|
|
|
|
taydude
Mar 11, 2011, 1:16 PM
Post #1 of 8
(3949 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 25, 2006
Posts: 531
|
So I was bored in class the other day and started musing about a climb I did about a year ago...
The climb was a short 5.5ish right trending crack in Little Falls NY called something like "the old oak tree". The route's namesake sprouted from the crack about 20 feet of the deck. I was new to trad at the time and decided to lead this for some practice.
The route was simple enough until I got to the tree and realized why no one climbs this anymore. I had two options, I could either go above the tree on easy terrain but risk rope drag on the tree or climb underneath the tree and sling it like normal. At the time I was very concerned about dragging the rope over the top of the tree so I decided to climb around it. That turned into a neat little experience where I bear hugged the tree while smearing on almost nothing until I could get around to the crack again.
Looking back I don't know if what I did was necessary. Do you think it would have been okay to simply climb over the tree and allow the rope to hang over the base? The route continued to trend right so if I had fallen there was no chance of somehow falling to the left of the tree and losing my "tree protection". Would a fall onto the tree with the rope on it damage the tree much? What about the rope?
DISCLAIMER: Keep the "you're gonna die" crap to yourself. This is a theoretical scenario.
|
|
|
|
|
sbaclimber
Mar 11, 2011, 1:57 PM
Post #2 of 8
(3927 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 22, 2004
Posts: 3118
|
This is why experienced climbers always carry a handsaw on their rack.
|
|
|
|
|
olderic
Mar 11, 2011, 2:58 PM
Post #3 of 8
(3880 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 17, 2003
Posts: 1539
|
You do the equivalent thing when you are alpine climbing all the time - running the rope around horns and such. Sometimes a chimney route allows you to go behind a chalk stone and climb out - another variation on the same theme and the origin of the phrase running belay which evolved into runner.
Practically you need to worry about additional abrasion and getting dirt or worse sap on the rope. Usually not the big a concern
|
|
|
|
|
ClimbSoHigh
Mar 11, 2011, 2:58 PM
Post #4 of 8
(3880 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 28, 2008
Posts: 208
|
Ummm.... YER GONNA DIE!!!!!! Oh and also its not a send if your climbing trees! :)
I'm not a very experienced trad climber but have done my fair share of cleaning. I would not be very concerned with rope failure from draping the rope over the tree unless there was a tight V or something sharp in there, or more importantly if you thought the tree could come dislodged from a fall (unlikely since you were bear hugging it to get around it). If the tree was bomber, I would be more concerned with sap and bark doing a number on the sheath as well as decreasing the dynamic belay due to very high friction. I would imagine a fall and just rope drag would also damage the tree's bark. If the easier climbing was to the left of the tree, was it possibly to get a directional in up and to the left to keep the rope drag off the tree? That would have been the best if possible.
I'd have to double check, but I think John Long discusses draping the rope around a tree as a viable form of natural protection, but it will damage your rope and the tree, but probably not to rope failure.
Hopefully someone more trad miles than me can comment, but that is what I would do. Do others agree? Does this sound right to the more experienced traddies?
|
|
|
|
|
raingod
Mar 11, 2011, 3:25 PM
Post #5 of 8
(3859 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 2, 2003
Posts: 118
|
It would more than likely been ok to climb over the tree, and in fact may have been the better option. I have often done this, and one of my biggest falls was caught using a tree in this way. Neither my rope or the tree suffered any serious damage in that instance.
Ron
|
|
|
|
|
styndall
Mar 11, 2011, 3:58 PM
Post #6 of 8
(3834 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 29, 2002
Posts: 2741
|
What was your concern about the tree? I don't quite understand what you were worried would happen.
|
|
|
|
|
bearbreeder
Mar 11, 2011, 7:03 PM
Post #7 of 8
(3782 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 2, 2009
Posts: 1960
|
youlll be fine ...
if you ever climb the gumby classic banana peel in squamish ...
the first traverse pitch is protected by running yr rope over a few trees, so if you fall the tree hopefully catches you
the 3rd pitch is specifically stated in the guidebook as climb and stem off tree to reach slab ... i usually sling a thick branch at this point
|
|
|
|
|
TradEddie
Mar 11, 2011, 7:52 PM
Post #8 of 8
(3757 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 29, 2007
Posts: 164
|
ClimbSoHigh wrote: Oh and also its not a send if your climbing trees! :)
If it can hurt you on the way down, you can use it on the way up! Hang on it, stand on it, sit on it, stem off it, sling it or drape it.
TE
|
|
|
|
|
|
