Failed CS38 - Looking for advice.

[Sviatoslav Tulin]

I was using throw line and a throwbag isn’t this is a correct way to advance,if tree have fewer limbs .

[5thelement]

4 hours ago, Jayouz said:

Hello, well as the title says I failed my CS38 couple of really stupid mistakes that are easy fixes but on the feedback the assessor advised that he wasn't happy with how long it took me to setup my anchor points and that I should've gone higher, Which I agree with.

 

The issue is I couldn't figure out how to get higher! I couldn't really go any higher on my current points and I wasn't able to throw the rope high enough to get up to the next branch, I was thinking of trying a throwbag next time but I was wondering if anyone has any hints and tips that might help? 

 

Any help appreciated 🙃

Did you do any formal training? If so, where you not using a throw bag from the ground to at least get one of your anchor points set high?

[5thelement]

37 minutes ago, Jayouz said:

I was using one until I got asked not to as it was hire kit, after that I was really stuck 😅

If you have been using it successfully, could you not hire it for the assessment?

[Jayouz]

13 minutes ago, 5thelement said:

Did you do any formal training? If so, where you not using a throw bag from the ground to at least get one of your anchor points set high?

I was using a throwline from the ground to initially get the ropes into the tree but there was too much growth in the way to get them as high as I wanted so had to settle for lower points.

I was asked not to use the hire carabiner to try and help throw the rope up higher.

[Excels1or]

Best advice i got when starting out was to not try and get the line too high, look for lower anchors, even if they're a few meters above you. Also, if you don't make the anchor you're aiming for on the 3rd throw, change your body position. Small adjustments to where you are can make a huge difference. Keep your chin up and keep practicing, you'll get there 👍

[5thelement]

1 hour ago, Jayouz said:

By the time I'd done my limb walk it was about 4 hours, so far too long, just frustrating that it just came down to not being able to get the rope to where I needed it which is why I want to try and prepare to help with my shortcomings for next time.

Did the rest of the assessment go well. Schedule knowledge, pole rescue etc?

[Jayouz]

13 minutes ago, 5thelement said:

Did the rest of the assessment go well. Schedule knowledge, pole rescue etc?

Most of it went ok, I had a couple of mistakes, mostly caused by the fact I bought myself a harness as I wasn't getting on with the one I was hiring so ended up changing a few things which caused problems, using a new harness for the assessment maybe wasn't a good idea!

 

I put a carabiner on the tail end of my lanyard to keep it out of the mud then stupidly put that end round the tree and couldn't figure out why it wouldn't bite, other one was the strap I needed for the bridge to bridge rescue was still on the other harness.

The equipment issues I can fix, I'm going to start investing in my own kit so it's setup the way I want it and I can use it how I want, the only issue I was struggling with was how to get the rope up onto a higher anchor point.

Don't get me wrong I'm sad I didn't pass but also agree with the reasons why I didn't pass so just looking at correcting the issues before the next assessment. 

[John Shutler]

honestly it sounds like you weren’t ready for the assessment. 

go out and practice, then practice some more. forget about things like little poles to try and get lines over things, practice rope throwing and get more confident, comfortable and consistent with what your trying to do. 

good luck

[Jayouz]

1 hour ago, John Shutler said:

honestly it sounds like you weren’t ready for the assessment. 

go out and practice, then practice some more. forget about things like little poles to try and get lines over things, practice rope throwing and get more confident, comfortable and consistent with what your trying to do. 

good luck

I actually said this to the trainer and assessor, that on the last day I felt like that's the point I should've been at on the 4th day.

Oh the whole the outline of the assessment was...

Questions - Answered extremely well
Getting ropes up into the tree - Not too bad
3 Knot system - Best of the day
Climbing up into the tree - No problem
High anchor point - Struggled to get the rope over the higher branch
Branch walk - No problem, good technique, put most of my weight into the rope

Pole rescue - Missing bridge connection as I didn't have the strap
Canopy rescue - Only issue was the lanyard mistake, didn't remove 2nd rope until sorted

The two main things that I really messed up on was just equipment, like I said that's an easy fix for next time, I just want to massively improve on getting the high anchor much faster, the growth that was making it hard to get the higher anchor from the ground was still in the way up in the tree, if I bundled the rope up it got caught easier which is why I'm tempted to take a throw bag to put on the end of the rope, might make it easier?

I can throw when I'm on the ground but up in the tree where I can't use more of my body I suck at throwing, but then I need to be in the tree to practice and currently don't have a way of doing that 😌
 

[Doug Tait]

I have a small throwbag on my harness for advancing a rope, and as someone said earlier, don't be too ambitious. Even just getting a couple of metres beyond your reach each time will be better progress than trying to get the perfect throw for 20mins.

 

Good bit of advice I had starting climbing was don't get bogged down failing at something time and again, change things and keep making progress, even if it's only a small move each time try to keep some momentum.