No.34 SRT Techniques from around the world (2)
In 2018 The Wooden Hand produced a hand drawn booklet about SRT techniques which features climbers from Japan, Germany, New Zealand, UK and America. Each month this year I will introduce a technique at ODSK.
'Light Weight' by Takayanagi 'Charlie' Kei (Japan)
“With a short rope you can still do work and the short rope is lightweight.”
“The rope can be matched, or there about, to the tree height. Perhaps give a little extra to tie the
anchor and take a re-direct.”
“If extra length is required when trunk anchoring then add another short rope with a European
Death Knot.”
“35M = 3.4kg
Coil Time = 25 seconds
Reeve Splice = OK
Half the length = Half the price.”
The second climber from the book is Takayanagi Kei, who I call ‘Charlie’. Charlie is always looking
to update his skill set and many techniques that I use at Maruichi he picked up and explored. So I
was happy for his contribution of ‘Lightweight’ because I think that it is very suitable for the
Japanese landscape, especially when you have to walk for one or two kilometers into a site.
SRT is said to be half the rope and twice the fun, yes, you can literally cut your rope into two
pieces, and if you utilise the discarded half of a DdRT rope then a climber can accomplish a whole
range of vital techniques with just a Bend (Zeppelin, EDK etc).
Trunk Anchor, Traverse, Rescue line, Retrieve line, Double System…….
Tree work needs a climber to be flexible with their techniques and you certainly can with Charlie’s
‘LIGHTWEIGHT’ system.
By the way…a ‘Reeve Splice’ is a non-life support termination for attaching a throw
line or retrieve ball.
