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My rope got stuck in a huge oak near Portland and I had to improvise | Arborists - Vivisector

My rope got stuck in a huge oak near Portland and I had to improvise

I was doing a removal on a big old oak in a backyard near Portland. The canopy was thick, and I set my climbing line over a solid looking limb about 60 feet up. After I made my cut and was coming down, the rope just jammed. It wouldn't pull through at all. I was on the ground looking up, and the homeowner was watching. I didn't have a second line set. I ended up having to tie a smaller throw line to my harness, climb back up using spurs since the trunk was clear, and manually work the main line free. It took an extra hour and was a real pain. Has anyone else had a rope get truly stuck on a removal, and what's your go-to fix to avoid it?

4 comments

4 Comments

fionam115mo ago

Yeah the steel ring trick carter.mila mentioned is smart. I read about that on a forum, basically using it as a redirect to keep the rope from getting crushed. Seems like a solid way to avoid the whole stuck line mess.

carter.mila5mo ago

Oh man, that sounds like a rough spot to be in. @marybutler is totally right about keeping a throw line handy, that's a lifesaver. I've started using a steel ring on a long sling to isolate the rope in a nasty crotch before I even make the cut, just to avoid the pinch. It adds a minute to the setup but saves a huge headache later. Nothing worse than being stuck on the ground with a stuck line and a client watching.

marybutler5mo ago

Ever had a rope get pinched in a crotch after a big piece goes? I just keep a throw bag on my harness now for that exact reason.

samrodriguez4mo ago

...and that throw bag came in clutch last week when my rope got pinched so bad I had to cut it free. I was hauling out a big limb and the whole line just locked up tight in a fork about thirty feet up. Ended up swinging on my lanyard for fifteen minutes trying to work it loose with a pole pruner, finally had to send my groundie up with a second line. The throw bag is usually my backup, but after that mess I started tying a quick retrievable loop on my way up now, just to have something to pull from if the main line gets crushed.