ben-jammin

Im with you, i think i mis-read your original post (lots of motorway miles in crappy weather this weekend mean the brain is no longer in top gear!). you've managed to describe what i was trying to in a much simpler and shorter manner!! do you use different methods for different applications? i would imagine choking at the stem for longer retrievable ascents and alpine butterfly choked around a branch for shorter footlocking to lower anchor/access point (quicker setup)??

Does the hitch tend smoothly while climbing as the croll is super smooth. I think i'm right in saying that you'd still have to put a fig 8 in below the HC & hitch for descending as thats the recommendation when using hitches on SRT to prevent the hitch from binding? anyone got anything on fig 8 and hitch combo change over?

as per your earlier post, how would you retrieve a line choked off at the stem or would this simply be access only and then removed once in the tree? I guess in a perfect world the method I saw demonstrated by the tree partner guys would be best/safest (belayable etc...) but in working life, how many people actually use a belayable system like this?

So are you using the HC instead of a Croll and lower down at pelvic attachment height rather than chest height?? does it affect balance on the rope? I've seen the HC used as a hand ascender before but not in that type of setup... I'm with you on the more money thing Vemrinator, no way around needing the gear to go up but coming down i feel can be stripped back a bit. though with experience i may decide otherwise...

haha looks like i'm not the only one bitten by the SRT bug! I had a go with Taylor as well and he showed me a change over using a descender which was attached to the same line as the croll and hand ascender (not sure if it was above or below the croll) and then you take up your weight into the descender much in the same way you would when alternate lanyarding so that the descender now holds you rather than the croll or hand ascender and then simply detach the ascenders. I THINK!!! I'd be interested to see how you change over onto a munter's hitch and also a fig8 as i think that a less gear intensive/streamlined route is how i want to go with SRT...

if i understand you correctly you then only have a single line of rope coming down? I am not by any means an expert or even proficient at SRT but saw the demo at the AA show this weekend and gleaned a bit of gen from the guys at tree partner who were putting on the demos. I had a similair idea for setting up a footlock like where you get your rope over the desired branch and then tie an alpine butterfly, feed the other end of the line through this to create a doubled retrievable line (pull the end without a knot to ascend it to the top to choker around the stem, pull the end with the knot to retrieve) just dont try and climb the retrieving end on its own. The biggest problem other than the possibility of climbing the wrong side of your line for SRT (which you know doubt would discover before you got far off the ground) is that chokering around a stem is not a belayable system from the ground. eg. a piece of deadwood falls and takes you out unconscious etc... a belayable system you are easily rescued rather than someone else running the same risk in a rescue or having to climb the same single line making for a more complicated rescue. I think the system they were running was a very large version of a bowline. The access line is run through an installed cambium saver and then the bowline is tied off (Taylor or someone more proficient will have to supply the exact knot config though i think there was a yosemite tie off in there) the bowline is then lifted into the tree so that the finished setup has the knot at or above your destination (but below the cambium saver) and the bottom of the loop well onto the ground giving you two lines to set SRT up on. the other end of the rope is simply secured at the base of the tree (they used a descender but i guess you could use a munter hitch and prussic) reading that back that all seems a bit long winded so i'm off to look up the meaning of brevity but i hope that makes sense and i am more than willing to stand corrected by someone far more experienced and knowledgable.

I tip my hat to you sir and am suitably humbled!! Cheers Andy, not sure if I'll be able to get across for that one though. any other notable dates for the diary? I did notice Westonbirt have a tree bonanza type thing over Aug bank holiday weekend, anyone going??

Whereabouts? South east?

Wow, now that is spectacular! If you ever get call to go up it again give me a shout, might have to practice my SRT a bit first, once I've bought a kit that is!! Again, very well done all concerned on a great show.

Srt??

had a good chat with him about SRT too and now eyeing up wether I can afford/worth it getting an SRT kit, just dont have that many big trees in Cornwall! I think he must have done a fair few ascents over the two days with all the demo's and then helping people to have ago but fair play, he seemed more than happy to do it. Only got APF and Cutters and Climbers earlier this year to compare too, not as busy or manic as APF and smaller than cutters and climbers but still had a good day and I'll go again next year, hopefully with a bit more wedge for shiny things!

Did my 30,31 at Askhma with no troubles, teaching was very good and the guy definately knew his onions.

Instead of a plastic toggle in your spliced eye when removing an RG?? Nice to keep a natural touch alongside the tarty toys I jest, I'm just jealous I cant make and personalise my own RG!!

I've been in your position for the last 7 months down in Cornwall and its taken some time but I got bits and pieces of work from ringing round the Yellow Pages, emailing and making myself available on here, I even went to London and Norwich for work!! It's all good experience that counts at the end of the day and it will pay off if your hungry enough and willing to go that extra bit once you get onsite. It might not be permanent but, like PeteB said, if you work hard and have a good attitude then you should at least get a good reference on the back of it which may well get you that next job you apply for. I've just got a job with a Utilities company down here after a lot of ringing and emailing and filling out applications and doing the odd day/week here there and everywhere. Good Luck and stay positive.

Very Cool! Does this have a name?

Big thank-you to Rupert for two weeks over in Norwich, great way to get over to the cutters and climbers as well!

anyone got any neat tips for storing their rescue bits on the harness full time? i have a tree motion and have an express sling with two little krabs and another little krab with the prussic coiled round itself, any thoughts on stashing them neatly and tidily semi-outta the way rather than dangling and clanking around?

slight DeRail but has anyone got a recommendation for non protective trousers for reccy climbing in etc...? I've got workwear type trousers but they dont have quite the same flex that my hiflex have....any thoughts/recommendations?

this list is not limitless so if you need someone and i've not liste dit above, i'll still consider it.

well almost. Driving up to North Yorkshire from Cornwall for the Mother's Day thing tomorrow and nothing on next week so if anyone needs a hard working and willing pair of 25 year old hands for a day or a week or longer let me know. I have CS30,31,38&39, my own climbing kit and PPE but no saws. Very capable on the ground but only a little climbing experience so not the fastest up a tree and would more than likely need some guidance if its anything more than a dismantle if im climbing. I'm planning on heading back down to Cornwall on Monday the 4th so anywhere along the M1/Midlands/Gloucs/South Wales/Somerset/Devon or even within an hours travelling radius North from Scotch Corner which is where I'll be over the weekend, which is almost anywhere... ? As working would be a via in my return leg home I would need some sort of accom but thats about it. I'm well housetrained!! 07875 468852 cheers, Ben.

I think you already have!!