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Lightest Climbing Methods?

Maverick1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
1,195
Am looking for a reasonable light weight climbing method to take several miles into the back country.

Intend to hunt elk in a saddle in an aspen tree, would like to get about 20' off the ground. (The aspen trees are relatively limbless, straight, smooth bark, and a very soft wood.)

Am fine using either top of climbing stick, platform, or ROS once at hunting height.

So, what would you suggest as the five lightest climbing methods? (Keep in mind, this needs to be portable, as it will be coming several miles into the back county.)
 
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In no particular order.
1. 2TC.
2. Tree hopper drill with steel/titanium/carbon bolts.
3. One stick with scout/up/monarch.
4. No stick with a platform.
5. Srt/Drt
6. Spurs
7. Get a set of tethrd one sticks.
8. Squirrel steps with amsteel rope. Number needed varies.

Good luck. I have elk hunted out of my saddle as well.
 
3 Wild Edge steps with a 6 step etrier. 6’ with each step. 1 lb per step plus etrier

Or knaider/swaider. Add a forth and you have a place at the top for each foot.

No sticking with a solo scout is great but will want to carry rappel rope. 5.5lbs I believe per [mention]Red Beard [/mention]

2TC has to be the lightest and smallest packing. Just add ROS or small platform and you’ll forget you have it on you!


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These would be my choices, but that isn’t solely based on weight. It factors my decade plus experience saddle hunting and trying just about every method there is. My main criteria is safety, ease of use, packability, weight, comfort and noise.

If we can assume that you aren’t counting your saddle, tether, carabiner for your bridge and lineman’s belt for going around limbs, then I would say:

1: 2TC
If the foot loop tether is made from 7/64” Amsteel, you are looking at only adding about an ounce to what you already need for saddle hunting. The foot loop won’t be comfortable unless you have stiff soled boots. A more comfortable foot loop will add some weight. There are infinite options on how to accomplish that.

2: Mini drill and bolts.
Mini drill is 8 oz
15 carbon bolts is 8 oz
This method still needs a tether at hunting height, so it’s still not close to being as light as 2TC. It’s also not legal everywhere.

3: LWHC
Ready to hunt, mine weighs 4 pounds. However, I don’t need anything additional at hunting height to stand on. No ROS or platform. This is also the easiest method (least effort) for me to get 20’. This is actually how I hunted probably 90% of my hunts in the last two seasons.

I used to rappel no matter what method. With the 3 methods above, I find it faster and worth the slight increase in effort and possibly safety (rappelling is hard to beat) to just descend with the same method that I climbed. Not carrying 35’ of tether and a pull down line makes up for some of the convenience of rappelling.
 
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Aspen and Ash are like telephone poles with a broccoli sprout on top.

Given that with distance and requirements in mind, my order would be:
1. 2TC
2. Hunt from ground

2TC is really the ideal for this since all you need is (2) 8' tethers. Make the tethers 8mm Resc-Tech and each one can be balled up in each hand. ROS or a Scout Solo gives you the smallest, lightest package available. You can 2TC down the tree and can skip the rappel gear to make it even smaller/lighter.

In this particular case, there's no reason to do anything else. If you were able to preset, SRT is an option at the expense of size, weight and having to do presets. While you can SRT these telephone poles, it can be tricky as you need a convenient limb to throw over and girth hitch the trunk. In my experience, Aspen and Ash don't have big enough limbs to girth hitch the limb. 1-sticking is an option but will be bulkier and heavier compared to 2TC.
 
I’d no stick with a platform for ultimate lightweight. Probably a 3 step webbing aider on a solo scout if you’re good with a small platform. Use a recon saddle and rappel with oplux and a figure 8. You’ll be right around 8-10 pounds for everything.
 
Hard to beat a 1lb 15oz climbing method with platform! Ywthwr not included since you need that anyway
54dd0dbbebb4924907c0ce9eacadc77d.jpg


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Hard to beat a 1lb 15oz climbing method with platform! Ywthwr not included since you need that anyway
54dd0dbbebb4924907c0ce9eacadc77d.jpg


Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk
Care to post another picture of that? Or explain what it is? Thanks!
 
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