Secret Weapon

[High Scale]

This is video made by a friend of mine, it may interest some of you climbing types.

 

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4FMjzNnjf8&feature=player_embedded]YouTube - The Secret Weapon ![/ame]

[DrewB]

Without trying to sound negative, if you put an alpine butterfly in as a back up, why no just tie into that with a revolver or pulley etc? Never knew that was called the secret weapon! Looks cold there, where is it? Cheers for posting bro

[High Scale]

Without trying to sound negative, if you put an alpine butterfly in as a back up, why no just tie into that with a revolver or pulley etc? Never knew that was called the secret weapon! Looks cold there, where is it? Cheers for posting bro

 

I have no idea.

[scotspine1]

Without trying to sound negative, if you put an alpine butterfly in as a back up, why no just tie into that with a revolver or pulley etc? Never knew that was called the secret weapon! Looks cold there, where is it? Cheers for posting bro

 

The Alpine Butterfly can allow for a changeover needed at the top of the ascent .

 

You make the Butterfly below your top ascender, then clip into that using your side lanyard while you install the secret weapon (swabisch false crotch etc) on the loaded SRT line above which you will attach your main climbing line to. The Butterfly stops the friction hitch slipping too far if it runs.

 

I looked into using DbRT off SRT A few years back incorporating a belayable trunk anchor for rescue, but as most of my work is removals it was never gonna be practical or safe enough.

 

Picture this, your tied into your secret weapon and you go to lower a branch out of the tree, the branch swings in and hits the loaded SRT line thats attached to the base of the tree......not good.

[High Scale]

The Alpine Butterfly can allow for a changeover needed at the top of the ascent .

 

You make the Butterfly below your top ascender, then clip into that using your side lanyard while you install the secret weapon (swabisch false crotch etc) on the loaded SRT line above which you will attach your main climbing line to. The Butterfly stops the friction hitch slipping too far if it runs.

 

I looked into using DbRT off SRT A few years back incorporating a belayable trunk anchor for rescue, but as most of my work is removals it was never gonna be practical or safe enough.

 

Picture this, your tied into your secret weapon and you go to lower a branch out of the tree, the branch swings in and hits the loaded SRT line thats attached to the base of the tree......not good.

 

That's why I would always be dubious of working off a single rope, that and you've really got to trust the guys on the ground not to cut that single line.

[scotspine1]

you've really got to trust the guys on the ground not to cut that single line.

 

Imagine your doing pruning work on a 90ft Lime using a DbRT on SRT setup which is belayed into the base of the tree and one of the groundies decides to remove a bit more epi with the chainsaw

 

or

 

Imagine the same scenario but this time the groundy decides there gonna remove a lower branch using the pole chainsaw

 

or

 

Imagine again the same scenario but this time you can't move in the tree and have to ask a groundy to lower you

 

 

There must be an alternative to the trunk tie off. I know you can tie a running bow to the top of the tree for SRT but that negates the groundy rescue.

 

 

 

 

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Edited January 20, 2011 by scotspine1

[BenR]

Tie your ground anchor as high as you can reach on the trunk and tell the groundys to on no account come near the anchor with anything sharp? They shouldn't be pruning stuff on the tree anyway... that's your job right?

[scotspine1]

Tie your ground anchor as high as you can reach on the trunk and tell the groundys to on no account come near the anchor with anything sharp? They shouldn't be pruning stuff on the tree anyway... that's your job right?

 

right, thats good, lets get back to real world where groundies are well known for their unpredictable and erratic behaviour

 

seriously though, I get your point Ben, but you'll need to do a lot more convincing for SRT work positioning to become accepted as the norm for treeclimbers.

[BenR]

right, thats good, lets get back to real world where groundies are well known for their unpredictable and erratic behaviour

 

seriously though, I get your point Ben, but you'll need to do a lot more convincing for SRT work positioning to become accepted as the norm for treeclimbers.

 

Haha fair point mate, some of them are not the brightest sparks I think if you impress that your life depends on it though and constantly bo-lock them about it you would be ok.

 

From what I can tell in my short time to do with tree climbing, Arb is constantly evolving and there are always people who like to stick with "the old fashioned way". But then I know people who think a blakes hitch is new to Arb.

 

I'm certainly not trying to help SRT work positioning become the norm because it is up to the individual how they climb. Just cos I use a VT I don't look down on prussic users.. The SRT hitch thread (http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/climbers-talk/24421-srt-hitch-test-question.html) was just for those that are interested in trying out new stuff and to get some feedback for myself with regards to safety of it and other SRT'ers options.

 

Tbh, if I had to take down a nasty old rotten tree tomorrow, I would be on Doubled rope technique with the Hitchclimber

Edited January 20, 2011 by BenR
speeling :P

[DrewB]

Different trees different techniques. It's all good:)