Almost forgot... I don't go barefoot though a good pair of light weight running shoes or sandles

oh yeh, and no rope's..... yet


slingshot

Instead of inventing another word to describe what rock climbers have done for years why not use a common term. In rock climbing this is called 'free solo climbing'. There is a very high 'Oops Factor' when free soloing.

In another thread a little while back there is a discussion about 'direct aid or aid climbing. The lead climber sets anchors or slings and moves up the climb.

If anyone is going to lead climb it is necessary to use rock climbing dynamic rope to dissipate the fall energy.

Using Jepson's 'Alternate Lanyard Technique' works. For a refinement on the system, search for information on 'Double Ended Double Adjusted' lanyard or DEDA. The rope has a snap/biner on each end and an adjuster attached to each side d-ring. The rope is clipped through a swivel snap or biner on the middle, back of the saddle. My DEDA is about 20' long and I use it all of the time in routine climbing.

The are still ways to get into a tree that doesn't have branches that you can reach from the ground, but it is very difficult. Just put your arms around the tree and then your feet, move your hands up a little and then your feet. It is pretty much doing it like a bear would. The only down side to this is you can't wear a saddle or carry anything into the tree with you and you can only climb this way on trees that you can put your arms about 3/4 the way around the tree for grip. Your best bet would be to tie and peice of rope to your belt loops and just tie whatever you want onto the rope.

The painful part is coming down. You use the tree like a firemans pole and just slide down and when your shirt comes up and you don't pull it down you have some beauty marks to show off.

Climb high,
climb safe.

Would it be safe to say that if I had two lanyards on my saddle or fall arrest harness and could tie off to any branches safely in reach and of size that is good, would be safe way to "free solo" any tree?

slingshot

Yep, that would work. the idea being that you're always tied in with one lanyard while you're moving the other to a new branch.
-moss