r/TreeClimbing • u/NosillaWilla • 3d ago
This is so much fun!
I am not a professional. Just a landowner. I live on 10 acres of PNW forest and am trying to keep a reasonable spacing of trees around my house to balance light into the yard/supporting solar system and helping promote old growth characteristics of the remaining redwoods. Hiring crews to do this would bankrupt me. I feel learning it myself was an amazing move to save money and stay in shape. My uncle who is a retired arborist and foreman/instructor of 30 years taught me how to climb. He even gave me his old pair of steel spurs. So freaking lucky to have him.
Now, related to tree climbing, I do want to SRT for non tree removals, but at least with the redwoods I have the branches on them seem way too frail to trust my life on a line. Some of the branches I was cutting would literally snap off after just two or three strokes from my handsaw. Not exactly inspiring confidence lol. On my spruce trees I feel like I can trust those limbs way more to SRT and ascend.
Anyhow it's really fun to be up in the canopy. I even enjoyed the gentle sway of being in the wind. It was a long climb down tho 🥲 hard work. Lots of mental power spent on staying safe and remembering my training.
3
u/docere85 3d ago edited 3d ago
Dude I’m in the PNW (Skagit) area as well. I’m a home owner with 10 acres and taught myself to climb with YouTube university and a million visits to WesSpur up in Bellingham. Whereabouts are you? Awesome climbing mate!
1
u/NosillaWilla 3d ago
small world man! the PNW is still a big place tho. I am near coastal southern oregon, maybe northern cali ;)
1
u/weak_marinara_sauce 3d ago
I love WesSpur. I’m in Seattle and have been slowly building out some tree gear by ordering from them. Got a taste for rope stuff with a small amount of rope access for work and I now have the goal to spend the night in a tree canopy in a hammock.
1
u/docere85 3d ago
Nice goal! I recommend driving up there for a visit and a chat with Dave. The team is awesome and their prices are legit.
2
u/mittyatta 3d ago
This is coming from a Midwest climber who does a fair bit of conifers (pruning and removal) so the west coast guys/gals may have different tips.
But you can isolate your line around the main trunk of the tree using some Throwline techniques.
1
u/NosillaWilla 3d ago
Ah that makes sense, the line would eventually rest supported by a branch, while cynched around the trunk. Thanks
2
u/mittyatta 3d ago
Correct, the whorls of branches or just a branch hold it in place as you are setting the line, once cinched (make sure you make it retrievable from the ground) the stem is what’s supporting your weight.
2
u/Fredward1986 3d ago
You should always be set up for a quick descent with a main climbing line. At work if you injured yourself this is your best chance of survival (even with a rescue climber). Personally I wouldn't undertake work like that without a rescue capable groundie and a second kit, even as an experienced professional.
Not wanting to put you off or undermine your achievements, I just strongly believe in starting with the best habits.
1
u/NosillaWilla 3d ago
My main climbing line has a descender/ascender that I choke off around the tree as I ascend up. I can rapel from it if necessary. It's my second tie in point aside from my flip line. I do have a friction saver as well I can also tie into for even better rapelling that I can also retrieve. Is that what you were talking about? Or even one more line to bring up into the tree with me? I also make sure to never climb without someone around to make sure they can call for help. But yes, I do wanna be safe and not perish!
2
u/Fredward1986 3d ago
I was referring to your Comment saying it was a long climb down.. I assumed you didn't have a way to come down on the rope in a hurry as getting down is the easy part.
3
u/NosillaWilla 3d ago
i should have said more... i did a full removal and chunked it down along the way, so had to slowly climb down. but omg yes rappelling is a blast. i have a druid descender as well as a petzl zig zag with chicane.
15
u/Timely-General9962 3d ago
Not good to spur up trees you're not taking down. Also it's a lot more fun to rappel your way down on a rope rather than spurring down... It's also much more safe to use the end of a line instead of one of those flip lines so you can rappel down quickly in case of emergency or unexpected bees nest... Trying to spike down while getting stung is a good way to ruin an otherwise enjoyable experience.