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Interested in one sticking. - except the descending part.

Sigz

Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2021
Messages
43
Hey gang,

I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube and reading threads in here regarding one sticking. I’m understanding a lot of the different methods.

Personally - I’d like to use my Skeletor stick(s) with an aider on it to climb up.

It seems that one descent - that repelling is the favorite (and likely safer) method.

I’m wondering - is it unsafe to just climb down the tree with a stick and an aider while using your tether? Does anyone here do this?
 
I did it the first two years I one-sticked. If you're athletic, it's not bad. That said, rappelling is so much better.
 
In all fairness, I never one sticked down. But I think rappelling is the easiest and safest part of the travels on the tree. I feel much more comfortable rappelling down than one sticking up. I wouldn’t want to do the inverse trying to go down. At least when one sticking up you’re working with the stick in front of you, or slightly above you. I’m just picturing a less than solid stick setting or it falling altogether trying to go down.
 
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Well it can certainly be done, just don’t ever rappel down once because you won’t be able to go back! If I sit and think about it, climbing down the aider in the dark or just using the stick and the number of transitions and the opportunity to drop your stick in the dark….I’m thinking no way Jose. Rappelling is just too easy not to do it from a convenience and safety factor. It’s not that expensive either. I picked up 70” of Canyon Elite with a quick link off a guy for $50 this week. That’s a rappel rope, a tether, and an LB for $50. Add a figure 8 for $15 and you are set.
 
I personally have only ever one sticked back down twice, that’s because I forgot my backpack with my rappel gear on the ground. In my opinion it’s awful and I am fairly athletic, too much of a chance of dropping your stick or not getting it set properly, then there you hang from your tether with no easy way to the ground. Please don’t ever try to climb without having a safe and quick way to the ground.
 
I have yet to one stick and normally use 4 skeletors with a Backwoods mobile 2 step moveable aider but I still rappel out of the tree. One time climbing down the 2 step aider and I bought the rappel kit. I have a family and it's just not worth it and it's just so easy and fun
 
One sticking down Is just as easy going up. It does take a little practice like anything. Anyone on here who says It can’t be done or it’s too difficult is either unfamiliar or inexperienced.
 
It is 2 steps down, 1 step up though. Though you could say its the same going up but in reverse....Well try it and weigh the experience against 50-80$ of ease and fun...
 
Getting down on sticks with aiders in the dark is the worst. I tried 1 sticking a couple years ago because of the weight reduction, the bulk reduction and not having to climb down sticks with aiders in the dark. As sticks get lighter and more packable I could see myself getting a set of light weight sticks however I will still rappel out of the tree.
 
Getting down on sticks with aiders in the dark is the worst. I tried 1 sticking a couple years ago because of the weight reduction, the bulk reduction and not having to climb down sticks with aiders in the dark. As sticks get lighter and more packable I could see myself getting a set of light weight sticks however I will still rappel out of the tree.

NEVER one stick down again. But honestly 2TC down is not that hard and just as fast as going up. I love and think rappelling is the easiest and safest, but if you really hate all the retriving and packing away that much. 2TC down is the way to go even if you 1stick up.
 
In my experience it is best to rappel down whether you are one sticking, using multiple stick. 2tc or any other method. If you use a rappel rope as your main tether when you climb, you don't have to change ropes for descending. If a piece of needed equipment is dropped, fails or becomes unusable for any reason you can still get down safely. Forty feet or less of quality 8mm or 9mm rope weighs almost nothing and provides a great safety margin. The only downside I see to using your rappel rope as a tether is that if you forget to hook up your pull down cord you will be climbing up a second time to get your rope.
 
In my experience it is best to rappel down whether you are one sticking, using multiple stick. 2tc or any other method. If you use a rappel rope as your main tether when you climb, you don't have to change ropes for descending. If a piece of needed equipment is dropped, fails or becomes unusable for any reason you can still get down safely. Forty feet or less of quality 8mm or 9mm rope weighs almost nothing and provides a great safety margin. The only downside I see to using your rappel rope as a tether is that if you forget to hook up your pull down cord you will be climbing up a second time to get your rope.
Solid reason to learn some version of SRT climbing. I'm a fan of the Garda hitch I learned from JRB!
 
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