Anchor point snaps out!

[Mark Bolam]

Dan McClennan rang me today after a lucky escape.

 

He was anchored into a dead Birch at about 40', working at about 20' when his anchor snapped out and went past him. Luckily he managed to grab onto a couple of limbs in time, and the top hit the ground before it had time to tension his line and rip him out the tree.

 

The piece he was anchored into was over 7" diameter, but dead Birch can be pretty weak. He has pics and will post them hopefully. I doubt he'll be putting pics of his pants up.

 

He'd bounced on it a few times to test it, but putting lateral pressure on it caused the break.

 

He knows he's had a lucky one, and wants to send the 'heads up' message out to all of us.

 

Climb safe.

[Dean Lofthouse]

It's that lateral stuff that's the killer

[scotspine1]

any Piptoporous brackets present?

[arbogrunt]

phew!..that was a close shave!. Its easy for people to say 'should have used a mewp' but sometimes we all have to make the call whether to climb or not. I've had a couple of nasties with Birch over the years. Glad he's lived to climb another day

[butler]

safety first safety always......

[Mark Bolam]

any Piptoporous brackets present?

 

Not sure yet Tim. More than likely. I'll know more as the week goes on.

 

When Birch dies, it seems to go pretty quick. I'll bet my left knacker it had been reduced previously as well.

[David Goss]

Wow close call! Glad it turned out ok, could have been nasty...

[atree]

Lucky guy!Was he lanyard'd in?

 

Yeah dead birch aint the strongest.Hope he went back up to finish the tree?

[Mark Bolam]

He wasn't lanyarded in Adam, he was moving position to get further out.

 

He reckons if he'd been using a 200 at the time he would look like dog food now.

 

Dan is an experienced and very competent climber, which should make us all take that extra 1% care.

 

Maybe a lower anchor with a vertical redirect on dead Birch ay?

[Mark Bolam]

And yep, he finished the tree!

 

Didn't ask if he bust anything, apart from his sphincter!