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Climbing method for pre-teen?

K

Kayl

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2021
Messages
331
Location
Wisconsin
My 11 year old started hunting this year. We had a close encounter with a doe that made us. The doe would have been dead if we'd been elevated. I am working toward getting her in a saddle for next year or maybe even this gun season.

I already have a Notch saddle that fits her and we've hung from a tether, but we need to figure out the best climbing method.

I currently one stick. I don't like the idea of her one sticking. Current front runners are SRT or possibly using a rescue pulley setup.

I could one stick up and have her SRT up after I get everything set up. I would hang on my own tether and leave her on my rappel rope with the safeguard. To get down she would rappel down first with the safeguard, then I would transfer to the rappel rope with my ATC and autoblock to get down.

Anyone getting their 11-12 year old up in a tree? Advice?

Edit: I am on public, bolts aren't an option. I could do sticks, but would still need to bring the one stick for a platform for me.
 
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I haven't done this yet, but when the time comes I'm thinking about teaching her to clip a biner onto the right part of a RCH, and then belaying her up/down on a dynamic rope (not sure if this is the right term for up) so all she is doing is climbing sticks or sitting in the harness and walking up the tree while I pull her up using some mechanical advantage if necessary. That way all the moving bits are on my end and if I slip the belay device catches her. The only downside to this idea that I can see currently is if something happens to me where I'm incapacitated or fall out of the tree she has no way to let herself down. But the downsides to any type of climb where she has to do more and something goes wrong seem worse to me, possibly because I'd be the one that has to sit and watch?


edited to add: this is assuming i am still on public no bolts allowed. on private i'd use closely spaced bolts, or honestly probably a ladder stand and not feel sorry about it
 
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thedutchtouch said:
I haven't done this yet, but when the time comes I'm thinking about teaching her to clip a biner onto the right part of a RCH, and then belaying her up/down on a dynamic rope (not sure if this is the right term for up) so all she is doing is climbing sticks or sitting in the harness and walking up the tree while I pull her up using some mechanical advantage if necessary. That way all the moving bits are on my end and if I slip the belay device catches her. The only downside to this idea that I can see currently is if something happens to me where I'm incapacitated or fall out of the tree she has no way to let herself down. But the downsides to any type of climb where she has to do more and something goes wrong seem worse to me, possibly because I'd be the one that has to sit and watch?
Click to expand...

That was what my idea with the rescue pulley was and the more I think about it, the better it is. Simple, I do the work, and I'm responsible for her descent speed. I'm going to have to swing by REI tomorrow
 
My son and i started hunting with a set of sticks and 2 Lonewolf Alphas he started carrying his own stand when he was 7 I would climb the tree hang my stand Drop my tow rope and he would hook up our bows and then his stand I dropped a lifeline and pulled it though a Prussic on a tether as he climbed I just rolled the slack up and banded it with a strap i had We had a lot of good hunts that way He killed his first deer with a bow at age 7 shooting 27lbs with a 17" draw length Complete pass through on big ol nanny You talking about a proud Daddy and on public land to boot The older i get the more i miss those hunts Slow down and enjoy em all
 
When I climb with my kids it was sticks or bolts, I’d send them up ahead of me both of us on LBs & just help direct their steps & help them get all setup.
 
When I was a kid I could out climb anyone.


I'm just now starting to grow up. (a little)
 
Bigterp said:
When I climb with my kids it was sticks or bolts, I’d send them up ahead of me both of us on LBs & just help direct their steps & help them get all setup.
Click to expand...
My first though was bolts. Just making sure that the bolts are set at a comfortable spacing for her. My dad used to set tree steps on stands and I could never get up them cause he set them to his spacing.
 
I use sticks. Set platforms. Then I attach my lifeguard to a tether, and run a rope thru down to her. She climbs up while I belay thru the lifeguard to keep the slack out. Once up she goes onto her own tether. Reverse to go down.
 
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