I have been in some big (tall) trees the past few climbs. I can get a nice pitch and TIP and cen get into the tree pretty easy, then i get stuck.


Your question:

What do you use once in the tree to throw and set up a new TIP.

Throw bag
monkey fist
biner on a rope (sounds like a soap)
other methods?

thanks for sharing

jz

Originally posted by JerseyGirl
What do you use once in the tree to throw and set up a new TIP.

Throw bag
monkey fist
biner on a rope (sounds like a soap)
other methods?


Hi JG, All of the above.

I carry 60 ft. of 2.25mm Zing-it flaked into a small New Tribe line mug with an 8oz bag tied to the end. To throw you flip it in a backwards/reverse motion and up. A little practice and you'll have it.

Monkey fist is great for closer branches. Some people can throw a monkey fist quite far. I don't try for the long shots, throwline is easier. Try tying the fist that falls apart when it goes over the branch (see Jepson's if you don't already know that one). Less chance of hanging up the end of your rope and causing a new problem.

If you carry an adjustable lanyard you can flip the biner over a branch and move up that way. Very good for conifers and useful in deciduous trees as well. The lanyard helps give you more stability when you're throwing a bag or fist in the tree.

Some climbers put a steel biner on their lanyard to make it easier to throw. I have seen a fellow climber take the steel biner in the face after pulling it back over a branch. Very painful. Luckily it hit his cheekbone and didn't break anything. I use an aluminum biner on my lanyard and wrap it in a small monkey fist from the lanyard rope to make it easy to throw. Still want to be very careful when pulling a lanyard attachment (aluminum or steel) back over a branch.

I think you asked in another post "what do you do once you're in the tree?". Setting new TIPs will keep you very busy
-moss

JG- I don't know if you noticed, but I keep a throwbag on my saddle at all times. My preferred method of rope advancement is to lanyard in, unclip the spliced end of my climbing line, clip the throwbag to the 'biner, then use the now weighted climbing line to toss over the next TIP.

If I can't reach it with that, I do have about 60' of throwline on a self winding spool. I can girth hitch the same bag to the throwline instead, and get much further up the tree with that.

When pulling the weighted bag over a limb to make another toss- if it looks at ALL like it might smack me in the face, I will look straight ahead and put my face close to the tree. I'd rather the 'biner/weight hit the top of my helmet!

love
nick

If I for some reason don't have the throwbag, I'll use a monkey fist.

Just as a brief outline on my strategy to advance in the canopy in order tried:
1. Overhand throw the weight.
2. Swing and release the weight.
3. Move to an alternate side of the tree: it's sometimes easier to throw across than up.
4. Ask the person higher than me to set a line.

Hey Nick, what do you use for a "self-winding spool"? I just drag a 45 foot hunk of zing-it behind me in the tree, or keep it wound up in a figure 8 form - works OK most of the time but is nasty on windy days. Sure would be nice to have a quick and tidy way to gather it up.

Auto-winding fly fishing reel does the trick. You can load it up with Zing-it. You can find them on eBay.
-moss