My First Incident “One Sticking” 03/15/2020
Equipment:
Flex Saddle (adjustable web bridge),
8’ Linesman Belt used as tether (Oplux + KongDuck),
Rappelling gear (Kong quick link\ 40’ Oplux, Madrock Safeguard, miscellaneous carabiners.)
Beast Stick with Amsteel daisy chain & 22” amsteel aider fixed to bottom step
Incident:
I was practicing one stick climbing method like many of the videos show. I did not like the progression of advancing 22” each time I moved my tether up the tree. So, I decided to climb up to the top of the stick and move my tether up. In doing so I could not reach my stick by leaning down. I was using my 8’ linesman belt for the tether so I could not simply rappel down to reach it. I accidently kicked my stick and it fell out of reach. At the time of the incident I was approximately 18’ off the ground.
Action taken:
I did not panic although it was disturbing. I pull out my rappelling gear and hooked it up as high as I could reach. Now I needed to get the load off my Kong Duct ascender onto my Safeguard. I managed to do this by hip thrust similar to DRT method. I released my ascender, unhooked my tether and rappelled down and retrieved my stick then to the ground. This exercise was fairly simple for a 60-year-old man.
Lessons Learned:
1. Do not get in a hurry.
2. Why not use your rappelling gear on the climb up if you are going to carry it anyway.
3. Lastly as best stated by Clint Eastwood, “A man got to know his limitations “
I thought I would share this here since it has to do with all the climbing gear mention in this thread.