The Oak in the center is actually two Oaks very close together. The one on the Right was the main one climbed (Dauntless) but the one on the Left supported the other end of the tree boat.
Date: 19 and 20 July, 2013
Location: Champoeg State Park (Oregon).
45˚ 14' 52" N
122˚ 52' 48" W
Tree Type: Quercus garryana (Oregon White Oak)
Tree Name: Dauntless
Weather: Slightly warm, breezy, sunny, near-perfect Oregon summer.
Placement: 10 gm bag thrown thrown using two-handed technique
Rope: Snakebite
Anchor Type: SRT. Screw link cinched up over limb
Ascent: "Texas System" with two ascenders and footloops
Pitches: One in-tree pitch to a higher tie-in point.
Movement in the tree: With the higher tie-in point, it was possible swing over, using a Chameleon rope and Cinch, to a nearby tree to place the other end of the tree boat.
Decent: Petzl Rig
Problems:
First climb in a busier state park. The tree was concealed from most other campers and located in the hiker/biker camp. The "A" loop at Champoeg is full of beautiful tall, old Oaks.
Things that went well:
1) It was great having a tree boat so high up, with few branches underneath. Sitting in there looking up at the canopy was very enjoyable.
2) Always nice to find a tree next to our camp site. This allowed me to walk over with gear, to rig the tree in stages over two days, and just generally enjoy the tree(s).
3) I'd been wanting to climb at Champoeg for years, and finally had the chance.
Things that didn't go well:
Snakebite rope continues to be very very stiff. It's been my rope of choice for years, but has become so stiff with sap that it does not move through a Rig well. Descent is fine with a Piranha or Figure 8 descender, though.
Looking from the other direction, the tree boat can be seen up in the tree(s).
Some GoPro-on-a-stick shots while standing in the tree boat
