The day my climbing line got pinched in a fork

Was removing a big maple branch in a backyard near Portland last fall... had my line set in a crotch up high, but I rushed the angle. When I leaned back to lower the piece, the line jammed solid between two limbs. I had to cut myself free with a handsaw while hanging there for like 15 minutes, real sketchy. Still not sure if there's a better way to avoid that beyond double checking the route. Anyone else had a close call like that from a simple mistake?

3 comments

3 Comments

hugoh5520d ago

Yeah I'll be honest, I used to think people just needed to man up and plan their routes better, that pinched lines were always from carelessness. But hearing stories like this and that chainsaw kickback one above, I'm starting to realize even careful guys can get caught out real quick. Fifteen minutes hanging there sawing your own line is a level of stress I never really thought about until now. It makes me want to double check everything before I lean back into a cut, even if I feel confident. This kind of stuff sticks with you.

blakem3720d ago

Holy crap, you had to cut yourself free WHILE hanging there? That's insane. I've had lines pinch before but nothing that bad. Were you on a lanyard at least or just hanging off your main line? I can't believe you managed to keep your cool enough to saw through it without dropping your saw or panicking. That maple could have easily turned into a real nightmare if something slipped.

chen.casey20d ago

Reminds me of the time I was trimming a big oak and my chainsaw kicked back so hard it ripped the strap right off my harness. Spent the next ten minutes dangling one-handed trying to fish it out of a bush below me without cutting anything important.