Gloves
You will probably want to consider wearing a pair of gloves while you climb. Gloves are especially important when you are friction hitch climbing or rappelling. The type of glove you carry will be determined by the type of climbing you favor. During friction hitch climbing, you need to maximize your grip on the rope as you ascend. A good glove for this is the cotton work glove with the rubberized surface. These are inexpensive and readily available from most hardware stores, lumber companies...
Coniferous Trees
Conifers are generally regarded as evergreens. They are trees that form cones hence the name and their leaves are needlelike or scalelike. They tend to have only one main leader, rarely more. The lateral limbs tending to be significantly smaller in diameter than the adjacent trunk, and grow out, or out and down rather than generally upward as is common in deciduous trees. This characteristic of having one leader frequently makes it possible to ascend all the way to the extreme top of some of...
Advancing the Rope
If you want to go beyond the first limb, it is necessary to understand the principles involved in advancing your rope. In tree climbing, every time you set another anchor above the one that is supporting you, it is referred to as advancing that you are on to the next anchor limb. You then proceed exactly as you would if you were on the ground starting your first pitch. For some reason, this seems to be a hard thing for some newcomers to get a handle on until it is tried, but it is as simple as...
Access Public Lands
It is unfortunate but tine that, in human nature, whatever one person does, someone else will have an objection to. Anything that is different is viewed as a threat by somebody. Tree climbing is nearly always perceived as different. Since it is not widely understood, it is likely to be regarded with suspicion. Although most places don't have specific regulations forbidding tree climbing, people who are in control of public lands where you are likely to find nice climbing trees, are just as...
A Shot Pouch
This is a small nylon bag, filled with lead shot. A steel ring is sewn at the top for attaching the lines and ropes. It can weigh from 12 to 20 ounces. What weight you should use depends upon several factors how high do you have to throw how much brush is there in the tree to get hung up on and how rough is the bark. Most people will be able to throw the lighter bags higher than the heavier bags. Twelve or fourteen ounce are good weights to start with. It is usually a good idea to have an extra...
Munter Hitch
This is not really a knot but a running twist in the rope that is used as a substitute for a descending device should you drop or forget to carry yours while single rope climbing. It simply provides friction by running the rope over itself and the carabiner. It is veiy effective but tends to put a lot of twists in the rope. This knot is used whenever a midline loop is needed. I use it primarily to form the loop in the center of a double split-tail Similar knots Figure-8 on a bight Care of...
The Double Splittail
There is a refinement on the double rope technique that allows anchors to be switched without necessitating that your Blake's hitch be untied at eveiy anchor change. It is called the double split-tail. For this a separate piece of climbing rope 8-10 feet long is doubled and a loop-forming knot is tied in the center of the piece of rope The knot can be either a figure eight on a bight or, preferably, a butterfly knot p.42 . The loop created by this knot is hooked directly into the delta ring of...
Limb Walking and Tree Surfing
Limb walking is moving out to the ends of limbs. It is accomplished by setting an anchor high in the tree and descending to the limb on which you would like to walk. This is best done on a double rope because of the extra level of control it gives. It is possible to go quite far out on a limb anchored this way. And, if the way is clear of obstmctions, the swing back to the trunk or to other limbs can be lots of fun. Look for limbs that have natural seats near their ends, they move around in a...
A Rope
The preferred rope for the friction knot climbing double rope climbing emphasized in this manual is made specifically for arborists. This rope is made to accommodate two of the factors needed for the technique involved. It is flexible enough to form the friction knots. And it stands up to the heat generated by the use of the friction knots better than other types of climbing ropes. If you will be climbing using only the single rope technique SRT , the static climbing rope used for caving and...
Attaching the Climbing Rope
Once you get the throw line over the limb, undo the shot pouch from the throw line, clip the shot pouch to your saddle. Attach the end of the throw line to the end of the climbing line. This can be done one of two ways either with a series of half-hitches as shown at the right or by clipping a carabiner between the loop on the end of the throw line and a loop on the end of the climbing rope. Use the first type of attachment if you are placing the rope in a narrow crotch or if you are using a...
The Blakes Hitch
This is the best friction knot for double rope climbing. It ties easily, holds well while still sliding upwards easily, yet it is easy to descend on by simply applying light, downward pressure to the top of the knot. Similar knots Tautline Hitch The Blake's Hitch is tied as follows Using the bridge the long tail of rope above the figure-8 on a bight attached to your saddle put four wraps over the Hauling part of the rope, wrapping up the rope. Bring the tail of the rope over the bridge and...
Slip Knot or Slippery Knot
This is the knot used for getting the leather sleeves into the tree and, occasionally, for getting a rope down from an anchor limb whose angle is narrow enough that you think your knot may jam rather than pass through. Note that the knot can be untied by pulling on one of the ends of the rope coming out of it. When using the knot for placing a friction sleeve, the part of the rope below the knot should be the part that is pulled on to untie the knot. When using it as a measure to keep from...
Single Rope Climbing
Note I discourage beginning climbers from using this method of ascent without the presence of an experienced climber as the switch from ascending to descending rappelling poses some potential dangers. I discuss it here only to allow the reader to see how it works. Blake's Hitch currently being used to climb. Darker rope is the Double split-tail Blake's Hitch on the other end of the same rope ready for use on the next anchor. In this type of ascent, the rope is put over the limb, a loop is tied...
Single Rope Technique
Note Again, this step has the potential of being confusing when you are in the tree. If you have never done this before, find someone who has experience and get their help The following instructions are for your information only and not intended as a substitute for an experienced teacher To descend on a single rope, the ascending devices need to be changed for some type of descending device. The easiestplace to set this up is from a comfortable limb. Ideally, the limb would be just below the...
Friction Hitch or Double Rope Climbing
Study the illustration on the right. This is the setup for double rope climbing. Because the terminology is somewhat confusing, we will rename some of these things to make it easier to follow. The running part will be called the hanging part since you are hanging on that part . The standing part we will refer to as the Hauling part since that is the part you haul on. The tail of rope that the Blake's Hitch is tied in will remain the bridge. To climb, clip your locking carabiner between your...
Attaching Bark Protectors
You will need to put a leather bark protector on the rope where the rope passes over the limb if you are going to be climbing on a double rope. Put the end of the rope through the sleeve and pull a length of rope through it approximately equal to the distance to the limb. Tie a slip knot in the rope just below the sleeve and, using the other end of the rope, pull the sleeve up until it is on the limb. Pull down on both ends of the rope and the slip knot should come untied and leave you ready to...
Canopy Camping
When Tom Ness and Sophia Sparks of New Tribe invented the Treeboat, they opened up a whole new world for camping. The Treeboat is a four point suspension hammock that is made for use in the tree. There are few places that can compare with the top of a tree for taking a nap or spending the night. The gentle movement of the branches and the forest sounds below you and around you can transport you to nirvana. It is important to remember though, to always be tied in to the tree when you are napping...
Double Rope Technique
Remove any foot device used. Place one hand on top of the Blake's Hitch and the other hand on the hauling part of the rope below the Blake's Hitch. Apply slight pressure to the top of the Blake's Hitch and you will descend. The hand on the hauling pail of the rope under the Blake's hitch, acts as an emergency brake. The more pressure you apply to the top of the knot, the faster you will descend. Remember, the hauling part of the rope will actually be moving UP when you are descending...
The Rope Throw
Occasionally, you will want to get the rope over a branch that is fairly near overhead. This can be accomplished without using the throw line. If the end of your climbing rope has a knot on a bight, clip your throw bag to it using a carabiner. If it has no knot as yet, place the end of the rope through the ring on the throw bag and tie an overhand knot to keep the throw bag from sliding off. Grasp the rope a couple of feet above the throw bag and gather enough rope to reach the limb in small...