This morning I went to a park in Belmar to climb a tree. I found the one I wanted, and began setting the line. (You can read more of this climb at the "find something" thread....
New Jersery Climbing thread.... )
So anyway, before I was heading up, a thought crossed my mind. What things should a person have when climbing alone?
I had a cell phone, first aid kit, and helmet and glasses. Is that enough.
Well, it was a good climb. I set my line at about 70' (it was a great toss!). My line was only 160, so I was going to go up the singled line.
I pulled on the throwline and my spliced eye was pulled up into the tree, over the crotch, and about 3/4s of the way back down. With about 20' to go, the tail end of my climbing line was hovering at waist-level. Had I pulled much further, I would not have been able to climb the tree!
I thought I'd try something new. I tied the tail end of my throwline to the tail end of my climbing line, then pulled the spliced eye down to me, which pulled the tail of the rope well up into the air (pulling the throwline behind it). I disconnected the throwline from the spliced eye and clipped a carabiner into the eye. I clipped that carabiner over the throwline that was attached to the tail of my rope.
Now I pulled on this end of the throwline, which pulled the tail end or my climbing line back down to me. Once I had my climbing line in my hand, I kept pulling, which was running the carabiner up my line until the line was choked around the crotch I originally threw in to.
I put the throwline away, then proceeded to footlock up the single line. Usually I would double my line over the tie in point (TIP) and footlock up the doubled line. That wasn't an option here. It was nice footlocking up the single line. You are only lifting half as much weight!
With the line not being doubled over, I could footlock right up to my TIP. (As you may know, when prusiking up a doubled line, you have to maintain some distance from the point where the line is doubled over or else the spread will open the prusik). So I got up there, lanyarded in, tied on my friction hitch, unclipped the climbing line, installed my false crotch/cambium saver, ran the line through it, and off I went!
Usually on the doubled line, the spliced eye would remail on the ground as I went up. I would have to get up, then pull the eye up to me. Today necessity caused me to avoid that hassle. It was sooooo pleasant. I may start using this as my standard ascent technique, even on shorter climbs!
One time I climbed a tree on a hill about 20 miles from downtown chicago. I could see the skyline from the top of that tree. Today was the first time in my life that I could see the ocean from in a tree. I was about a mile away. Nice view!
Climb safe guys (I mean that in the "non gender specific" way). And let me know what you bring to keep you safe when climbing alone.
Climb with a partner!
love
nick
