100 foot hickory tree climb

Been climbing for just over a month. Trying to get over my fear of heights and just feeling safe with the equipment I have. So I am trying to learn as much as I can. Me and my friend Jason used a APTA(air rocket)to set our anchor point. I had my yale 150 foot fire rope maxed out. I was literally reaching up to get the ends. I made it up 50 foot into the tree and felt real proud and gained a little more confidence. My friend tied a tape measure to my rope and I pulled it up, so I am for sure of the height. Did have a minor problem coming down. I am using a micro pulley with a distel hitch and using the foot ascender on my leg. Well the distel tried to feed itself in my micro pulley while coming down. So I had to reconnect my foot ascender to take the pressure off and unjam. Minor problem but is there a better way?

Well I figured out why my micro-pulley jammed with the hitch climber and distel hitch. Need a piece of rubber to hold to tend the hitch. Maybe wrong forum to ask end of question but thought someone would offer advice. Not sure but will learn everything I need.

rob2312 wrote: Well I figured out why my micro-pulley jammed with the hitch climber and distel hitch. Need a piece of rubber to hold to tend the hitch. Maybe wrong forum to ask end of question but thought someone would offer advice. Not sure but will learn everything I need.

Congrats on your new climbing adventures!

It's difficult to understand the problem you're describing, any chance you can post a close-up photo of your climbing system?

The tree in your photos looks like a white oak but maybe from a different climb? Anyway, looks like a great tree!
-AJ

Got a few pics attached. When we first came up to the tree my buddy asked me what kind of tree. I said looks like an oak. So he pull his pocket winter tree id booklet out and asks for a small twig. Well he borrows my knife to skin and says its a hickory. So I get home and realize the hickory has very shaggy bark, but thought this might be a younger tree, so I went with his judgment. In the pics the carbineer becomes sideways, which I know should not but was not paying attention during the descent climb and the prussick literally jammed itself into the pulley when I stopped with weight pulling it tighter into the pulley. The next pic I added a rubberband (for demonstration) to "hold the hitch captive". They make little rubber stoppers that I am going to use next time. Or pay better attention.

I think your first impression was correct, oak, and in this case white oak. The only hickory it has a chance of being is shagbark hickory, a closer photo of the lower trunk would provide the answer.

Here's what I think is the problem with your hitch. The legs of the hitch cord are too long after the hitch. Basically want you want to do is create a hitch with enough wraps and braids (depending on what kind of hitch it is) so that you have just enough left to reach the carabiner, it should be a snug fit. Increase the coil count or add some braids below the coil to create that nice fit.
-AJ