rope installation for big conifers

I'm curious as to the technique used to install rope in big conifers for the SRT.

After the rope is set in a suitable location (via whatever means, crossbow, bow and arrow), is the running bowline the preferred technique as outlined in "tree climber's companion?" Or are there alternate techniques?

Just trying to understand this from a theoretical perspective. thanks...

coonrad

I most often climb SRT and have used the running bowline and it worked well. I also sometimes put a screwlink on the end of the line and run the line through it instead of the bowline. Sometimes the line comes down a bit easier - I think the screw link offers less friction. Either way it can sometimes take quite a pull to get the lines started coming back down.

yeah, thanks. I came across that in my reading, using a caribiner or more preferably a screw-link.

What line do you use to pull the rope down? do you use a throwline or something stronger like an accessory cord? How do you deploy that line? I was thinking you could just deploy it from your throwbag as you descend the rope. Or maybe it's better to deploy the pull cord from the tree and keep it out of the way of your rappel.

I use a delta screw link for my running part. It is multi-directional and bomb proof. I will use a stainless steel model to relieve “ceiling jitters” when I go above 100 feet. I find the mantra “my anchor ain’t gonna break” useful when I happen to look down.

Deploy your pull out line from a line bag on your side. I recently dropped my throw line to the ground during a descent and spent many moments of stress cutting my thin line out of the climbing rope near the bottom of the climb that twisted into the throw line while coming out of the tree. DO NOT tie the pull out line in the delta. Go up a few inches above the delta to make it glide down the rope.

Do not use a carabiner. It is not multi directional. Running bowline is OK, but harder to pull out.

treeman, appreciate the input! thanks.