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Girth hitching a straight tree

J

Jay2413

New Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2018
Messages
29
I’m climbing using WE stepps and Knaider/ swaider, I have a Grigri, hand ascender and everything to srt as well. Just wondering if it’s feasible to girth hitch my climbing rope just around the tree and repel down. I’ve done it with the rope girth hitched between a fork or large branch but never just the trunk. Wondering if the rope would slip and roll etc.
 
I use this method all the time. Rappell down on a trunk cinch when at ground level retrieve climbing line.
 
There are people here more experienced than me but I would skip the paracord for retrieval. I tried but there was too much stretch or something. I went to 5mm line I could buy cheaply at a local climbing provider. Haven't had a problem since. Could be 4mm.

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I have posted a technique that I employ that comes down smoothly every time.
 
Are you saving much time rappelling down? I am currently planning us using up to 4 WE steps with 5 step aider and knaider. Rappelling down seems efficient but I would have to stop at each WE to remove it on the way down. Is carrying the extra 30' or more rope worth it, in your opinions?
 
I use a Muddy pro with a 5 step Etrier and hook up my climbing line after my first time up to the top of the stick. I am able to rappell down at anytime. Once at height I mount platform and this and stick is the only things I need to remove on the way down. The retrieval technique is shown in a thread named "Rappell help". I rap down to move stick in my method of climbing and use my descender and climbing line as my tree tether/adjuster. With use of the oval link in my setup I can easily navigate limbs if need be and retrieval is no more of a problem than a straight trunk.
 
Jay2413 said:
I’m using WE stepps and naider/swaider and just figured it’d be somewhat easier to repel down with my Grigri and remove steps as opposed to trying to knee hook and hook naider coming down in the dark.
Click to expand...
It is easier in my opinion. And it's fun.

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Heck I rappel down pretty much every hunt no matter what climbing system I am using. Its fast, easy, and fun. And it makes it so easy to take down your stepps or sticks on the way down.
 
So, if you are climbing with your rappel rope as your tether (1-stick or Hand Climber) are you setting up your retrieve system at the beginning of the climb, or do you reset everything once at hunting height?

Sorry. I have very limited rappelling experience, so I might be asking the wrong questions.

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Last edited:
I attach to my climbing line using some sort of either a hybrid srt device /descender and as I ascend the stick/Etrier combo at the top of the step put my weight on the rope descend and move the stick and climb again. At hunting height adjust the rope which is now acting as my tree tether. When ready to descend/rappell I attach my retrieval line to the prussic on the climbing line and after rappelling down I can pull everything down. Of course on the way down I lower my bow with the tail end of the climbing line and wear the pack down and remove platform or ROS. I like the security of being connected all the way up and down and not having to look for steps etc to descend after dark. I know I my illustration of the return setup I pictured a simple overhand knot but would recommend a spliced eye to use for climbing . Climb safe our families count on us!
 
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