Tree climbing
Encyclopedia
Tree climbing is a recreational or functional activity consisting of ascending and moving around in the crown of tree
s.
Use of a rope
, helmet
, and harness
are the minimum requirements to ensure the safety of the climber. Other equipment can also be used depending on the experience and skill of the tree climber. Some tree climbers take special hammock
s called "Treeboats" and Portaledges with them into the tree canopies where they can enjoy a picnic
or nap, or spend the night.
Tree climbing is an "on rope" activity that employs a mixture of techniques and gear principally derived from rock climbing
and caving
. These techniques are also used to climb trees for other purposes: tree care (arborist
s), animal rescue, research, and activism.
ren commonly climb trees for play without the use of equipment.
Professional arborist
s have been climbing trees since the late 19th century in North America.
Tree climbing as an organized recreational activity using modern climbing equipment emerged in the early 1980s in USA. In 1983, Peter "Treeman" Jenkins, an active arborist and retired rock climber, founded Tree Climbers International, Inc. and opened the world's first tree climbing school in Atlanta, Georgia USA. TCI eventually developed written safety and training rules for tree climbing which are used to this day. Now there are numerous organizations promote tree climbing around the world (Japan, USA, France, UK, Canada, Taiwan, Australia, Indonesia, China etc.).
In 2007, a meeting of experienced tree climbing facilitators and instructors, including Peter Jenkins, and organized by Harv Teitelbaum of Tree Climbing Colorado and Abe Winters of Tree Climbing USA, took place in Colorado, USA to discuss the formation of the first democratic umbrella organization dedicated to serving the recreational, adventure, experiential and educational tree climbing communities. From those initial meetings, GOTC (Global Organization of Tree Climbers) was formed and incorporated as a charitable, nonprofit organization. Today, GOTC provides training curricula and safe climb guidelines in use worldwide and adopted by experiential organizations including the AEE (Association for Experiential Education).
The first obstacle is getting into the tree, which may employ techniques of aid climbing
such as ascending a fixed rope, ladder or etrier, or else free climbing
up limbs or other structures into the tree, but generally it's throwline technique which is used. This is done remotely from the ground utilizing a throw weight and line. The throw weight is a small canvas sack filled with shot and adorned with a ring on one end for attaching a lightweight pilot line. The weight is swung from its attached line like swinging a plumb-bob and then launched toward the targeted branch. Once over the branch the weight returns to the ground and is removed and replaced by the climbing line before being pulled back and into work position. In 1987 SherrillTree patented the Big Shot, a large sling shot mounted on an 8-ft. stick that improved access into tree crowns.
which is also attached to the climber. This system allows the climber to easily adjust the rope to provide a belay if free climbing, or to go up or down if hanging on the rope. As long as the climber is below the anchor and there is minimal slack in the system, any fall will be restrained. This system can be placed into the tree from the ground or the climber can advance the rope up the tree over the course of the climb.
(SRT) is used mainly for getting to the top of large trees which cannot be easily free climbed. With the adequate hardware, a throw line, an attached weight, and a launching system (e.g., a bow
or slingshot
), a climbing rope can be anchored to a branch very high in the tree. This is done by launching the weight (with the throw line attached) over the desired limb and tying the climbing rope to the unweighted end. The climbing rope is then hauled over the branch by pulling on the throw line. The line is anchored to the trunk or to the high limb itself by running one end through a closed bight
made in the other end. The climber then ascends the rope using a set of friction hitch
s or mechanical ascenders) to obtain the desired limb. With practice this method is typically fastest and requires the least amount of hardware. One drawback is that it does not necessarily involve directly ascending the tree itself, as the vast majority of the time spent climbing is ascending the rope, and not the tree itself. Additionally, it can provide greater safety to a climber over DRT or lead climbing techniques as the climber can rig the rope over multiple limbs when using a ground-level trunk anchor. In the event that one limb breaks, the lower limbs may stop the fall.
is employed by climber where points of protection are formed by girthing the tree's limbs with slings. Once the lead climber ascends the tree, he or she may create a belay or top rope anchor or else simply rappel down. In the event that an anchor is created, other climbers can subsequently climb the tree on belay without having to lead. Drawbacks to this method include the probability of hitting a lower limb or the main trunk in the event of a fall. Due to this risk, climbers typically wear climbing helmets.
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s.
Rope
A rope is a length of fibres, twisted or braided together to improve strength for pulling and connecting. It has tensile strength but is too flexible to provide compressive strength...
, helmet
Helmet
A helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries.Ceremonial or symbolic helmets without protective function are sometimes used. The oldest known use of helmets was by Assyrian soldiers in 900BC, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from...
, and harness
Safety harness
A safety harness is a form of protective equipment designed to protect a person, animal, or object from injury or damage. The harness is an attachment between a stationary and non-stationary object and is usually fabricated from rope, cable or webbing and locking hardware...
are the minimum requirements to ensure the safety of the climber. Other equipment can also be used depending on the experience and skill of the tree climber. Some tree climbers take special hammock
Hammock
A hammock is a sling made of fabric, rope, or netting, suspended between two points, used for swinging, sleeping, or resting. It normally consists of one or more cloth panels, or a woven network of twine or thin rope stretched with ropes between two firm anchor points such as trees or posts....
s called "Treeboats" and Portaledges with them into the tree canopies where they can enjoy a picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
or nap, or spend the night.
Tree climbing is an "on rope" activity that employs a mixture of techniques and gear principally derived from rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
and caving
Caving
Caving—also occasionally known as spelunking in the United States and potholing in the United Kingdom—is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems...
. These techniques are also used to climb trees for other purposes: tree care (arborist
Arborist
An arborist, or arboriculturist, is a professional in the practice of arboriculture, which is the cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, shrubs, vines, and other perennial woody plants...
s), animal rescue, research, and activism.
History
ChildChild
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
ren commonly climb trees for play without the use of equipment.
Professional arborist
Arborist
An arborist, or arboriculturist, is a professional in the practice of arboriculture, which is the cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, shrubs, vines, and other perennial woody plants...
s have been climbing trees since the late 19th century in North America.
Tree climbing as an organized recreational activity using modern climbing equipment emerged in the early 1980s in USA. In 1983, Peter "Treeman" Jenkins, an active arborist and retired rock climber, founded Tree Climbers International, Inc. and opened the world's first tree climbing school in Atlanta, Georgia USA. TCI eventually developed written safety and training rules for tree climbing which are used to this day. Now there are numerous organizations promote tree climbing around the world (Japan, USA, France, UK, Canada, Taiwan, Australia, Indonesia, China etc.).
In 2007, a meeting of experienced tree climbing facilitators and instructors, including Peter Jenkins, and organized by Harv Teitelbaum of Tree Climbing Colorado and Abe Winters of Tree Climbing USA, took place in Colorado, USA to discuss the formation of the first democratic umbrella organization dedicated to serving the recreational, adventure, experiential and educational tree climbing communities. From those initial meetings, GOTC (Global Organization of Tree Climbers) was formed and incorporated as a charitable, nonprofit organization. Today, GOTC provides training curricula and safe climb guidelines in use worldwide and adopted by experiential organizations including the AEE (Association for Experiential Education).
Techniques
Many different techniques (free climbing, self-belayed climbing with a Doubled Rope Technique, Single Rope Technique, and lead climbing) are used to climb trees depending on the climber's individual style, purpose, and preferences. Generally though, climbing is performed by lapping a long rope over a limb and ascending the fallen end using a friction knot tied from initial tie's excess "tail." The difficulty of any particular climb depends on many factors: the regularity of branching, the brittleness of dead wood in some species, whether the bark is rough or smooth, the width of the trunk and branches, the height of the tree, the location of the tree, and the weather are all factors.Aid climbing
Aid climbing is a style of climbing in which standing on or pulling oneself up via devices attached to fixed or placed protection is used to make upward progress....
such as ascending a fixed rope, ladder or etrier, or else free climbing
Free climbing
Free climbing is a type of rock climbing in which the climber uses only hands, feet and other parts of the body to ascend, employing ropes and forms of climbing protection to prevent falls only....
up limbs or other structures into the tree, but generally it's throwline technique which is used. This is done remotely from the ground utilizing a throw weight and line. The throw weight is a small canvas sack filled with shot and adorned with a ring on one end for attaching a lightweight pilot line. The weight is swung from its attached line like swinging a plumb-bob and then launched toward the targeted branch. Once over the branch the weight returns to the ground and is removed and replaced by the climbing line before being pulled back and into work position. In 1987 SherrillTree patented the Big Shot, a large sling shot mounted on an 8-ft. stick that improved access into tree crowns.
Doubled Rope Technique
The Doubled Rope Technique (DdRT) is used to self belay the climber in such a way that the rope can be retrieved without going back up the tree. One end of the rope is fastened to the climber's saddle (harness), from there the rope passes around the tree and back to a friction hitchFriction hitch
A friction hitch is a kind of knot used to attach one rope to another in a way that is easily adjusted. These knots are commonly used in Single Rope Technique while climbing to ascend a hanging rope by alternately hanging on one friction hitch and sliding the other up...
which is also attached to the climber. This system allows the climber to easily adjust the rope to provide a belay if free climbing, or to go up or down if hanging on the rope. As long as the climber is below the anchor and there is minimal slack in the system, any fall will be restrained. This system can be placed into the tree from the ground or the climber can advance the rope up the tree over the course of the climb.
Single Rope Technique
The Single Rope TechniqueSingle Rope Technique
Single Rope Technique is a set of methods used to descend and ascend on the same single rope. SRT is used in caving, potholing, rock climbing, canyoning, roped access for building maintenance and by arborists for tree climbing.-Historical Developments:...
(SRT) is used mainly for getting to the top of large trees which cannot be easily free climbed. With the adequate hardware, a throw line, an attached weight, and a launching system (e.g., a bow
Bow (weapon)
The bow and arrow is a projectile weapon system that predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.-Description:A bow is a flexible arc that shoots aerodynamic projectiles by means of elastic energy. Essentially, the bow is a form of spring powered by a string or cord...
or slingshot
Slingshot
A slingshot, shanghai, flip, bean shooter or catapult is a small hand-powered projectile weapon. The classic form consists of a Y-shaped frame held in the off hand, with two rubber strips attached to the uprights. The other ends of the strips lead back to a pocket which holds the projectile...
), a climbing rope can be anchored to a branch very high in the tree. This is done by launching the weight (with the throw line attached) over the desired limb and tying the climbing rope to the unweighted end. The climbing rope is then hauled over the branch by pulling on the throw line. The line is anchored to the trunk or to the high limb itself by running one end through a closed bight
Bight (knot)
In knot tying, a bight is a curved section, slack part, or loop between the two ends of a rope, string, or yarn. The term is also used in a more specific way when describing Turk's head knots, indicating how many repetitions of braiding are made in the circuit of a given knot.-Slipped knot:In order...
made in the other end. The climber then ascends the rope using a set of friction hitch
Friction hitch
A friction hitch is a kind of knot used to attach one rope to another in a way that is easily adjusted. These knots are commonly used in Single Rope Technique while climbing to ascend a hanging rope by alternately hanging on one friction hitch and sliding the other up...
s or mechanical ascenders) to obtain the desired limb. With practice this method is typically fastest and requires the least amount of hardware. One drawback is that it does not necessarily involve directly ascending the tree itself, as the vast majority of the time spent climbing is ascending the rope, and not the tree itself. Additionally, it can provide greater safety to a climber over DRT or lead climbing techniques as the climber can rig the rope over multiple limbs when using a ground-level trunk anchor. In the event that one limb breaks, the lower limbs may stop the fall.
Lead climbing
Lead climbingLead climbing
Lead climbing is a climbing technique used to ascend a route. This technique is predominantly used in rock climbing and involves a lead climber attaching themselves to a length of dynamic climbing rope and ascending a route while periodically attaching protection to the face of the route and...
is employed by climber where points of protection are formed by girthing the tree's limbs with slings. Once the lead climber ascends the tree, he or she may create a belay or top rope anchor or else simply rappel down. In the event that an anchor is created, other climbers can subsequently climb the tree on belay without having to lead. Drawbacks to this method include the probability of hitting a lower limb or the main trunk in the event of a fall. Due to this risk, climbers typically wear climbing helmets.