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How Long to One Stick Climb to 20'?

boyne bowhunter

boyne bowhunter

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Joined
Aug 17, 2016
Messages
7,546
Location
NW Michigan
I thought I'd post a video demonstrating how simple, quick and quiet single stick climbing can be. I also included a timed look at my descent process and how long it takes to pack up and head out. Also, remember, I'm a self-described OFG (old fat guy) :), if I can do it anyone can. I hope this helps some of you considering trying single stick climbing.


Gear List:
Carabiners: Black Diamond Positrons
Climbing:
Short Tether: Samson Predator Rope
Distel Hitch: 6mm Samson Accessory Cord
Distel Tender: AeroHunter Saddle Accessory loop
Stick: Modified Hawk Helium (cut to ~21 inches long and steps moved to 19.5" spacing, Harken Cam-Matic 150 cam cleat and 6mm accessory cord)
Stick Aider: 24" GM climbing aider modified per @SloMo's video
Screamer: Cassin X-Draw
Girth Hitch Link: 3/8" steel threaded chain link
Descent:
Rope: 40' of Tuefelberger Tachyon
Ascender: Madrock Safeguard
Pull down rope: Paracord and keychain biner on an kite string reel
 
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boyne bowhunter said:
I thought I'd post a video demonstrating how simple, quick and quiet single stick climbing can be. I also included a timed look at my descent process and how long it takes to pack up and head out. Also, remember, I'm a self-described OFG (old fat guy) :), if I can do it anyone can. I hope this helps some of you considering trying single stick climbing.

Click to expand...

Great video. Enjoyed the new camera angle to show at the top closer!
 
Joe, one of my main concerns with it is the tree size. I noticed you were pulling yourself around the tree while trying to get on the stick. I hunt some areas where the trees i'm climbing are 18-20" in diameter. Do you have any thoughts on whether this might be a problem or not?
 
DanielB89 said:
Joe, one of my main concerns with it is the tree size. I noticed you were pulling yourself around the tree while trying to get on the stick. I hunt some areas where the trees i'm climbing are 18-20" in diameter. Do you have any thoughts on whether this might be a problem or not?
Click to expand...

It shouldn’t be an issue. I’ve climbed several trees without putting my hands around the tree while one sticking


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
DanielB89 said:
Joe, one of my main concerns with it is the tree size. I noticed you were pulling yourself around the tree while trying to get on the stick. I hunt some areas where the trees i'm climbing are 18-20" in diameter. Do you have any thoughts on whether this might be a problem or not?
Click to expand...
Yep, Just like @Squirrels said. It's really no issue. I climb trees that size regularly, I just picked this one so the method was a little easier to see looking down. In fact the size you're taking about is my preferred diameter of tree for hunting out of.

I do like to be able to get my hands around kinda on the back side so I can try to maintain three points of tree contact but that's still easy on the size of tree you're talking about. I have climbed a few really large diameter trees that branched out a few feet up where it was really big and I didn't feel like I had three effective points of contact. In those instances I just hooked up my lineman's belt before I advanced the tether.
 
My favorite method of climbing this year after watching his videos it is easy. I am an old guy too.
Next year when I climb a tree I will leave paracord behind for SRT. That is even easier when preset



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Nice video. One sticking is something I need to experiment with more. @ckossuth and @Squirrels were demoing it at saddlepalooza and it looked reasonable. I wish I would have paid more attention to it because you could turn around and look at something else then seem a minute later turn back around and he was rappelling down. This may be the year of the one stick for me.
 
EricS said:
Nice video. One sticking is something I need to experiment with more. @ckossuth and @Squirrels were demoing it at saddlepalooza and it looked reasonable. I wish I would have paid more attention to it because you could turn around and look at something else then seem a minute later turn back around and he was rappelling down. This may be the year of the one stick for me.
Click to expand...
swampsnyper said:
You sure made it look easy but I’m still not convinced it’s for me. Lol
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I've played with a bunch of climbing methods and this fits my style of hunting best. It's quick, quiet, not fiddly, and most importantly, not strenuous. I used to work up a sweat climbing in my Summit (in the "old" days :tearsofjoy: ) but I have had instances this year where I had to pause on the way up and add a layer because I was actually getting cold while climbing. Best part is that it works on most any tree I would consider hunting out of. Branches/splits aren't an issue, you just hook into the lineman's and move the tether around them and continue up.

@Ontariofarmer is right though, SRT is physically easier for me but I can't consistently get the rope in the tree and I move around too much for presets to be effective.
 
What would you do different to get your rope out of a tree if you had to go around multiple sets of Limbs? Seems like it would introduce a lot more tangle factor to the system
 
denots said:
What would you do different to get your rope out of a tree if you had to go around multiple sets of Limbs? Seems like it would introduce a lot more tangle factor to the system
Click to expand...
From my limited practice and use, as long as I clip my pulldown cord behind my figure 8 loop on the rap line (I actually clip it between the figure 8 and the backup double overhand.) AND I pull it down the same path that I took rappelling myself down, I haven't had any problems retrieving it.
 
DanielB89 said:
Joe, one of my main concerns with it is the tree size. I noticed you were pulling yourself around the tree while trying to get on the stick. I hunt some areas where the trees i'm climbing are 18-20" in diameter. Do you have any thoughts on whether this might be a problem or not?
Click to expand...
You can pull yourself up with the tether on any size tree and it is not too bad!
 
denots said:
What would you do different to get your rope out of a tree if you had to go around multiple sets of Limbs? Seems like it would introduce a lot more tangle factor to the system
Click to expand...
For me, after I go around a branch/branches, when I pull the retrieval line I just keep pulling until the tag end comes out of the link. That leaves me with just the link end up over a branch but its not wrapped on the tree anymore so its just a matter of pulling the link end out of the tree. This is one of the reasons I'm using a splice here and not a big figure 8 knot. The splice/link is less likely to get snagged. I also find if I walk away from the tree (as far as my rope/surrounding trees will let me) before trying to pull the link out that it is less likely to get hung up.

In two years I've only had to go back up for my rope once and that was because the pull down string got hung up above the rope when it fell and I couldn't untangle it from the ground.
 
boyne bowhunter said:
For me, after I go around a branch/branches, when I pull the retrieval line I just keep pulling until the tag end comes out of the link. That leaves me with just the link end up over a branch but its not wrapped on the tree anymore so its just a matter of pulling the link end out of the tree. This is one of the reasons I'm using a splice here and not a big figure 8 knot. The splice/link is less likely to get snagged. I also find if I walk away from the tree (as far as my rope/surrounding trees will let me) before trying to pull the link out that it is less likely to get hung up.

In two years I've only had to go back up for my rope once and that was because the pull down string got hung up above the rope when it fell and I couldn't untangle it from the ground.
Click to expand...
So you still attach your retrieval rope in the same manner? On the same side of the link, and not to it? I thought @ckossuth attached to the other side or even to the link/carabiner. I didn't know if one way was better than the other when trying to work the rope through limbs. Have you tried it both ways? And if so have you found that it makes a difference one way or the other?
 
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