Climbing plane trees

[paradise]

I'm a new climber and have been practicing a bit on different trees. The only trees that have flummoxed me so far are planes - a load of 100 year-olds near my house. Several of them I get to a certain point and there's nothing but steep ascending scaffolds, unbranched, for some way up - and then my throwing skills let me down:thumbdown:

 

So people who climb big planes regularly, do you tend to use throw lines or do you just get very good at throwing upwards in a tree? Just curious cos some of these throws would be 5 or 6m with no space to swing the rope.

 

Also, does anyone know any videos online of different throwing techniques in the tree?

 

cheers

[Tree Man Tom]

A plane is one of the trees i havnt climbed yet, but i know what you mean about there not being branches to throw to, experienced it in plenty of other trees.

 

Installing your line from the ground with a throwline is probably the best option, although not done this much myself.

 

Ive used small slings as false foot holds to shimmy me up the tree abit more to get to a branch.

 

Just take a minute to think, sometimes theres a branch you've "missed" which will be easier to get to. Sounds daft but ive done it myself.

 

... or just practice your throwing

 

Failing that just bear hug yourself up the tree to the next branch

[Dean Lofthouse]

If you cant install from the ground why not take a little pouch with you with 30ft of throwline and a throwbag and throwline over the next high branch

[Rupe]

Another things that beginners tend to do wrong is to follow the trunk up the tree. Sometimes you can climb branches to get you higher instead, but this brings you away from the trunk which can be unnerving. This often works best on Lime trees though!

 

Big throwbag clipped to the end of your rope is best IMO. Or throwline from the ground, doesn't need to be high, just higher than the difficult bit!

[Tree cutter Stu]

i have done alot of planes its best just to get a line in harf wayup to a thired of the way up past the knuckles. then footlock and climb to top ah horible trees imo

[Stephen Blair]

get a length of pul cord and put a bag on that and stick it in a chalk bag, better to have a bag at each end. doesnt tangle much compared to throwline. but a bag on the end of your climbing line is really handy imo

[High Scale]

I love climbing them, as long as it's dry, nice open canopy's, easy to throw your climbing line up, just throw your line up in small stages if you find it hard, practice your throw, it's a good skill to have, They are one of the easiest trees to climb IMO.

Edited November 8, 2009 by High Scale

[John Hancock]

Poles, Poles!

[waz77]

3 or 4 60cm webbing slings,girth hitch them to use as hand and footholds,keep adding them as you ascend until your in throwing distance,once your tied in at the top collect them again on your way back down

[paradise]

Cheers for the answers guys. I thought of using slings to get me further up the scaffolds but thought it would be a bit of a slow way to progress - might give it a go next time though.

 

Hadn't thought of taking a short throw line into the tree - might get hold of one for that.

 

What's the best thing for weighting the end of a rope then? I've only seen weights for strings but they would be too small I think?

 

Tree cutter stu I didn't get your method - footlock up what? If you mean the rope then how are you getting it to the top of the crown?