Is this tree safe to climb? How would you do it?

Aerial · 4th April 2008, 09:44 AM

This tree is in my backyard. I live in Western Pennsylvania and it's just getting to be Springtime here.

I'm interested in learning climbing and this tree is where I will start. I'd like to leave enough of it to be a practice and learning tree, ideally with at least one point high enough to do ascents and rappels from. Is this tree a good candidate for this?

Aerial

newguy18 · 4th April 2008, 09:50 AM

Since your a beginner,no it isn't safe for you.That tree is rotton and i noticed the conks and the depression/cavity on the trunk.It also looks like it is growing out of a stump as well.You need to find a tree that is alive and healthy maybe not a bad idea to have an arborist come out and inspect it prior to you climbing it.Make sure until you get better you tie in to a limb no less than 4" diameter,just until you can spot defects and such.practice using your throw line and weight or monkey's fist until you get good at it and like mentioned before start off low and use fool proof friction hitches like tautline,blakes,prusik,etc.

Aerial · 4th April 2008, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newguy18

... That tree is rotton and i noticed the conks and the depression/cavity on the trunk... You need to find a tree that is alive and healthy ...

Any tree that I use to learn this trade will have to be dead or dying. I'll not use my gaffs or axes on a live tree.

I understand that from half a world away you can't just say it looks OK to climb, give it a go. I have already turned a young man away with a very low bid to bring it down because I feared for his safety. I will have other professionals look at it before I proceed.

The tree is coming down, whether by the next wind storm or by a controlled takedown. As the major upper limbs come down, I presume I will have evidence then as to what remains of the tree and it's suitability for training purposes.

Here's a closer shot of a major problem area:

newguy18 · 4th April 2008, 10:31 AM

it is possible to climb live trees without gaffs and axes,seriously yuo are gonna get hurt depending on those as an attachment point.You said you got a rope flipline so use it with a harness and practice climbing dbrt for living trees and if you do climb that one use gaffs a flip line and a climbl line until you get adept at using the 3 in conjuction with each other.

Aerial · 4th April 2008, 10:34 AM

My pick for leaving a long limb is the leftmost one as you view the photo. It will need to be topped off somewhere along it's length. I'm hoping that it will be found to be strong enough to support a rappelling line.

Aerial

Aerial · 4th April 2008, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newguy18

... seriously you are gonna get hurt depending on those as an attachment point...

I will be depending on my lifeline as the attachment point when trying out new hardware and techniques. It's ALL new to me, so every item I incorporate into my kit will be tested extensively, hopefully in what I decide to leave of this very tree.

Aerial

newguy18 · 4th April 2008, 10:51 AM

heres some of the defects i spotted almost imediatly

sawsong · 4th April 2008, 10:59 AM

Aerial, please please please, just LISTEN to what these guys are telling you

theyre trying to help you and trying to stop you hurting yourself.

never mind climbing with gaffs and axes, that is NOT the way to start climbing in my opinion. plus, just drop the axe idea. it will end in hospital.

extensive testing is all well and good. but it should be you getting the testing with using the gear, the gear has already been extensively tested, just make sure its designed for the purpose at hand!

plus, too much talk of rappelling,

"I have already turned a young man away with a very low bid to bring it down because I feared for his safety" i rest my case.

you're making it more difficult for yourself and for those trying to help you. they wont keep trying if you wont take their advice and keep arguing and belittling their experienced input. you admit openly you're completely green, so forget everything you dont know, start at the beginning like me, and climb safe.

newguy18 · 4th April 2008, 11:02 AM

on that note,don't try to train yourself like i did,bad idea i just got lucky and never had an accident.

sawsong · 4th April 2008, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newguy18

on that note,don't try to train yourself like i did,bad idea i just got lucky and never had an accident.

must admit, im training myself to an extent at the moment because ive had to cut my grounding hours down considerably due to university commitments, so there isnt the time at work to spend any time in the canopy. however i am scheduled to meet up with some local pro climbers every now and then to learn from them which is really nice of them.

gonna do my NPTC CS38 soon which is 'tree climbing and aerial rescue'. it's a course and an assessment. should be good. look forward to that but i wont do it until im ready. the next one after that is CS39 operating a chainsaw from a rope and saddle i believe. words to that effect anyway

newguy18 · 4th April 2008, 11:10 AM

Heres what i found wrong with another pic.

newguy18 · 4th April 2008, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sawsong

must admit, im training myself to an extent at the moment because ive had to cut my grounding hours down considerably due to university commitments, so there isnt the time at work to spend any time in the canopy. however i am scheduled to meet up with some local pro climbers every now and then to learn from them which is really nice of them.

gonna do my NPTC CS38 soon which is 'tree climbing and aerial rescue'. it's a course and an assessment. should be good. look forward to that but i wont do it until im ready. the next one after that is CS39 operating a chainsaw from a rope and saddle i believe. words to that effect anyway

I literally am self taught,i bought the tree climbers companion and went from the with 50' of rope and a pole climbers harness.I trust noone else will be STUPID enough to try that one.

Treelore · 4th April 2008, 11:12 AM

This tree is a fantastic candidate for removal. I wouldn't personally be trying in any way to be keeping this tree for any reason to "learn on" even if you thought you had removed dangerous components.
I did notice in the background a couple of trees that would be great to learn ascending on and the use of a throwline in a confined space.
I will say however it is your life and go ahead and learn the mechanics of timber at the pace that you see fit. It's kinda like diving... You can test the depths and nitrogen buildup for yourself if you want. but there are charts and many hundreds have died before you getting this information so for me it was always better listening to those that had gone before me...But hey we love statistics it usually gives us another idiot law and some other reason why we have to waste hours on practising safety and not doing the job we came to do so go for it!!!

crucificio · 4th April 2008, 02:00 PM

That tree is way unsafe to climb, I personally have climbed much more dangerous trees but only because I had to take them down safely. Because you are a beginner there is no way you should even consider climbing a dangerous unsafe tree, learnon the live healthy ones.That particular tree is easy to drop without going up it.

TreeDimensional · 4th April 2008, 03:28 PM

Ah, come on Treelore, I would bet that treeseer would have a plan to save that tree.

All kidding aside, find a better tree to learn and practice in. From reading your other posts it is apparent that you have made your mind up to do this work, at least on a part time basis. At the risk of being repetitive, find someone who has been in the industry for years, and work with, or for them. They will be your mentor, watch what and how they do everything, and keep an open mind.

Have your spouse put a lock-down on your wallet and credit cards, I think your are wasting a lot of money on stuff that will litter your garage, once you become acclimated to the industry.

My hat is off to you for starting this undertaking at the age of 61, I really hope you take the advice of others here so you live until your 62. One of the best guys I have ever had working for me was in his 60s, he had a fantastic work ethic, and appreciated the opportunity to work outdoors.

Aerial · 4th April 2008, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newguy18

Heres what i found wrong with another pic.

Thanks again newguy, those mark-ups are easier to see than your first set. My biggest concern is with the upper limbs, especially the left most one.

Aerial

4th April 2008, 09:44 AM	#1 (permalink)
Aerial Banned Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 230	Is this tree safe to climb? How would you do it? This tree is in my backyard. I live in Western Pennsylvania and it's just getting to be Springtime here. I'm interested in learning climbing and this tree is where I will start. I'd like to leave enough of it to be a practice and learning tree, ideally with at least one point high enough to do ascents and rappels from. Is this tree a good candidate for this? Aerial

4th April 2008, 09:50 AM	#2 (permalink)
newguy18 Part of the Furniture Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Live Oak Florida home of the crapiest trees you will ever see. Posts: 2,683	Re: Is this tree safe to climb? How would you do it? Since your a beginner,no it isn't safe for you.That tree is rotton and i noticed the conks and the depression/cavity on the trunk.It also looks like it is growing out of a stump as well.You need to find a tree that is alive and healthy maybe not a bad idea to have an arborist come out and inspect it prior to you climbing it.Make sure until you get better you tie in to a limb no less than 4" diameter,just until you can spot defects and such.practice using your throw line and weight or monkey's fist until you get good at it and like mentioned before start off low and use fool proof friction hitches like tautline,blakes,prusik,etc. __________________ Have your say join us today. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzkd_m4ivmc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzfzb...eature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-OqK...eature=related

4th April 2008, 10:31 AM	#4 (permalink)
newguy18 Part of the Furniture Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Live Oak Florida home of the crapiest trees you will ever see. Posts: 2,683	Re: Is this tree safe to climb? How would you do it? it is possible to climb live trees without gaffs and axes,seriously yuo are gonna get hurt depending on those as an attachment point.You said you got a rope flipline so use it with a harness and practice climbing dbrt for living trees and if you do climb that one use gaffs a flip line and a climbl line until you get adept at using the 3 in conjuction with each other. __________________ Have your say join us today. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzkd_m4ivmc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzfzb...eature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-OqK...eature=related

4th April 2008, 10:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
Aerial Banned Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 230	Re: Is this tree safe to climb? How would you do it? My pick for leaving a long limb is the leftmost one as you view the photo. It will need to be topped off somewhere along it's length. I'm hoping that it will be found to be strong enough to support a rappelling line. Aerial

4th April 2008, 10:59 AM	#8 (permalink)
sawsong Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Lincs/Leeds England Posts: 74	Re: Is this tree safe to climb? How would you do it? Aerial, please please please, just LISTEN to what these guys are telling you theyre trying to help you and trying to stop you hurting yourself. never mind climbing with gaffs and axes, that is NOT the way to start climbing in my opinion. plus, just drop the axe idea. it will end in hospital. extensive testing is all well and good. but it should be you getting the testing with using the gear, the gear has already been extensively tested, just make sure its designed for the purpose at hand! plus, too much talk of rappelling, "I have already turned a young man away with a very low bid to bring it down because I feared for his safety" i rest my case. you're making it more difficult for yourself and for those trying to help you. they wont keep trying if you wont take their advice and keep arguing and belittling their experienced input. you admit openly you're completely green, so forget everything you dont know, start at the beginning like me, and climb safe.

4th April 2008, 11:02 AM	#9 (permalink)
newguy18 Part of the Furniture Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Live Oak Florida home of the crapiest trees you will ever see. Posts: 2,683	Re: Is this tree safe to climb? How would you do it? on that note,don't try to train yourself like i did,bad idea i just got lucky and never had an accident. __________________ Have your say join us today. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzkd_m4ivmc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzfzb...eature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-OqK...eature=related

4th April 2008, 11:12 AM	#13 (permalink)
Treelore Banned Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Brisbane Posts: 112	Re: Is this tree safe to climb? How would you do it? This tree is a fantastic candidate for removal. I wouldn't personally be trying in any way to be keeping this tree for any reason to "learn on" even if you thought you had removed dangerous components. I did notice in the background a couple of trees that would be great to learn ascending on and the use of a throwline in a confined space. I will say however it is your life and go ahead and learn the mechanics of timber at the pace that you see fit. It's kinda like diving... You can test the depths and nitrogen buildup for yourself if you want. but there are charts and many hundreds have died before you getting this information so for me it was always better listening to those that had gone before me...But hey we love statistics it usually gives us another idiot law and some other reason why we have to waste hours on practising safety and not doing the job we came to do so go for it!!!

4th April 2008, 02:00 PM	#14 (permalink)
crucificio Sappling Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: isle of man Posts: 30	Re: Is this tree safe to climb? How would you do it? That tree is way unsafe to climb, I personally have climbed much more dangerous trees but only because I had to take them down safely. Because you are a beginner there is no way you should even consider climbing a dangerous unsafe tree, learnon the live healthy ones.That particular tree is easy to drop without going up it.

4th April 2008, 03:28 PM	#15 (permalink)
TreeDimensional Banned Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 381	Re: Is this tree safe to climb? How would you do it? Ah, come on Treelore, I would bet that treeseer would have a plan to save that tree. All kidding aside, find a better tree to learn and practice in. From reading your other posts it is apparent that you have made your mind up to do this work, at least on a part time basis. At the risk of being repetitive, find someone who has been in the industry for years, and work with, or for them. They will be your mentor, watch what and how they do everything, and keep an open mind. Have your spouse put a lock-down on your wallet and credit cards, I think your are wasting a lot of money on stuff that will litter your garage, once you become acclimated to the industry. My hat is off to you for starting this undertaking at the age of 61, I really hope you take the advice of others here so you live until your 62. One of the best guys I have ever had working for me was in his 60s, he had a fantastic work ethic, and appreciated the opportunity to work outdoors.