This was a blast for both of us - ahhhh, the memories.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHJmoZgzBF4

BTW, we used the very first prototype of my trigger release to shoot the line.

Nice video in a huge tree in a dense and quiet forest, with a minimum of conversation to ruin the moment -- that's what wilderness climbing's all about to me. Good job...!

Nice video, Ron, thank you.

Did you guys ever manage to ID that tree?

No we didn't - will we ever know now???

Maybe see if some of the arbos on TreeBuzz know?

It's a Cucumber Magnolia, very cool trees, we have a few of them in their most northern location in central Massachusetts.
-moss

Cucumber Magnolia ID notes:
1. Straight trunk, bark pattern distinctive for the species, before I saw the leaves in the video I was thinking maybe Cucumber Magnolia
2. Leaves slightly offset not parallel (unlike a hickory or ash species) in general look like a magnolia species leaf arrangement
3. The maturing red fruit was the clincher, clearly seen in the video.



-moss

That looks like it to me! Thanks moss

Wow, you did a great job putting that together Ron. That brings back a lot of great memories. That wilderness area is one of the most fantastic climbing areas I have been to.

I always wondered what type of tree that was. Thanks Moss, for the ID. Do you know the measurements of the champion? this one was really BIG. It's about 100' from the 140' cherry tree I climbed a while back. Lots of weird old growth hardwoods.

Remember how fast we got out of there after hearing that on big thunder clap? We flew up that hill!!!

Thank goodness for survey tape.

Thanks, Hunabku - and, yep it does bring back a lot of memories - that just may have been the best climb/outing we did. 'Course those two twins, one in Ooltewah and one at my uncle's place outside Knoxville were good too. And those on Kidde Trail were good, then there's T-bone....

I remember our hasty exit to this day. I'm not sure I've caught my breath yet! LOL - if it hadn't been for those two hikers we passed that kept wanting to talk, we'd have got out even quicker.

I hear ya on the survey tape; without it we could have been wondering around out there for days, you know rubbin' sticks together to make a fire to cook the game our snares and deadfalls caught.