Took me 45 minutes to untangle a 200 foot lowering line because I didn't flake it right before the climb

Was doing a big oak removal in a tight backyard in Bellingham. I was in a rush to get up the tree and just stuffed my lowering line into my saddle bag. Big mistake. When I needed to send it down, the whole thing came out in a massive birds nest. Had to climb back down, spend almost an hour picking out knots while the homeowner watched from their window. Felt like an idiot. My captain would have chewed me out if he saw that. Has anyone else learned this lesson the hard way with rope management?

2 comments

2 Comments

uma_baker885h ago

Oh man, that sounds brutal. I read a thing once from a retired arborist who said always flake your rope before you start climbing, no matter how rushed you feel. He said a tangled line can cost you hours and ruin your whole day, and he was right. Good reminder for the rest of us.

hugo_craig1h ago

Guess the retired arborist never had to rescue his own rope from a tree mid-climb.