We all like to talk about, or at least think about, how we are the picture of perfection when it comes to tree work. However, once we really make a mess of the simplest task – maybe involving a throw line at a 25-foot union – we quickly abandon our delusions of grandeur. Next we realize there is a real and present reality all of us must face. We are only human, and we all make mistakes. Samuel Smiles says, “One who never made a mistake never made a discovery.”
That is what this article is all about. This is a small collection – or anthology, really – of techniques collected by our team at SavATree. They may be personal experiences, experiences shared by colleagues or reconstruction and problem solving of a situation they heard about.
Missed knot
The driving force behind the need to share this information comes from having made a simple mistake, an honest one, and wanting others to learn from it.
I am sure every arborist has experienced one, and many have even caught a mistake before it became a problem. One such scenario is pulling a rope into a tree with a knot in it! Well, in this case the knot was not seen. The climber began a long ascent, and about three-quarters of the way up came across this hiccup. He sent a text message with a photo of the honest mistake and said, “Well, $#!+.”
So this is the dilemma we are all faced with at some point. Once the mistake has been made, we are left with two options: 1) Go back to square one and get rid of this fly in the ointment and try again, or 2) use some problem solving on the fly with gear that’s readily available to make a smooth transition. Then accept the lesson learned and carry on.
We have selected three such situations to cover so that, if these do happen to you, you will already have some stuff in the mental toolbox to defuse the bomb created.
Stuck friction saver
This phenomenon is a real pickle that can go one of two ways. The first is to totally negate the fact that the friction saver was even installed and completely pull your rope out. The second is that Mother Nature has had her way with the large ring and it is jammed in the union or stuck on a stub. Both situations can be potentially mitigated by using a throw line and not having to set another climbing line to go back up to retrieve the friction saver.
Scenario 1: Stuck with no rope
a) Take out the old, trusty throw line and throw it somewhere above the friction saver. This does not require putting the throw line into a union; even a small sucker will do the trick. You just need something higher than the stranded piece of kit. (Photos 1a and 1b)
b) Isolate the line so that one leg of the line is close to the friction saver, either on the small or large ring side, and flows up and down smoothly.
c) Pull up the throw ball on the leg of line furthest away from the dangling day wrecker. Pull the ball up so that it is higher than the ring we are going to attempt to grab to pick out the dilemma.
d) Put a slip knot in the throw line, creating a large enough loop to get over the ring, with the closing control toward the throw-line wizard who is about to engage in the tree-work dark arts.
e) Let gravity work for you for a change and drop the ball with minimal resistance on the string. You can manipulate the position of the loop by slightly spinning the string in your fingers.
f) Let the loop flow over the ring and pull hard, closing the loop and hooking the ring like you just caught a marlin in Fiji. Be prepared for this to take more than one try, but the satisfaction will be worth it.
g) Now pull the problem down and take it off the line, and remember to take all throw balls off the line before pulling out, or something else will be stuck and you will be waiting until the next article.
Scenario 2: Stuck with a rope:
a) Repeat step “a)” from Scenario 1.
b) Next, isolate the line so that one side is coming down close to the high-and-dry climbing line.
c) Attach a carabiner to the throw ball either in the ring or attachment point (depending on style of ball). A smaller, locking carabiner is recommended. Clip the carabiner around the climbing line and pull it up the line. Keeping tension on the rope is a good idea. (Photo 2a)
d) Once the carabiner is at the small ring, with the knot or retrieval ball, pull on the throw line to extract the hostage and lower it safely to the ground. (Photo 2b)
e) Refer to step “G” in the earlier scenario.
Disclaimer: Putting a throw line on the climbing line, above the knot or retrieval ball, will help prevent these scenarios. Just saying.
Multi-stem tie-in point
Sometimes, working in smaller trees can pose an unassuming challenge. The biggest challenge can be where to tie in. This situation can leave the climber with a real conundrum. Maybe the only limb big enough is not the ideal location. Or maybe the one limb in the right spot just does not give you the “I’d hang my whole family on it” feeling.
Well, when one will not do, why not pick two?
Now, we must be careful about how we load these two points so we get the best out of them and not the worst by improperly loading them to failure. Our goal is to make the sticky situation better, not worse.
Equalizing multi-anchor:
a) You will need an adjustable friction saver long enough to span the two tie-in points (TIPs) and still have a little extra slack. This technique is not for the no-frills, 24-inch or 36-inch, ride-or-die saver.
b) We are going to add a third point in the middle of the friction saver to equalize loading of the two points and keep them loaded in-line, as opposed to being pulled toward each other.
c) Next, there are two options as to how to continue. Are you going to remove the anchor before descending to the ground? Or are you going to pull the anchor out when you get to the ground?
- If you are going to take it out before the final descent, then you can add a carabiner in between the two anchor points. The reason this method should not be retrieved from the ground is that the carabiner could slip off the end and free fall back to earth. This is a crime against all carabiners. (Photo 3a)
- The safer and better method is to remove the adjustable-ring Prusik, slide a large-size ring on the saver and reinstall the ring Prusik. The large ring is now trapped between the two ends and cannot inadvertently come ricocheting through the canopy. (Photo 3b)
d) Feed the climbing line through the small ring first, then through both big rings. This will ensure the system can be pulled out when the climber reaches the ground.
Too many redirects with a canopy anchor
When climbing stationary rope system (SRS), one of the best options is to canopy-anchor the climber’s line. There are many ways for a climber to create a canopy anchor, and more keep showing up every year. The only real issue with canopy anchors is that some limit the best advantage of SRS climbing – redirecting.
With a number of these techniques, even just going slightly away from the retrieval side will make pulling it back down next to impossible without a full offensive line in foot ascenders kicking on it. So, let’s say you make this amazingly easy mistake and take too many redirects. Here is a method to remove them so you can get your line out and get back to climbing or just go home.
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a) Get out the old ball and string and pitch it over where the line is redirected – and where progress has come to a screeching halt. Isolate the throw line around the climbing line. Do not try to pull the line out with just the throw line. Many a good string has been cut and many a good rope has had to be retired to confirm this is a bad idea.
b) For this next step, you are going to need a fixed cheek-plate pulley (most hardware manufacturers make them). Connect both sides of the throw line to each hole on both sides of the pulley. Now the throw line is in a loop around the climbing line with the pulley finishing the loop. (Photo 4a)
c) Pull the pulley up to the line and pop it over the rope. This may take a try or two.
d) Once the pulley is over the rope, you’ve just gained a bunch of much-needed rolling efficiency to roll that uncooperative redirect back in line. Pull on both sides of the throw line, adding a carabiner as a handle if needed. (Photo 4b)
Conclusion
We all make mistakes; it is a part of every person’s learning process. These are just a couple of helpful tips. There are many more out there just waiting to be discovered.
Do not be afraid to share your mistakes with others. Even with the most experienced group of climbers, it is important to remember that “iron sharpens iron.” The more you talk to people, the more you will find out that just about everyone has had a “Well, $#!+” moment.
Mike Tilford, CTSP, is director of general tree care for SavATree, a 39-year TCIA member company headquartered in Bedford Hills, New York. He is an ISA Certified Arborist, an ISA Certified Municipal Specialist, an ISA Certified Tree Worker – Climber Specialist and an ITCC head judge and gear inspector.
Ryan Torcicollo, CTSP, is a safety and skills trainer for SavATree.
This article was based on the authors’ presentation on the same topic during TCI EXPO ’23 in St. Louis, Missouri.
