Beginners climbing guide, hints, tips and general climbing techniques

[Sambo]

On 10/12/2012 at 20:42, Grass hopper said:

Hi lads , so I hope you can help me out , I've been climbing about a year ,and on the blake's hitch , I've had the arm's pulled out of me for to long now , help is needed ,I need to move on , what can I do , not working full time so getting help from other's is hard , any GOOD idea's please help.

 

P.S positive feed back only.

 

Peter.

If you can shorten the bridge in your harness to lower the attachment point and then slightly increase the length of your friction hitch you will find that you get a longer, smoother pull on the thrust-up and a more natural, comfortable reach when Limb walking. It's all about fiddling about with the fit of your gear in till it works best for you! Don't be tempted to move on from a piece of equipment in till you've really explored it's potential - You may end up going round in circles!

[peds]

 

What up dudes, advice sought for a beginner climber. 

I'm recovering from my recent injuries, and as part of rehab before returning to work in January, as well as lifting weights and wasting time on a stationary bike, I'm going up a couple of trees a day. Climbing this... ash?... just now, and I found these cracks going up the main stem. It felt solid enough and I climbed it anyway, but really, I wouldn't have a clue. I guess it looks like old damage that's healed over.

I was just wondering if these kind of cracks have a specific name, how badly it can weaken the wood you want to climb, and how much I need to be wary of it in the future. 

I only ask because the cracks continued stop-start up the stem until where I would have had a final anchor, two wrist-sized bits, but instead I felt as though I had to stop a few feet lower, and here in the west coast of Ireland where tall trees are in short supply, every inch counts. 

Cheers for any info chaps. 

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2018 by peds

[jfc]

That looks pretty serious, although on a decent sized stem. Does it go right through/is it visible on the other side? If it is then I wouldn't recommend using it or be very gentle. You could put a ratchet strap on it. If you are just going up and down probably better than going out on big lateral branch walks. Jan.

[htb]

Dosen't look good. More torsion cracks than drought cracks imho. 

[Conor Wright]

 
What up dudes, advice sought for a beginner climber. 
I'm recovering from my recent injuries, and as part of rehab before returning to work in January, as well as lifting weights and wasting time on a stationary bike, I'm going up a couple of trees a day. Climbing this... ash?... just now, and I found these cracks going up the main stem. It felt solid enough and I climbed it anyway, but really, I wouldn't have a clue. I guess it looks like old damage that's healed over.
I was just wondering if these kind of cracks have a specific name, how badly it can weaken the wood you want to climb, and how much I need to be wary of it in the future. 
I only ask because the cracks continued stop-start up the stem until where I would have had a final anchor, two wrist-sized bits, but instead I felt as though I had to stop a few feet lower, and here in the west coast of Ireland where tall trees are in short supply, every inch counts. 
Cheers for any info chaps. 
 



 
 

Yep. Ash. Most likely caused by movement in strong winds and torsion, as already mentioned. if there was an option of using a different limb to climb.. do that instead.. looks like it's there for a while.. probably fresher at it's extremities as I would expect it to be spreading as the tree is subject to strong winds. Could be letting in moisture and causing rot further down..
I do not know if there is a specific proper name for this type of crack or if what I am saying is even correct.. just my estimation of what caused it. A potentially risky limb to cut and not to be regarded as safe imo
What part of the West you in..? I'm out that way too.

[peds]

1 hour ago, Conor Wright said:

A potentially risky limb to cut and not to be regarded as safe imo
What part of the West you in..? I'm out that way too.

No cutting of anything living by me, it's a tree I borrowed from an uncle by marriage. But I might offer to trim some deadwood off it for him, just for shits and giggles.

I'm near Sligo, my wife grew up here, we've just moved back to be near her family after a decade of living in France. Whereabouts are you?

 

2 hours ago, jfc said:

That looks pretty serious, although on a decent sized stem. Does it go right through/is it visible on the other side?

...

If you are just going up and down probably better than going out on big lateral branch walks.

It doesn't go through anywhere, no. If I could ever see daylight out the other side I definitely wouldn't climb it!

The stem was very upright, but I did use it as an anchor for branch walks on the lower limbs, which looked healthy enough. If I use this tree again I'll pick a different top anchor.

 

Many thanks for all the advice dudes, every day is a school day.

[Conor Wright]

30 minutes ago, peds said:

No cutting of anything living by me, it's a tree I borrowed from an uncle by marriage. But I might offer to trim some deadwood off it for him, just for shits and giggles.

I'm near Sligo, my wife grew up here, we've just moved back to be near her family after a decade of living in France. Whereabouts are you?

 

It doesn't go through anywhere, no. If I could ever see daylight out the other side I definitely wouldn't climb it!

The stem was very upright, but I did use it as an anchor for branch walks on the lower limbs, which looked healthy enough. If I use this tree again I'll pick a different top anchor.

 

Many thanks for all the advice dudes, every day is a school day.

Not a world away, North East galway.. did a bit around Sligo..  Hazelwood house a few years back, some nice trees there.. was up to the devil's chimney one windy day a few weeks back, no shortage of places worth seeing on your doorstep!

[peds]

You're not wrong, up by the Devil's Chimney and around Glencar lake, beyond into the Dartry mountains, every inch of coastline... it's all bloody brilliant. I've been coming here for a decade now and barely scratched the surface, I love the place. Donegal is just a short hop away as well, as we are the far side of Sligo. Great climbing, fell running, seashore foraging... we are off to Donegal next week to harvest our winter supply of nori seaweed.

 

Hoping to get down to Galway for the oyster festival this year, spending some time in the Twelve Pins along the way. Stunning landscape.

 

But yeah, big tall trees are definitely in short supply, unfortunately. I'll go and have a look in Hazelwood one day, thanks for the tip.

[peds]

All right, another quick question. I'm brushing up on my knot theory at the moment, and I've stumbled upon this little treat:

 

Obviously, it's a self-tending Blake's hitch. My question is this... considering how many times you'd need to re-tie the entire knot to make progress, would it not be quicker to just... wait for the tree to fall down? 

[jrose]

All right, another quick question. I'm brushing up on my knot theory at the moment, and I've stumbled upon this little treat:

 
Obviously, it's a self-tending Blake's hitch. My question is this... considering how many times you'd need to re-tie the entire knot to make progress, would it not be quicker to just... wait for the tree to fall down? 

The only time I can see that being of any use at all is when you've forgotten all your micro pulleys and other bits of kit, and have to do a 90' pull up a rope in mid air...