I agree that alternating lanyards is the best approach for close branched conifers. Slings can work, but you have to place them more frequently as you climb to shorten the potential fall distance, it's a labor intensive technique. I mentioned it as an option, it's better than free climbing.

I trail a long rope through the tightest branched conifers, never a problem. The top of the rope functions as a split tail lanyard, a second short lanyard completes the alternating lanyard technique. When I'm placing ropes for other climbers in conifers (or hardwoods) I'll trail several ropes behind me. It gets heavy as you go up but they thread through the tight branches just fine. I've been through some crazy bushwhacks in conifers, especially blue spruce. I've actually become stuck trying to squeeze through, the limiting factor was my harness, had to back out to escape.
-moss

michaeljspraggon wrote:
How do canopy researchers climb full-size giant sequoias? I'm guessing that they can fire a crossbow bolt high up into the canopy to where one of those huge limbs that has a vertical iteration and from there, either repeat the process or climb on branches, which at that point are more horizontal than drooping.

Or a compound bow, or a Big Shot with a fishing reel mounted on it. They don't have to trap the line behind a vertical iteration, there are enough horizontal limbs in the crown of a mature redwood. They SRT up and then switch to DRT to progress through the crown, throwing by hand in the tree to place new TIPs or using alt lanyard technique if the branches are close enough. It's basically the same technique used to climb a woods grown conifer with a high first tie-in, just scaled up for the monster trees.
-moss

Why are you not using techniques for high settings to get into the better branch systems? Are you going in with light gear? The redwood climbing I have experienced uses a lighter 3/8 static line (and longer rope)for the first high pitch and shorter traditional arborist ropes for DRT climbing.

Redwood by nature is weak and brittle. I nearly killed myself by trusting a smaller drooping branch as sole life support one time.

Beware "blind" anchor points where you can't see your rope clearly. Nothing like the thrill of climbing up to see your anchor resting across a dead stub. This is where a bright rope can help for verification of climbing route. Good binoculars and/or a high powered birding scope helps too.

Tell me about your climbing team. How many are on your climbing team?

What is your protocol for emergency situations? Do you GPS your target tree and give it to someone before venturing out on a climb? Do you use a check in and check out system (call home when you are done or send out a rescue team if you do not check in).

There is a lot of challenge and manly romance climbing these big trees. However, this kind of challenge isn't the most forgiving kind
if error or weather isn't good. I'll bet there are lots of people reading this thread and thinking only on the "how to" lines of thought. What are your backup measures? Smart climbers want to know.
Dumb climbers don't care and nature weeds them out; but a few get famous too and get wise (luck matters for them in a big way).