Hello,

Okay, I'm throwing in the towel . . . mainly because it is saturated with my sweat from advancing my Blake's knot on straight-up ascents (no help from tree trunk). By the time I get up to my anchor, I'm so exhausted I don't have the energy to cut a limb.

I read that I could use a split tail with a pulley that would automatically advance the Blake's knot when I pushed down on my petzel foot gripper. But I can't get it to work. What am I doing wrong?

Every time I set the split tail up like in the photos with the pulley, I can never pull enough rope down to engage the knot and advance it up. I've tried tying the Blake's as low as possible but with the length of the biner I can't get it low enough on my saddle to advance the knot when I pull down on my foot hold.

The things I read have said this is possible has anyone done this?

I guess I could join Muscles Unlimited and start building up my strength, but dang-it, it is exhausting to pull down on the rope, then quickly shove the knot up then collapse back down into the saddle when you don't have the tree truck to lean against.

This weakling would appreciate any help.

Thank you.

I tried to reply to this last night, but it didn't go through It was late, but I think the gist of what I wanted to say is that you should be able to use a pulley and prussic on a DRT system without using a split tail. I haven't tried it, but I've seen it somewhere.

Additionally, as far as your arms giving out...are you using any type of foot assist? Foot lock, prussic loop, etc.? I like to use an ascender with a foot loop on my down rope. Instead of pulling down with my arms, I push down with my leg(s). By using your legs, you can stand in your foot loop enabling you to advance your blake's hitch with ease.

If you haven't seen it yet, I absolutely recommend Peter Jenkins' TCI video "Tree Climbing Basics. http://www.treeclimbing.com/component/page,shop.product_details/flypage,shop.flypage/product_id,18/category_id,13/manufacturer_id,0/option,com_virtuemart/Itemid,91/

There is also a discussion here: http://www.treeclimbing.com/component/option,com_fireboard/Itemid,49/func,view/id,131621/catid,275/

Edit:

I just got back from a climb and I tried the no split tail pulley technique. I attached a pulley (clipped to a short prussic cord with a double ended snap) to my up-line, clipped the pulley around the down line below the B-53, took up the slack and snugged the prussic knot. It worked like a charm. As I pulled on the down line, the pulley tended and advanced the B-53 so well that I didn't have to touch the knot until it was time to come down.

This technique would be handy (no pun intended) for anyone who may have limited hand or upper body strength. Using this system and a foot loop with an ascender, even a one-armed person could easily climb and descend a DRT system

I love learning new stuff - even if it's not really new. Well, it was to me!

Thanks Baker,

The _link_ explains that the technique is out there and it really works. Now I just have to get me a Sherrill catalog to view it. I knew I shouldn't have thrown my old one away.

Yes, I have Peter's video. It is great. He taught me the basics very well.

I'll try to post some pics of my set up in a couple of days.

I wanted to provide an update since I first posted:

I did succeed in using the Automatic Hitch Advance as shown in Sherrill Catolog page 33 as suggested. And it does take much less strength to ascend. However, I still find myself tiring easily, but that must be my own stamina problem.

I did modify the configuration slightly. Instead of using a bridge from my belt connection over to the down-pulling rope, I used a split tail which hooked to my belt. I still had a "bridge" formed from the self-advance pulley under the Blake's B53 acrossing over with a prusik to the other line. But it is easy to release the snap on the pulley when I need to get around a branch.

My only problem was I found myself pulling down on the rope with my hands positioned above the Blake's knot. So I think my split tail is too short! I was using a Bee-line as a split tail on my 7/16 climbing rope, but I think I need more length. There was a time or two when pulling from above the Blake's that I'd nudge the hitch and got a little fright when it slipped down like it's supposed to do.

TW

Treeweasel,

I also found that the pulley shortened the length of the down rope and I would sometimes jam my hand into the pulley when I reached up. After a little practice and trial and error I learned to tie my Blake's with just the right amount of bridge so that I had a longer slide with the knot, keeping the pulley out of the way, but also keeping the knot within reach to descend. Maybe a longer split tail would help.

If you are using some sort of foot assist like a foot loop or ascender, you really don't have to "Pull" that much. Your hands on the rope should just keep you upright . I try to keep my hands in the vicinity of my screw _link_ to avoid getting in the way of the pulley/knot. Sometime I'll just do an elbow hook to stay standing. My foot assist system is a Petzl ascender with a purcell attached as my foot loop.
http://www.geocities.com/r_riversong/Purcell_Prusik_tying_technique.jpg

I climbed yesterday without a pulley (left it in another gear bag) and after only 5 or 6 knot resets I was quite winded. I like my pulley system