13 year old one sticking

[Lowg08]

My boy who is only 13 for a few more weeks has been asking about one stick and rappelling. I ain’t sure how I feel about it. I have been in power work for 22 years. I’m comfortable when at height. Does any of you guys kids one stick or rappell

 

[Seekbigger]

Well I know this, I grew up climbing trees and tobacco barns all over my home area and never had any type of safety line to depend on! That being said if my youngins wanted to try it I would make sure I spent a lot of time explaining and showing all the details to them. I would also make sure they were only using their rappel rope to advance up the tree, at least this way they would have a way down at all times! In all honesty though I would most likely teach mine to srt climb, drt or JRB climb so they were attached to the tree at all times and no slack, once they mastered that I would advance them to one sticking! I started my boy out DRT! Good luck and God Bless!

 

[GCTerpfan]

I’m not sure most adults truly understand the forces that are generated in even short falls and how often they create enough slack in their system to generate those forces. That’s a lot to ask of a 13 yr old.

 

[MattMan81]

I don't think I would turn my 14yr old loose one sticking. Fact I'm not sure I want to keep one sticking. One thing in the yard. In the woods in the dark is another. My same concern comes with rappelling in the dark. Easy to miss something. I have enough problems as it is by my self. With a lot of practice I would feel more comfortable with them doing it . So guess it depends on the maturity level of your child.
I have had my kids go up and down short amounts on a DRT. Once that system is set, the odds of something bad happening are lower..maybe. not sure. At 14 I was climbing into some questionable tree stands for sure with out a harness. Is that any safer than 1 sticking? Not sure.
I do know for fact. If something happens to one of my kids climbing a tree. I am more afraid of what my wife will do to me, than what will happen to my child. Kids heal quickly..

 

[Halfstep]

My boy who is only 13 for a few more weeks has been asking about one stick and rappelling. I ain’t sure how I feel about it. I have been in power work for 22 years. I’m comfortable when at height. Does any of you guys kids one stick or rappell

In 3 more years, he will be driving vehicles. If he wants to learn, teach him. Better he learns from you than someone who won't teach him as well as you. At 13, he may not hunt a lot due to other interests but later he will start hunting more so laying the foundation early will give him a head start and make him more aware later.

 

[Lowg08]

It’s been an area I haven’t thought of. He’s been helping me hang stands since he was 10. He climbs trees like a grey squirrel but I still put him up and get him down now. Even though I get the “ really dad” look. I believe. Ill just start letting him monkey with it here at home for another year. Steps and a life line will do it again this year.

 

[drpike22]

You might want to set up a second line to use as a belay/safety line that you would control until you and he are sure about what he is doing. In case of a slip, you would be able to stop a fall.

 

[Lowg08]

He’s been playing with my madrock safeguard in the yard about 6’ off the ground

 

[phatkaw]

Boys will be Boys!

If he needs his own rope or figure eight get ahold of me...

 

[Lowg08]

Boys will be Boys!

If he needs his own rope or figure eight get ahold of me...

I appreciate it. Ill Keep letting him practice for this year.

 

[drpike22]

He’s been playing with my madrock safeguard in the yard about 6’ off the ground

Does the Madrock Safeguard have an auto brake to stop an unintended descent? If not maybe consider a Gri Gri with assisted breaking. If you start to descend to fast it will stop a fall automatically.

 

[Lowg08]

Does the Madrock Safeguard have an auto brake to stop an unintended descent? If not maybe consider a Gri Gri with assisted breaking. If you start to descend to fast it will stop a fall automatically.

Once you remove your hand it locks down. I’ve never had it take off with me

 

[skyjacker]

For an anti-panic feature (when you pull down on the handle too far the device will lock up) ...

If your rope is 9 mm https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Sport/Belay-devices-and-descenders/GRIGRI-PLUS
If your rope is 8 mm https://sterlingrope.com/fcx-descent-device

These would be a good start for him rappelling.

If you are hesitant on him climbing on his own, have him climb and hunt with you. It's a bit more complex, but you can belay him from the top, making it safe. Each of you would need platforms (or one sticks), tethers, and one Gri Gri Plus. Basically, you would tie a figure eight knot on the end of the rope, attach a carabiner to the rope then to your sons saddle bridge. You would climb the tree first. Once you get to the top you would get on your tether. Then you would tie an inline figure eight on your climbing rope and set up the Gri Gri Plus in second belay mode.

Then your son can climb the tree while you belay him. There will never be slack in the line because you would pull the slack out as he climbed. Once he gets to the top and get's tetherd in. You both hunt.

When it's time to come down. He rappels first using the Gri Gri Plus, then you pull the rope up reconnect the Gri Gri Plus, then you rappel.





How to tie an inline figure eight

How to tie a figure eight on a bight

 

[CharlieTN]

I would definitely start working with them on the same tree as you. Do it in a leap frog type of pattern so you can watch and guide him directly.

 

[BTaylor]

I started climbing trees with a Baker at 7. Looking back, I wish there had been someone to show me one sticking and 2TC back then cause I would have never been on that death trap of a climber.