Climb 11
Climb Number: 11
Date: 9 August, 2013
Location: Along the Evergreen Aviation Museum nature trail
43˚ 12' 11" N
123˚ 09' 15" W
Tree Type: Quercus garryana (Oregon White Oak)
TREE NAME: Hitchhiker
Overall this was a beautiful tree, but spoiled for climbing because of the animal (and especially animal excrement) presence. There was a fair amount of deadwood in the canopy, and one large snag that was trapped and hadn't fallen to the ground, but it was out of the range of climbing activity. There were very large beautiful thick branches higher up, but unfortunately for reasons mentioned, they could not be explored, in part because there were mounds of excrement on parts of them).
Tree Name: Hitchhiker
Weather: Partly cloudy, comfortable temps
Placement: 14 gm bag thrown thrown using two-handed technique
Rope: Poison Ivy, camouflage
Anchor Type: DRT
Ascent: DRT ascent, with single footlock
Pitches: 4 DREC (Double Rope End Climb) pitches. Two with throw-bag from a line cup. One short one with direct reach, one with modified "throw bag" (see below)
Movement in the tree: Mostly up. With the highest pitch, I was able to swing wide and, using Cinch and line, retrieve one of my stuck throwbags.
Decent: DRT (Modified Blake's Hitch)
Problems:
Many: my first attempts at setting a line resulted in a stuck throw bag. Once in the tree, I got my second throw bag stuck (I was still trying to get a high enough TIP to retrieve the FIRST throw bag). There was (presumed) raccoon poop in all the main tree limb crotches, much of it fresh. It not only disallowed utilizing those crotches for tie-ins and standing, but it also stank a little (to say nothing of the threat of meeting a mad raccoon).
Things that went well:
1) I was able to retrieve both stuck throw lines and throw bags
2) I was worried about climbing a tree on the Evergreen Museum property (even out on the edge). Several people went by, as well as contract and official Evergreen vehicles, but no one stopped to question what I was doing, or gave me any trouble (I carried my gear out there on the back of my mountain bike)
Things that didn't go well:
1) Lesson learned: If there's shit at the base of the tree, there's shit (and possibly animals) IN the tree
Tree Name: Hitchhiker
Weather: Partly cloudy, comfortable temps
Placement: 14 gm bag thrown thrown using two-handed technique
Rope: Poison Ivy, camouflage
Anchor Type: DRT
Ascent: DRT ascent, with single footlock
Pitches: 4 DREC (Double Rope End Climb) pitches. Two with throw-bag from a line cup. One short one with direct reach, one with modified "throw bag" (see below)
Movement in the tree: Mostly up. With the highest pitch, I was able to swing wide and, using Cinch and line, retrieve one of my stuck throwbags.
Decent: DRT (Modified Blake's Hitch)
Problems:
Many: my first attempts at setting a line resulted in a stuck throw bag. Once in the tree, I got my second throw bag stuck (I was still trying to get a high enough TIP to retrieve the FIRST throw bag). There was (presumed) raccoon poop in all the main tree limb crotches, much of it fresh. It not only disallowed utilizing those crotches for tie-ins and standing, but it also stank a little (to say nothing of the threat of meeting a mad raccoon).
Things that went well:
1) I was able to retrieve both stuck throw lines and throw bags
2) I was worried about climbing a tree on the Evergreen Museum property (even out on the edge). Several people went by, as well as contract and official Evergreen vehicles, but no one stopped to question what I was doing, or gave me any trouble (I carried my gear out there on the back of my mountain bike)
Things that didn't go well:
1) Lesson learned: If there's shit at the base of the tree, there's shit (and possibly animals) IN the tree
2) Got TWO throw bags stuck in the process of climbing. To move higher up, after getting my only other throw bag stuck, I had to pull out all the zip line and use the OTHER end (the non-stuck end) and two wire-gate biners (which I never use for life support) for weight, to make an improvised throw line to get a higher TIP. Thankfully it worked, but without the higher TIP I wouldn't have been able to retrieve the stuck bags / line, so it was close.
3) I was hoping to put up a tree boat, and maybe sleep, but the presence of all the animal crap (and possible presence of animals) nixed that plan.
MORE PHOTOS:
The tree from the North
Another view of the trunk. There were several small trees growing up into the base of the main tree.
One of the large low crotches in the tree. This was probably 3 feet square, but it was filled with a lot of animal crap
A very large, beautifully thick limb, but not good for climbing due to some crap at the base of it.
A self-shot up in the tree
A higher-up picture of mounds of crap (some fresh, with flies) on the tree limb
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