I’ve only climbed a couple of redwoods, but now with the rendezvous in redwoods it’s likely that I will climb a few more. So it seems like a good time to talk about downward sloping branches.
The branches on young redwoods (100–200 year old) tend to be downward sloping, particularly the more accessible lower ones (first 100–150 ft up). This means that even if you put your line right up against the trunk, in pulling your rope up and over the branch it tends to migrate down the slope away from the trunk. I would prefer to keep the rope as close as possible to the trunk, especially if the branch is a little on the small side.
In my experience, even just a little bit of uncertainty about a smallish downward sloping branch on which your rope is nearly a foot away from the trunk can add a considerable thrill as you’re climbing up 100 ft or more.
I would appreciate comments from anyone with or without experience climbing redwoods. And I have one specific question.
In spite of Sam’s recommendation “to use a ground-tied SRT anchor when entering these trees in order to help mitigate the risk of smaller, downward sloping limbs,” it seems to me that there is an advantage to cinching your rope to the branch. That way at least your rope is tight around the branch and won’t move. With a ground anchor I would be afraid that the rope might continue to move away from the trunk as you climb. What do you think?

Thanks!
Jim

Jim, I've never climbed a redwood, but I often encounter downward sloping branches on Douglas firs.

I usually prefer a limb-cinch anchor for SRT, and I agree with you that it is a good system for ensuring that the rope doesn't slide down the branch. However, I often have trouble with the rope doing exactly that while I am pulling it into place! The suggestion that a ground-tied anchor would stay put better seems counterintuitive to me, but I wonder if Sam does something like bring the rope part way around the trunk before tying off the anchor, helping to keep the part of the rope going over the limb close to the trunk, and unable to slide down? I know that taking the throwline part way around the trunk like that helps keep the rope close to the trunk while pulling the cinch into place.

Jim -- good question. I've used Sam's method a few times (only once on a redwood) and it worked best when the ground tie-off was on a nearby tree that was situated so the rope would tend to "pull" back toward the trunk whenever possible. However, like Dietley, I usually like the limb-cinch method better for two reasons: One, the rope is tight on the limb and likely won't slide farther out on rough bark; and two, because of the doubled force on the anchor limb when using a ground tie-off. Call me a woosie if you want to, but I try to put as little weight or force on the anchor limb as possible and when I don't know the particular tree very well.

Summer's an extremely busy time for me at the nature preserve, but if you're going to be around your home in August then let me know. Since it's only a 45-minute drive, I'll come over and we can work on some ideas/solutions that both of us probably have. And, you really do have some neat trees at your place.

Bill--you (and Joe) are always welcome here. As is any other tree climber I know. Just let me know when you have some free time.

Thanks!
Jim

Cinching is great but the problem is you can't always isolate in a conifer to get the cinch. I've been experimenting with using a carabiner on the the end of a throwline to isolate and position my rope exactly where I want it in a challenging situation like a downward sloping limb. Goes like this:

1. Fire a high shot with Sidewinder or Big Shot.

2. Assuming the bag comes down pull the other end of the throwline up with a throwbag on it and work it to determine your climb route. You're isolating one leg of the throwline (your climb route).

3. Now attach a carabiner through the ring on the throwbag, put a second throwline through the carabiner.

4. Pull up the the throwbag and carabiner with the second throwline through the carabiner.

6. Position the throwbag/carabiner above the limb you want to cinch to (or isolate for DRT).

7. Tie off the first throwline at the ground to hold the throwbag/carabiner steady in position above the target limb, this really helps, when you set your rope it won't move down the limb.

8. Pull up the second throwline/throwbag, drop the throwline over the other side of the target limb, you've isolated.

9. Install your rope, it will go through the carabiner and pin it to the top of the limb, not a problem, you can even install a House sleeve through the carabiner.

10. Now cinch, ground anchor or DRT your climbing rope. Once you get up there and repitch you can take the carabiner/throwbag out and release the end of the first throwline to be pulled out when you're back on the ground end of climb.

It's a more trouble than normal but works really well and allows precise positioning of a rope on a limb.
-AJ

I wasn't able to follow all that. Pic or video?

The hardest tree I've encountered was this beautiful Sequoia. Severe sloping branches, thick crown. The bark was super slick and the throwline would just slide away from the trunk. I fussed with it for awhile, then went and grabbed a 20' ladder. From there I cinch tied two lanyards until I reached some horizontal limbs.

Now I have a 30' extension pole with a hook that allows me to drop the bag over a specific branch.

At the top I found one of these.

Oh well Difficult to describe, easy to understand if you see it. I'll try a stick drawing.
-AJ