My scariest moment happened just two days ago. I was doing an open-air ascent under a slightly leaning pine, about 65 feet up. This was succeeding in freaking me out a bit, and I was breathing hard from the climb. I looked straight up with my mouth wide open, gasping in air, and a small piece of bark fell DIRECTLY DOWN my throat and on/near my windpipe. I spent an anxious few moments working it out of my mouth. I wasn't actively choking but it felt like if I inhaled more or did anything wrong, I would have been. Choking to death dangling 65 feet in the air was not in my plans! So I'm keeping my mouth shut from now on when staring upwards.

I think rescue from this would be problematic. If someone is choking and can't clear the obstruction themselves, they've only got a minute or two of consciousness and then only about 5-10 minutes beyond that to brain death. Solo, it might be a death sentence. I was dangling in mid-air away from the trunk, getting the Heimlich done would have been a problem. If truly choking, I suppose immediate fast descent to people on the ground could do the trick - assuming panic let you think of that.

Fortunately I think the odds are pretty low, that was almost a fluke I believe. In fact, my first thought when I felt the bark land was "No way that actually fell RIGHT DOWN MY THROAT! What're the odds?!" I'm still keeping my mouth resolutely closed when gazing upwards!

John

I too have "inhaled" and I must say that it is not fun. It is a time that that you will be very happy that you are carrying water.

CJ, I somehow missed this post.

This exact same thing happened to me climbing a big Red Oak named Barney.

It was real bad. The bark got lodged in my throat and I hacked and hacked on it until I finally puked

It was pretty scary. I was afraid to breath because I was afraid I would suck it down further.

My lesson learned was to keep my mouth shut while looking up.

Thanks for sharing your experience. It reminded me of mine!

Hey, I somehow missed this post, too!

I've not (yet) experienced this unpleasant experience. I can easily imagine a falling piece of bark finding an open mouth, however, because I know how easily they find their way around my glasses and onto an eyeball!

I agree with J~Bird. As he said, water should definitely be "in the mix" (part of your gear), in this case to help resolve (lubricate) matters, once a foreign object is lodged. Yes, it's difficult to wrestle with a highly-likely panic response, but you must win that battle first. Within that brief, ensuing calm, lubricate to enhance success with the effulsion phase (pukin'). So, I'm saying I also agree with Huna in that regard.

Scary, yup... Did I mention that I googled "tree climbing" the night after I attempted to deadwood a Red Oak at my home? It went like this: Warmed up a properly maintenanced 18" chainsaw; tied a ladder to the tree; tied a rope to the chainsaw; climbed the ladder to the limb; tied myself to the tree; hauled up the chainsaw; made the knotch cut, no problem; repositioned the saw for the back (felling) cut; pulled the throttle trigger and completely filled my open mouth, throat, eyes, and nose with rapid-fire Red Oak confetti. As mentioned, in your story, CaliJohn, breathing was just not an option, and I couldn't see, and the chainsaw was running, and the limb (30') was falling. Happily: I found the kill button; stopped and lowered the saw; the limb fell into the anticipated lay; I grabbed the ladder rails and "painted" the side of the tree with emphatic, baritone spittoonery, just short of pukin'. Only then, did I breathe. I worried during that moment that I would never belong in a tree again, and that I shouldn't be found in one unless I was thrown bodily into it. Thus, my climbing name...

I'm so thankful that I found "treeclimbing.com" and "treeclimbercoalition.org" in my first online search that evening. On those sites I rebuilt my perception of my relationship to trees. It has become something much, much greater than the mere success of deadwooding for my woodstove.

Another thought...
Prevention is of course a better solution. Please consider developing the following "dry mouth" prevention technique, promoted by some knowledgeable martial artists. It has worked for me.

o Keep your nose clean to reduce mouth breathing, but given that you must open your mouth...
o Keep the margin of your tongue gently positioned along the inside margin between your upper teeth and gums
o "Blow through your tongue"
o Doing so, your tongue will relent and re-seat, somewhat like a gill, acting as a physical barrier to macro particles
o Maintain contact with the tip of your tongue behind, not under, your upper, front teeth.
o Regain your normal breathing rhythm
o Return to nose breathing

DISCLAIMER: Consult your personal physical trainer about your own specific potential use of the technique described. No warranty, guarantee, nor affidavit provided, nor implied. Do not attempt this technique while "french kissing"

Climb safe.