in vertical caving i've often prussicked back up the double line used to rappel in.I have used this method in teaching people to get up in a tree. I use a prussic to my saddle, then I use a line attached to both feet , in the middle of the line i attach a carabiner and hook that to the 2nd prussic, thus equalizing the feet each time you stand up. This allows for easy ascending with minimal excertion and only tending 2 knots. I like this method because the gain each time you stand is a full arms length. The down side is having to teach changeovers and how to go to drt when in canopy. Its been a good method to get people up with energy to spare in the tree. I like teaching the blakes hitch to, but it takes people a little getting used to before making the bridge longer for bigger gains on the ascent.
Just something to play with.
climb safe

Sounds like a solid 1:1 ascent technique. If the second prusik with the footloops also has a life line attached at or above the waist then you have a good backup to the top prusik. One challenge with prusiks (vs. mechanical ascenders) is they tend to tighten up as you ascend but you can always loosen them as you go.

In Blakes Hitch 2:1 DRT climbing you can use a short bridge doing a branch ascent away from the trunk. You can stay in a vertical body position and pull down with one hand above the hitch and one below and create a near continuous climbing motion. You can do a one or two-foot footlock (or use a Pantin) on the tail to provide ascending power. The bottom hand tends the hitch as you stand on the tail so the short bridge doesn't limit how much you gain per leg push.

Body thrust is rough on the elbow tendons and forearms in the long run (I can testify) and isn't sustainable for more than a couple 40 ft. ascents in any one climb. It does come in handy for short distance moves in the tree.
-moss

Dannye I was coincidentally thinking about this technique last night. I was curious if you could single-foot lock into each side of the double rope. The foot action would be stair stepping. If I have this visualized correctly, one could stay standing. The sit and stand motion would be eliminated. I was actually going to experiment with it before posting, but I just found your timely posting.

The downside to this technique for tree climbing is that the Prusik knot opens and fails as the doubled rope reaches the attachment limb. The diameter of the limb spreads the climbing line apart, and the Prusik has nothing to hold.

I think that a friction hitch on a doubled rope that doesn't open up at the attachment limb will be the next knot invention.

JimK
With this method its always good to have a good stepping off branch well below the anchor so you can switch over to drt. I usually try to find a horizontal branch i can stand on , hook up the lanyard to the main stem and do the changeover. Let me know how your stairstepping method works out. i like the single prussic w/equalized feet just for less knots and so i dont use one foot the whole time. Sherril has a couple of systems that work with full harness with rollers on top to keep you mostly upright. They look great but i have not used them.

climb safe