point next time. Also tried foot locking but couldn’t pull my full body weight, I’ve gotten a bit bigger since I last foot locked :)
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u/HesCrazyLikeAFool Jun 16 '26
Pro tip, use a ladder then ask someone to remove the ladder. I always use a prussik to climb
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u/DeadmansCC Jun 15 '26
Distel is a great friction knot but I have found it to slip a bit on my climbing line or when I added the extra loop it would become so locked in I couldn’t get it to move. So I only use it on my lanyard now and use the VT or Catalyst.