CLIMBERS CORNER

Safe and Efficient Tree Ascent: Doubled

Rope Techniques (DdRT)
By Mark Adams

et a ladder against the tree. Climb to the top of the ladder

and throw a lanyard around the tree. Toss the climbing line
up as high as possible, or use a pole saw to place the line on
an overhead limb. Flip or pull the line back down, tie the climbing
hitch, take off the lanyard, and body-thrust up to the tie-in. Put
the lanyard back on, untie the climbing hitch, and repeat: set line,
tie hitch, and body-thrust up. Keep repeating until reaching the
tie-in point that will be used to work the tree.
Safe? Yes. Efficient? Not at all. But that is how many climbers
accessed trees in the past. And, despite the time and energy that
this method requires, and despiteor perhaps because ofthe
fact that there is a bewildering array of equipment and gear from
which to choose, many climbers still use this method to access trees.
This article is first in a series of articles that will illustrate and
describe some of the different systems that are available to climbers
to make tree ascent fast, safe, and efficient. The focus of these articles
is the systems and combinations of gear and equipment that can
and cannot be used together. Readers are cautioned to practice using
new gear and equipment carefully and thoroughly while on the
ground, before attempting to use them in a tree. Training organizations and additional reference materials are provided in this series
of articles.

Setup and Definitions

One of the problems that hindered early arborists in gaining access
to the top of a tree was how to set the climbing line high in the
canopy. The evolution of throwlines, throw weights, and throwing
techniques, and the advent of the Bigshot, have made it possible for
most climbers to easily and accurately place a line in the top of
almost any tree. Once the line has been set, there are many different
systems that can be used to ascend the tree. These ascent systems
can be categorized based on how the climbing line moves (or does
not move) when the climber ascends into the canopy. Following
are some common terms and their acronyms that are used to
describe ascent systems.
Doubled Rope Technique (DdRT)a climbing line is doubled over a crotch (branch union), and both legs of the line
hang parallel and fall to the ground without any branches
between them. DdRT may be further broken down into
dynamic DdRTboth legs of the line move (one up, one
down) as the climber ascends. Body-thrusting is an example
of a dynamic doubled rope technique.
static DdRTboth legs of the line are stationary as the
climber ascends. Secured footlocking is an example of a
static doubled rope technique.
Some systems allow the climber to alternate between ascending
the doubled line in either a static or dynamic manner.

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Double Rope Technique (DRT)two separate ropes and

two separate anchor points are used. In tree climbing, this is
usually referred to as double-crotching. This system is not
often used for ascent but may be used for hazardous situations
in which the climber desires a second system as a backup, to
aid in positioning in hard-to-reach locations, or in very tall
trees for which it may be difficult to evaluate the security of
the tie-in point from the ground.
Single Rope Technique (SRT): A single rope is placed through
a suitable crotch (branch union), and one leg hangs where it
can be used by the climber to access the tree. The second leg
of the line may run to the ground over any number of branches
and may be secured on the ground by a number of means, or
the line may be secured in the canopy at the branch union.
For all the techniques discussed in this article, it is assumed
that an arborists climbing line has been set high in the tree with a
throwline. All of the techniques described in this article are examples of doubled rope technique (DdRT). It is important to understand that in both static and dynamic DdRT, both legs of the rope
can move. In a dynamic system, their movement is what moves
the climber up (or down) in the tree. In a static system, the climber
grasps both legs of the line and climbs them together as if they
were one, but, if either leg of the doubled line were pulled by itself,
the other leg would move in the opposite direction.

Secured Footlock
The traditional, and simplest, way to ascend a static doubled line is
to use the secured footlock technique. The climber is secured to the
climbing line with a tether, usually with what is commonly called a
Prusik loop (Figure 1), and uses his or her feet to grip the rope and
advance (footlock) up the climbing line (see the article by Daniel
Murphy for some good points on the technique of footlocking). The
tether is attached to the doubled line with a friction hitch, usually
a Prusik or a Klemheist. There are some precautions that the climber
needs to take when using this setup that can easily be remembered
with the acronym THADDS.
T stands for Tie, dress, and set the knot (Prusik, Klemheist, etc.).
Tying the knot means simply forming the knot on the line; dressing
the knot means aligning all of the parts; and setting the knot means
applying some pressure so that the knot firmly holds its form.
H stands for Hands off of the knot. A friction hitch will securely
grip the host line when the hitch is properly tied, dressed, and set
but a friction hitch will release the line (slide) if the climber applies
pressure to and/or bends the hitch. A climber may inadvertently
cause a friction hitch to release its grip if his or her hand contacts
the hitch, so care should be taken to avoid unintentional contact
with the friction hitch.

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Figure 1. A Prusik loop consists of a length

of cord formed into a loop by tying the
ends together with a grapevine knot. The
loop is attached to the doubled climbing
line with a friction hitch (here a threewrap, six-coil Klemheist).

A stands for Ascent only. In a

static doubled rope system, a friction
hitch will reliably grip the host line if
the hitch is repeatedly pushed up the
line. But in that same system (a static
doubled rope system), a friction hitch
will not reliably grip the line if the
climber attempts to descend with a
friction hitch. The hitch may cease to
grip and could send the climber into
a freefall to the ground.
D stands for Descending
devicebecause the ascender cannot be used to descend, the climber
must carry some device that will
allow him or her to descend to the
ground in an emergency. Many
climbers carry a figure-8 or an extra
HMS carabiner specifically for forming a Munter hitch.
D stands for Debris. If debris
(small pieces of leaves, bark, or twigs)
gets into the friction hitch and prevents
the hitch from having consistent, steady
friction with the host line, the hitch could fail. It is important to
keep the friction hitch clean and free of all types of debris.
S stands for Spread. The friction hitch works only if both legs
of the doubled line are close together. If the legs of the line are
spread too far apart, the hitch will open and lose its grip on the host
line. As the climber approaches the branch that is supporting the
line, the branch creates a spread or gap between the legs of the
climbing line. The bigger the branch is, the greater the spread
between the legs of the climbing line and the greater the chance
that the hitch may fail. A rule of thumb is that the climber should
stay below the branch a distance that is at least five times the
diameter of the branch (for example, if the branch is 6 inches in
diameter, then the climber needs to keep the friction hitch at least
30 inches [5 6-inch-diameter branch] below the branch).
One of the problems with using this type of tether is that the
tether has a fixed length. A fixed length works well when the climber
is actually ascending the climbing line, but there are instances when
the climber might desire a shorter tether so that he or she can be
closer to the friction hitch. Examples are small branches that the
climber needs to clear away from the friction hitch or when the
climber reaches the top and needs to step onto a branch while
maintaining five times the distance from the tie-in point.
One solution is to attach a short, rated (that is, ratings for that
piece of gear meet the requirements of ANSI Z133.1-2006) webbing sling to the primary tether with a three-wrap, six-coil Prusik,
and attach a rated carabiner to the short webbing sling (Figure 2).
The climber can clip into the rated carabiner and adjust the sling
as needed during the ascent. The grapevine knot (often incorrectly
called the double fishermans knot) that is used to form the Prusik

JUNE 2007

_ Figure 2A. A rated, short webbing sling

(red) is girth-hitched to a rated, fixed-eye
carabiner (rated means that the ratings
for that piece of gear meet the requirements
of ANSI Z133.1-2006.) The short webbing
sling is then attached to the primary tether with a three-wrap, six-coil Prusik knot.
The webbing sling provides an adjustable
attachment point on the tether.
) Figure 2B. Close-up of the carabiner
and webbing sling.

loop serves as
a stopper
knot for the
webbing. The
key chain
carabiner at
the bottom of
the tether can
be clipped to
the saddle to
prevent the
end of the
sling from
becoming
entangled in
the climbers
feet while

+ Figure 3A. Another way to have an

adjustable length tether is to place a
MicroGrab on both legs of the tether. The
key chain carabiner is clipped to the saddle while the climber ascends and is easily
unclipped when the climber wishes to
adjust the length of the tether. The MicroGrab
provides very easy one-handed, up-anddown adjustment on the tether.
+ Figure 3B. Close-up
of the MicroGrab on
the tether.

footlocking. This
allows adjustability, but once the
Prusik knot of the
short webbing
sling is set, the
setup requires two
hands to loosen
and adjust the
placement of the
web sling.
Another way to
have an adjustablelength tether is to
place a MicroGrab on both legs of the
tether (Figure 3). The key chain carabiner is clipped to the saddle
while the climber ascends and is easily unclipped when the climber
D

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51

Climbers Corner (continued)

Figure 5. The
Dualcender also has
two side-by-side
cams, but there is a
single piece of webbing connected to
both of the cams.
The climbers carabiner is attached to
the bottom of the
webbing. This allows
the climbers weight
to float between
both cams. If either
leg of the rope is
pulled, the one cam
that is on that leg of
rope will be released,
but the other cam
will remain engaged.

wishes to adjust the length of the tether. The MicroGrab provides

very easy, one-handed up-and-down adjustment of the tether even
if the climber has rested on the tether during the ascent.
Both the webbing sling and the MicroGrab allow the climber to
work close to or above the friction hitch that connects the tether to
the host line. While this makes it easy to clear small branches and
debris away from the friction hitch, the climber needs to be careful
to set the hitch firmly on the climbing line and avoid contact with
the friction hitch. Accidental contact with a loose hitch could cause
the hitch to release its grip on the host line.

Secured Footlock with Ascenders

Footlocker and Dualcender
A tether and the art of footlocking form the basic components of
many ascent systems. Some people find it difficult to push the friction hitch up the line, however, and instead use a system with one
or more of various types of ascenders (see Tim Walshs article for a
good overview of ascenders). The climber may use any style of
tetheradjustable or notto connect him- or herself to an ascender, and the ascender is placed on the climbing line to secure the
climber against falling.
One early ascender that was used in tree work was simply called
the Footlocker (Figure 4). The Footlocker is a twin-cammed ascender that has a quick-release pin and can be used on a doubled line.
The drawback to this device is that the cams are locked together with
either a carabiner or, more often, a delta link. When one cam moves,
the other cam also moves. This means that if the climber pulls
down on either leg of the doubled line, both cams will open, and
the entire unitalong with the climberwill fall to the ground.
The Dualcender is an upgrade of the Footlocker. The Dualcender
also has two side-by-side cams, but there is a single piece of webbing connected to both cams (Figure 5). The climbers carabiner is
Figure 4. The
Footlocker is an
ascender that has a
quick-release pin and
twin cams for use on
a doubled line. The
drawback is that the
cams are locked
together with either a
carabiner or a delta
link (pictured). When
one cam moves, the
other cam also moves.
If the climber pulls
down on either leg of
the doubled line, both
cams open and the
entire unitalong
with the climber
falls to the ground.

attached to the bottom of the webbing. This allows the climbers

weight to float between both cams. If either leg of the rope is
pulled, the one cam that is on that leg of rope will be released, but
the other cam will remain engageda very important difference
between the two devices!
Both the Footlocker and the Dualcender require the climber to
grip the doubled rope in order to ascend. For some people, this
creates an uncomfortable position for their wrists and forearms, or
they simply do not have the strength to repeatedly lift themselves
in this manner. To reduce some of the stress on their arms, many
people use some type of handled ascender to grip the climbing
line. Even many competitors use handled ascenders in their dayto-day work because handled ascenders reduce fatigue, are easier
to install, and offer more options than a simple Prusik loop.

Double-Handled Ascender with Twin Cams

There is only one handled ascender that has been designed specifically for a doubled rope ascent system. Manufactured by Kong, the
ascender has two cams and two handles that allow the climber to
hold the device in a comfortable position. Commonly referred to
as the Kong double-handled ascender, Kong lists it simply as the
Twin.
Some accidents have occurred with these ascenders because of
improper use by the climber. In some cases, one leg of the rope had
been forced out of the cam because the climber pushed the ascender too close to the tie-in point. This may have been prevented by
staying a safe distance below the tie-in and/or by placing a key chain
carabiner in the small hole behind the cam (Figure 6). In other
instances, either the climber
accidentally released the
cam with his or her thumb
(Figure 7), or debris of
some sort prevented the cam
from properly and completely
engaging on the rope.
In some ways, ascenders
are very similar to friction
Figure 6. The cams of the Kong
Twin can be prevented from
opening by placing a key chain
carabiner (blue) in the small
hole behind the cams.

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A Word on Ratings
Ascenders and other mechanical devices are becoming more
and more common in the various worlds of tree climbing.
Mechanical devices can now be found at all levels of competitive, recreational, arboricultural, and research-oriented tree
climbing. Yet virtually all of the ascenders that are used in tree
work were originally designed to be used in other vertical
disciplines. Consequently, these devices were manufactured
to conform to standards that do not easily align with all of
the current standards that guide the tree industry.
European tree climbers must use gear that has a CE marking per an appropriate EN standard, where such standards
apply. The EN standards (derived from UIAA standards) are
generic to all work at height, and the majority of ascenders,
descenders, and other mechanical devices do have the required
CE marking. But, because each industry has specific risks
from its own unique work environment, consideration also
needs to be given to whether each piece of equipment is fit
for the purpose for which it is being used.
Arborists in the United States, however, must use gear that
complies with ANSI Z133.1-2006. That document does not
directly address ascenders, and it uses a blanket minimum
tensile strength rating for assessing suitability of other pieces
of equipment that are used for climbing. Recent articles that
discussed ascenders in tree care seemed to have been unaware
of, ignored, or contained separate discussions about the ratings of mechanical devices and the Z133.1. This is not meant
to discredit the authors, but only to point out that in the United
States, certain pieces of equipment have been quietly accepted
into the tree industry without any discussion or research.
Mechanical devices can make tree climbing safer, more
efficient, and more ergonomic. Arborists need to learn how
these devices were intended to be used and to integrate them
into their work in appropriate ways. Because these tools are
so useful, it is hoped that there will be more discussion and
consideration of these devices in the Z133.1. These tools are
like any other tool. If used properly, they can be a great asset,
but if misused and misunderstood, they can fail. The safe
use of a certain piece of gear is not simply a matter of tensile
strength but of knowing that the item is fit for the purpose.
The user must thoroughly understand how the item works
and how it functions as a component in different types of
climbing (and rigging) systems.
hitches, and the cautions that were presented for friction hitches can
also be applied to ascenders using the THADDS acronym:
T stands for aTtach
the ascender must be properly attached to the host
line
Figure 7. Even with a key chain
carabiner behind the cams, the
climber can accidentally release
the cam with his or her thumb
(as pictured), or debris of some
sort can prevent the cam from
properly and completely engaging on the rope.

JUNE 2007

H stands for Hands off of the cam(s) so that the cam(s) is not
accidentally released.
A stands for Ascent onlyascenders are not to be used for
descent.
D stands for Descending devicebecause the ascender cannot be used to descend, the climber must carry some device that
will allow him or her to descend to the ground in an emergency.
Many climbers carry a figure-8 or an extra HMS carabiner specifically for forming a Munter hitch.
D stands for Debrisif debris (small pieces of leaves, bark,
twigs, or even candy) gets onto the rope and prevents the cam(s)
from having consistent, steady friction with the host line, the ascender
could fail. It is important to keep the ascender clean and free of all
types of debris.
S stands for Spreadtwin-cammed ascenders will work only
if both legs of the doubled line are close together. If the legs of the
line are spread too far apart, the line may pop out of the cam. The
same rule of thumb applies as for a friction hitch: The climber should
stay below the branch a distance that is at least five times the diameter of the branch.
Ascenders can be easily backed up by one of several methods,
depending on the ascender that is being used. Because this particular ascent system is a doubled rope system, each leg of the doubled
line must be backed up independently.

_ Figure 8A. A backup system for

the Kong Twin: A bow shackle is
placed in the holes that are above
the cams. A piece of 3/8-inch Tenex
is spliced to the bow shackle so
that there are two legs of equal
length coming off of the shackle.
One leg is tied with an appropriate friction hitch to each leg of
the doubled climbing line.
( Figure 8B. Different view of
Figure 8A.

For one backup system, a bow shackle is placed in the holes that
are above the cams of the Kong ascender. A piece of 3/8-inch Tenex
is spliced to the bow shackle so that there are two legs of equal length
coming off the shackle. One leg is tied with an appropriate friction
hitch to each leg of the doubled climbing line (Figure 8). Thus, if either
cam of the ascender fails, it is backed up by one of the friction hitches.
Another method to back up the Kong Twin is to place a Dualcender
above the Kongs and use a separate tether to attach the climber to

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53

Climbers Corner (continued)

Figure 9. Another method to back up the
Kong Twin is to place a Dualcender
above the Kongs and use a separate
tether to attach the climber to the
Dualcender. This creates a backup
system (the Dualcender) that is completely independent of the primary
(the Kongs).

the Dualcender (Figure 9). This

creates a backup system (the Dualcender) that is completely independent of the primary system
(the Kongs).
It is important to remember the
difference between the Footlocker
(Figure 4) and the Dualcender
(Figure 5). The Dualcender will
work very well as a backup on a
doubled line, but the Footlocker
will not work at all. If a climber is using the Footlocker as a backup for the Kongs and the Kongs fail, then the climber will go to
the ground. The Dualcender can be used as a backup for the Kongs,
but the Footlocker cannot be used as a backup for the Kongs.

Warning!
There is one method that has been used as a backup that will not
work and should not be used. In this method, the climber is attached
to the climbing line with a tether and a friction hitch as in the traditional secured footlock technique. A pair of Kong double-handled
ascenders is placed below the friction hitch and used to push the
friction hitch up the doubled climbing line. There is no tether on
the ascenders (Figure 10).
The rationale for this is that the climber is using the ascenders
because they are easier to hold than the doubled climbing line. The
climber appears to be secured from falling by the tether and the
friction hitch on the doubled climbing line. But the ascenders actually create a spread in the doubled line below the ascenders.

Figure 10B. A system that should

not be used! The ascenders create
a spread in the doubled line, and
Figure 10A. A system that should
not be used! A pair of Kong double- the friction hitch has to be very,
handled ascenders is placed below very loose. If something prevents
either one of the cams from holdthe friction hitch and is used to
push the friction hitch up the dou- ing on the line, the climber will
most likely continue to hold the
bled climbing line. There is no
ascender and will fall to the ground.
tether on the ascenders.

54

To reduce friction to the point that the climber can push the friction hitch up the line, the friction hitch has to be very, very loose. If
the climber stops to rest on the tether, the friction hitch is still very,
very loose, and the tether resting on the ascender is whats actually
holding the climber in the tree. If the climber is ascending and something prevents either one of the cams from holding on the line, he
or she will most likely continue to hold the ascender and will fall
to the ground.
This illustrates how important it is to examine and test the whole
system to see how all of the components work within the system. Too
often there is a preconceived perception that the system is safe because
the individual components are safe, but this is not always true.
When ascending a tree, as with every part of tree work, safety should
be the number one concern. There are many systems available for tree
ascent, and it is up to each climber to decide which system will work
best for him or her. Each climber also has the responsibility to make
sure that he or she understands all components of the system individually, how the system works, and what could cause the system
to fail. It is important to receive thorough, proper training before
using any piece of equipment, particularly if that piece of equipment
is used to support someones life. Please climb and work safely.
Credits
The acronym DdRT for doubled rope technique was suggested six
or eight years ago by Tom Dunlap on the (now defunct) discussion
forum of ISAs Web site.
The acronym THADS for Tie, dress and set; Hands away from
the knot; Ascending only; Debris; and Spread is often used by
ArborMaster Training as a mnemonic for tying the Prusik loop to
the host line. THADS was suggested to ArborMaster by Tom Green
when he was a student in one of their classes. I added the second
D, for Descender, and applied the same acronym to ascenders.
References
Adams, Mark. Slick tricks. Arborist News, April 2001.
Adams, Mark. More slick tricks. Arborist News, June 2001.
Murphy, Daniel. The fundamentals and fine points of footlocking.
Tree Care Industry, June 2006.
Tresselt, Tony. A systematic approach for testing new equipment
and techniques. Arborist News, February 2006.
Walsh, Tim. Ascender use in tree care for personal support. Tree
Care Industry, June 2002.
On the EN and CE markings:
From Petzls Web site: http://en.petzl.com/petzl/frontoffice/static/
EPI/normes/norConn_EN.jsp
On-line catalog of European standards: http://www.cen.eu/catweb/
cwen.htm
EN ratings and the UIAA ratings: http://www.uiaa.ch/?c=310
The CE directory: http://www.cedirectory.com/ce-mark.php
Rescue equipment and the CE mark: http://t-rescue.com/articles/
ce_mark/index.pdf
The author wishes to thank the reviewers for their helpful comments,
especially Paolo Bavarasco and Chris Cowell.
Figure 4 and Figure 5 courtesy of SherrillTree. All other figures courtesy
of the author.
Mark Adams is an ISA Certified Arborist with Downey Trees in Atlanta,
Georgia, and an instructor for North American Training Solutions.

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