Rant: rope vs. ladder debate in tree work, found a weird trick that changed my mind

I've always been a climb-with-a-rope guy, thought ladders were just for roofers. But last month I had to prune a big oak in Portland where the first 20 feet was nothing but dead branches, no good tie-in point. Tried a 14-foot extension ladder to get to the first solid limb and honestly, it was faster and safer for that specific step. Now I keep both methods in my truck but I still feel weird admitting ladders have a place. Anyone else find themselves switching between climbing and ladder work depending on the tree?

2 comments

2 Comments

alexlewis1mo ago

Yeah I tried using a pool skimmer rod to hook a branch once and it worked weirdly well...

iris_green841mo ago

Pool skimmers: great for leaves, pretty good for rogue tree limbs apparently!