Just how brittle is ash...

[Djvicke1]

New to climbing and have been having a go dismantling small ash trees with a silky.

 

Everyone talks about ash trees being dangerously brittle etc so I've started worrying about what I anchor on especially when I imagine what its like to climbing skinny 60ft+ ash trees, and yet I notice a lot of people just use normal (wrist) sized anchor points..

 

Was just wondering from experienced climbers is ash really that bad? Or is this just an irrational fear?

[Arran Turner]

New to climbing and have been having a go dismantling small ash trees with a silky.

 

 

 

Everyone talks about ash trees being dangerously brittle etc so I've started worrying about what I anchor on especially when I imagine what its like to climbing skinny 60ft+ ash trees, and yet I notice a lot of people just use normal (wrist) sized anchor points..

 

 

 

Was just wondering from experienced climbers is ash really that bad? Or is this just an irrational fear?

 

 

I wouldn't call them dangerously brittle, go with what you feel safe with there are a lot more variables than just the size of the branch... Fear is good no one likes falling out a tree

[CJM]

As strange as it sounds we mainly fell knackered ash trees ever day of the week (Powerline resilience) and the occasional poplar and I can assure you it's not brittle don't worry yourself

[stoff101]

Ash Is pretty tough stuff in comparison. With ash you are more likely to notice it when cutting. Free fall step cuts will go with a bang if there is some weight on it.

[MATTMOSS]

when I first started climbing I used to think ash were brittle, I think it was because of the dryness of the wood and the ease that twigs could be snapped. After I had Pruned and felled a few large poplar and willow I soon realised the strength of ash. Experience and confidence comes in time.

[Macca]

I like climbing ash as you can get a fairly high strong anchor point as the tree usually has a dominant leader! The worst Ash I climbed were lapsed hedge line and it was the bottom of the tree that was the concern not the top.

[Djvicke1]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Think thats given me a bit more confidence, Like most things in tree work it seems to be something you get a feel for with experience. Ash seems to account for about half of tree work day in day out so needed to ask before I have to climb some of the massive spindly ones you see! Don't even want to think about poplars

[bumble B]

I'll chip in with it depends what time of year it is. I find that in spring the wood is more prone to snap, I wouldn't be anchoring in to anything smaller than my wrist just from my experience. If you needed to get higher you could redirect above your main anchor but not miles above.

[Will C]

I worry about cut peeling apart or barbers chair when thay have got a bit of foward weight than i worry about the anchor point

[gmeneaud]

i understand the ancient greeks used ash for spear shafts.