Haven't used this a lot, well, I've used the standard cow's hitch a lot, but not the delta/ring version.

I have tested the I'D in a rescue mode but don't have a lot of experience being lowered on it, but the I'D is a solid piece of gear and I have no reason to doubt it.

There are some limitations to this type of 'rescue'; e.g. if the climber is above a lot of limbs, it may not be possible to lower him. He is required to be on the rescue line, etc.

For my application - mostly up and down conditioning climbs, it's a worthwhile setup - especially in these very hot summer days.

Any thoughts or comments would be welcomed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2oxDhudgGY

Nice Work Ron. I like the half-hitch on the safety loop, nice touch. Also agree that a device with an overpull safety like the I'D is the right belay device for the implementation. Good configuration on the trunk cinch with the delta, I like to cross the legs of the anchor rope on the opposite side of the trunk from the cinch, not needed on your pine but can be helpful on smoother barked trees.

I'm concerned that this and similar rescue systems require that the rescuer have a basic understanding of belay concepts and safety. That's a baseline requirement, next problem is: will they understand the system overall when they look at? A person without rope skills/smarts could be overwhelmed in a crisis situation. This sounds crazy but imagine a simple laminated 8.5 x 11 instruction card primarily graphics (no text) hung on the carabiner holding the I'D. Could make the difference between rescued or not rescued. The instruction card would be for solo climbing where you don't have a second skilled person onsite.
-AJ

moss,
All I can say is you're right on! I thought about an 8.5 x 11 instruction sheet, lamenated in those plastic sticky sheets, whatever they're called - great minds do think alike!

It does seem kinda out there, but I think it's smart. A rescue system is no good at all if the 'rescuers' don't recognize it or don't know how to operate it.

Gonna have to do that. I'd like to have something that anybody could walk up to, read the instruction card and have a good shot at a successful rescue.

On of the things I was thinking was a warning not to fully lower the climber. Doing so could cause that toxic condition - what's that called? Where the toxins build up in the legs and when the circulation is restored suddenly, the toxins shock the heart and could cause death.

Anyway, some good thinking!

I know it as "harness hang syndrome", here's the wiki page for it, not that you can believe everything you read in a wiki
Suspension trauma

Whew, it's asking a lot to have an untrained rescuer understand the system, perform belay correctly and take the correct steps on the ground for "suspension trauma". Heck, it's asking a lot probably for most local/volunteer fire/rescue teams. I think you should only climb within 5 miles of Bruce Smith at On Rope!

This reminds me of what I was thinking the other day swimming solo out in the middle of a pond in the woods, "If somethings happens, I'm done!", then I looked at the beautiful sky overhead, swallows skimming the water around me and thought, couldn't be a better place to be, I'm ok with it. Often think the same when I'm climbing solo in the woods. Goes with the territory and keeps the mind sharp.
-AJ

Again, sound logic, I agree that it would be difficult for the uninformed/untrained, but consider the alternative - no ground rescue and no instructions! You still have the same problem, who can get you down and will it be in time, and will they know about suspension trauma when they do get you down?

Yeah, the solo woods thing is a different issue altogether - it's like you said about swimming alone, if something happens...Same for being up in a tree alone, if something happens...

I wonder how many cavers would go caving alone and not leave a map, itenerary, time table, etc. with someone, so if something happened, someone would know exactly where to look and how to get there.

Of course it's different solo tree climbing in the wilderness because we can't identify a specific location of a tree like we could a cave. Still, it makes me wonder if we need to do more than we currently do. I mean, all it would take is rappel from the tree, land on something loose and sprain/fracture a knee or ankle. Even more significant in extreme heat or cold.

Just thinkin' out loud.

Really like your how well thought out anchor setup is, Ron. However, I think intense training, preparation, practice, and 'self-rescue' are PLANS A, B, C & D ... because PLAN F, 'help' ... sucks. Even when not climbing alone, real 'trained' help could be a couple of hours away. If I couldn't 'self-rescue' before then, might as well leave me up there ...

Just thinkin' out loud, too.

I let my wife know where I'm going and she knows when it's been too long since I should've been back. Overall though, and we've all had this conversation before, when I'm climbing out in the woods, I'm not expecting rescue, this changes how I think. If we expect rescue I think it could hurt our safety mentality. Tough to know for sure though. I think "recovery" is the most likely scenario for a severe accident climbing in the woods, not rescue. Always remembering of course that rec climbers have the choice to climb the healthiest trees on the strongest limbs, very different and much less hazardous than work climbing.

Overall I think rec tree climbing practiced with common sense is very safe, probably much safer than caving, less variables, less dangerous conditions, much shorter route than a cave route etc.

Thinking aloud, "What are you crazy?" ...I'd never go into a deep cave and squeeze through tight spaces while crawling in mud Don't even mention cave diving! (Hunabku)
-AJ

Yep, plan F does suck; even moreso if one has to wait for a team and specialized equipment and/or rescue trained personel.

Climbing alone, and by alone I mean with no one else around, means self rescue or hang in the tree until somebody realizes you're missing, searchers find you, then summons rescue personnel, then they have to figure out how to get you down without a bucket truck. So it could be hours and hours for a rescue team just to get the things in place to perform the rescue. Somebody might even have to climb the tree.

However, consider the very same rescue with a fellow climber and a ground rescue setup that both climbers know how to use. Rescue, at least from hanging in the tree is minutes, not hours, with a very high probability of a safe rescue.

Another benefit of the ground anchor is that it doesn't put a fellow climber at risk trying to do some kind of piggy-back, etc. rescue. He doesn't have to climb the tree to provide water or any kind of assistance. He can lower the climber from the ground.

Accidents requiring rescue is rare, thank goodness, but I know Joe, et al practice rescues. Some of us older guys are probably far more at risk than we like to admit. I just read recently that older guys are far more susceptable to heat exhaustion than younger guys. One reason is quite surprising - we lose our sense of thirst - i.e. we don't realize we need to drink. We mentally know we do, but we don't sense the thirst.

I've had several close calls working in a tree in the heat and sun. I got to the ground on two occassions and all I could do was flop on the ground and lay there a while. It was truly heat exhaustion both times. I had the potential for a ground rescue both times, because I was on a ground anchor. However, if rescue was required, I foolishly did not have the descender and extra rope set up and the rescue would have been too complicated for my wife to perform.

I could have easily rescued some one in that situation, but not as easily as if it had been set up for a rescue. But a rescue team would have likely proceeded with a very time consuming rescue, not realizing how simple it could be.

The ground rescue is pretty simple to set up. If you don't need it, no harm done; if you do need it, it's there. It becomes a question of can a fellow climber use it or is it simple enough, with instructions, for rescue personnel to take advantage of it.

I appreciate the input and thoughts guys!

Great stuff as usual Ron, very clear, and thorough. The first thing that ran through my head was signage for a potential rescuer to read. This may sound unrealistic, but a video instructional at the base, would be best. Even I, with my minimal (compared to Ron) gear fetish, have an outdated digital camera to leave at the trunk. The subtle , seemingly simple things are sometimes the most difficult to convey to the uninitiated, in text - "Remove the half hitch", "undo the slip knot" etc... Having a video clip of the step by step lowering procedure, would give visual aid, and confidence to the rescuer that they are performing the task correctly.

Just a thought...

Not a bad thought, it's kind of a step into the modern age of technology. I.e. the principle of the 'signage' in hi-tech form which has several advantages.
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Perhaps, we've drifted a bit from the original intent of the system, which was a system that almost anyone could use. What I failed to emphasize is by 'anyone', I mean anyone that had seen and operated the system at least once.

As far as the practical implications, if the first responders are immediately present, i.e. a wife, neighbor, friends, fellow climber, etc. and know how to operate the system, they will have a very high probability of getting you down in the shortest amount of time and about as safely as it can be done. This applies to me in my yard with my wife and a few others familiar with the method as potential first responders, or a remote location with a fellow climber that is familiar with the method.

OTOH, if those first responders are absent and it comes to a rescue squad situation AND they are unfamiliar with the rescue system, they will not use it, even though it may be hours faster, and safer for all involved. I think it poses too much of a liability for them if something should go wrong.

In my particular application(s), climbing a lot in my yard, the ground rescue makes a lot of sense, especially in these very warm, humid days. My wife is really on board with this; she wants to lower me at least once every time I climb - that should be interesting.

It may also make sense in some wilderness applications when two or more are climbing together or in near proximity to one another.

I had my wife 'rescue' me again on my last climb. She did so easily, with minimal instruction, but remains something a person cannot walk up to cold and understand without having seen or used it before.

I will be testing some signage, more out of curiosity I suppose, but I am curious to see how this works out.