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Rappelling off trees and natural anchors

Original Post
EthanC · · Bay Area, CA · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 253

Disclaimer: I'm a lowly sport climber who has never fallen on anything that wasn't 3" of steel drilled into solid rock. I present myself humbly before you for your wisdom.

The other day, my buddy and I were trying to find a climb in the backwoods of Tennessee and couldn't find the trail. We ended up hiking around to the top of the cliff line where we thought we saw the top of the climb on the next ledge down, about 50 feet lower on the cliff face, but weren't sure we could hike down to it. Having all of our climbing stuff with us, we considered the possibility of trying to rappel down to the ledge with the nice steel anchor bolts. Having never built an anchor or done any trad climbing, we decided we didn't want to be in an accident report and just hiked back down to try to find the original trail.

There was a decently solid looking 3" tree at the top of the cliff, we were thinking of equalizing the rope on either side and rapping down. We couldn't think of anything inherently unsafe, but I was just wondering if there is something I'm missing, some better way to do it, or if I should just stick to sport climbing.

Thanks.

KevinCO · · Loveland, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 60

3" isn't big enough. Also, when you do find a stout tree to rap from, ALWAYS use webbing and rap rings or biners. Pulling a rap rope from a tree will eventually kill it.

Jon H · · PC, UT · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 118

The minimum size of a tree to rappel from is as big as your thigh. If you're 120lbs soaking wet - the size of both your thighs.

And as said above - don't wrap your rope around the tree - you'll have to sacrifice 3' of webbing and a rap ring or quicklink. No big deal. You do it somewhat frequently when trad climbing. Try to use webbing/cord that is earth-toned and not fluorescent yellow.

Brian James · · Appleton, WI · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 100
Jon H wrote: Try to use webbing/cord that is earth-toned and not fluorescent yellow.
Aside from aesthetics why would the color of the webbing/cord matter? The color does not leak off the webbing/cord onto the tree.
Ralph Swansen · · Boulder CO · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 761

Well, continually rapping off a tree in high use (crag) areas will damage it. I say tho that if the tree is in the middle of nowhere and is not in an area where others at a crag might use it to rap, just rap off of it. What if the tree becomes restricted by the webbing during its growth because no one is there to replace it or cut it?

Plus, who wants webbing hanging all over the trees in the forest in areas where people get lost? Leave the junk out of the forest.

I've rapped off trees and as a tree lover, haven't felt a bit remorseful. Only because I felt that the tree was in an unusual area and that it would be unlikely that many people would do the same.

At a high use crag, yes, never rap off a tree.

I might rap off a three inch tree, a real solid one.

john strand · · southern colo · Joined May 2008 · Points: 1,640

A tree the size of your thigh ? That's a pretty big tree...I have rapped off many smaller than that.

Never leave a single biner to rap from. If you don't have a ring or quick link, go right through the webbing, sure it eventually screws the webbing, but you can easy open a single biner while rapping.

EthanC · · Bay Area, CA · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 253

Thanks for the advice. We had similar discussions, but I don't feel bad about not trying it. Hopefully next time we can just find the approach trail.

Mike Gibson · · Payson, AZ · Joined Jul 2006 · Points: 0

.

Google texas rope trick.

Dont need to leave webbing and minimizes tree damage.

.

Alex Bury · · Ojai, CA · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 2,376
john strand wrote:Never leave a single biner to rap from. If you don't have a ring or quick link, go right through the webbing, sure it eventually screws the webbing, but you can easy open a single biner while rapping.
Use some tape to keep that sucker shut and you've got a "ghetto locker".
teece303 · · Highlands Ranch, CO · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 596

3" is small: people do rap off trees that size, but use extreme caution, and avoid it if at all possible.

Tree sap on your rope SUCKS.

If this is a tree that is only ever going to be rapped off of once, you might be able to get away with just slinging it with your rope. One time won't kill the tree. It's repeated pulling of the rope that will.

So we've used the rope when it seemed obvious this was the only rap the tree would ever feel, and we didn't have webbing. It's still mildly bad form.

But leaving slings is bad form, too. They litter up the trees, and really we shouldn't be rapping off trees unless it's a one-off thing. In a one-time-only situation, I think using the rope is better, but I avoid it if at all possible (and it usually is).

These days, I'm pretty convinced that well camouflaged bolts are actually lower impact rap stations that slung trees.

ChefMattThaner · · Lakewood, co · Joined May 2013 · Points: 246
mike gibson wrote:. Google texas rope trick. Dont need to leave webbing and minimizes tree damage. .
Then repeat these words... Yer, Gonna, Die
Ralph Swansen · · Boulder CO · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 761

What's with all this Texas stuff?? ~Texas rope trick~ Texas prussik ~ I mean, do people even climb in Texas??? Have we learned all this from cattle ranchers and wranglers?

Ed Wright · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2006 · Points: 285
Ralph Swansen wrote:What's with all this Texas stuff?? ~Texas rope trick~ Texas prussik ~ I mean, do people even climb in Texas??? Have we learned all this from cattle ranchers and wranglers?
Texas happens to have some of the best climbing on the planet and has produced many excellent climbers.
john strand · · southern colo · Joined May 2008 · Points: 1,640
Ed Wright wrote: Texas happens to have some of the best climbing on the planet and has produced many excellent climbers.
True, but i learned the "Wyoming knife trick" many years ago..
Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945

3" is small but I'd be okay with it for a single rap as long as the root system was solid and you could girth it right next to the ground. Would def want more though for a TR anchor and would be concerned about damaging the tree too as others have said. TR'ing or rapping on trees is no bueno.

NC Rock Climber · · The Oven, AKA Phoenix · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 60
Ed Wright wrote: Texas happens to have some of the best climbing on the planet...
Ed, with respect and hopes to enjoy drinks with you and Tami when I am in EPC again, that is an absolutely ludicrous statement. There is climbing in Texas, some of it is OK, but it is not world class by ANY criteria.
EthanC · · Bay Area, CA · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 253
teece303 wrote:3" is small: people do rap off trees that size, but use extreme caution, and avoid it if at all possible. Tree sap on your rope SUCKS. If this is a tree that is only ever going to be rapped off of once, you might be able to get away with just slinging it with your rope. One time won't kill the tree. It's repeated pulling of the rope that will. So we've used the rope when it seemed obvious this was the only rap the tree would ever feel, and we didn't have webbing. It's still mildly bad form. But leaving slings is bad form, too. They litter up the trees, and really we shouldn't be rapping off trees unless it's a one-off thing. In a one-time-only situation, I think using the rope is better, but I avoid it if at all possible (and it usually is). These days, I'm pretty convinced that well camouflaged bolts are actually lower impact rap stations that slung trees.
Thanks. Appreciate the advice.
Ryan Watts · · Bishop, CA · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 25
NC Rock Climber wrote: Ed, with respect and hopes to enjoy drinks with you and Tami when I am in EPC again, that is an absolutely ludicrous statement. There is climbing in Texas, some of it is OK, but it is not world class by ANY criteria.
Hueco might qualify.
Ralph Swansen · · Boulder CO · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 761

How many rope tricks can you learn in Hueco?

NC Rock Climber · · The Oven, AKA Phoenix · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 60
Ryan Watts wrote: Hueco might qualify.
I'll give you that; Hueco might qualify.
Max Forbes · · Colorado · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 108

Solid
Equalized
Redundant
Efficient
No
Extension

Solid... trees greater than 6'' in diameter highly preferable, fixed gear, or solidly placed protection

3'' tree very questionable, I wouldn't rap off of it without looking it over.. With your experience, you probably made the right decision by not rapping because you don't have the experience to know one way or the other.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Trad Climbing
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