Frozen Lifelines
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: wvbowbender
28-Nov-18
Can anything for this problem? Thanks, Bob
From: eddie c
28-Nov-18
just my thoughts. if the lifeline is frozen, the steps and platform may be frosted or iced over and not safe to use anyway. if it's just cold rope, maybe check the prussic knot with a quick downward jerk to see if it will grip while standing on the ground. then do it again when you get in the stand. take a lineman's rope for backup.
From: Cocoon Man
28-Nov-18
I have about 25 stands out all with lifelines. I only have one prusik loop which I remove and tie on each time I get to a stand for several reasons. Not in order of importance, not left out and exposed to sunlight, which over time weakens the prusik loop material, rodents can't chew on it, to your point not exposed to freezing rain which reduces ability to grab and with 25 stands its a lot cheaper.
Granted if the main line is icy it will reduce friction and the dry prusik will not grab as well but not to the extent as it would if the prusik were iced up also.
Prusik cordage is smaller in diameter than the mainline and is rather flexible which allows the prusik knot to tighten on the mainline when loaded. If the prusik cordage is frozen I would have to assume that it will reduce its ability to tighten when loaded.
From: Lost Arra
28-Nov-18
Cocoon Man: good idea on the removable prussik. I showed up at a stand where I had previously placed a life line and a prussik. Well the prussik was gone. It did not slide off but could have been chewed off or come unwrapped somehow in the wind and just blew away. What I did was unsafe. I climbed up and tied a loop into the life line and clipped in. I will be carrying a prussik from now on.
From: Bob H in NH
28-Nov-18
happened to me once, prussic, main line and steps all covered in ice. Seemed like a bad idea to climb that day. Went to another spot and sat on the ground.
From: Kevin @ Wisconsin
28-Nov-18
I only had it happen once this year, and I opened up my jacket and put the knot inside of my jacket and close it up for a minute and let my body heat warm everything up and then it was good to go.
This is my first year using life lines. I've always used just a harness with alignments belt. My takeaway is that once they're set up life lines are the sh!t.
From: Kevin @ Wisconsin
28-Nov-18
Also, I used HHS, Muddy and summit life lines. I would definitely recommend the summit as a seem like a better design and more sturdy than the other two.
From: MW66
28-Nov-18
After I get down from each stand, I loosen the prussic knot that is wrapped around the main line. IF it ices, keeping it loose can allow you to work it free without too much trouble.
From: eddie c
28-Nov-18
Cocoon Man, good idea. never thought about that. good points.
From: Cocoon Man
28-Nov-18
I actually switched to tying a Klemheist knot onto the mainline rather than a Prusik knot. Some prefer it to the Prusik when the application is more for an unidirectional knot as is the case in a tree stand life line. I think it is easier to tie and is certainly much faster to remove. The Prusik and Klemheist are both in the family of friction knots they are both made using what is referred to as a Prusik loop. Prusik cordage can be purchased from a Mountaineering or rope rescue supplier. You can tie your own prussik loop using a double fisherman knot or buy a sewn prusik loop.
The Prusik cordage should be 60%-80% the size of the mainline. A 7/16 inch mainline would use a 7mm prussic loop. If the prusik loop cordage is too big it will not grab if it is too small it will tighten too much and be difficult to move.
From: Franklin
28-Nov-18
Ditch the "prussic knot" and get yourself a detachable rope grab. It`s mechanical and works by pinching the rope....works whether the rope is cold or frozen. Buy one and take it to any stand, will last forever.
From: Charlie Rehor
28-Nov-18
Loosening the prusset knot when leaving your stand and or a backup prusset in my pack.
From: wvbowbender
28-Nov-18
Thanks to everyone for the good ideas. Bob
From: orionsbrother
28-Nov-18
If you’re leaving a lifeline out overnight in weather, you should use dynamic dry rope that won’t absorb water. Ice may freeze on the outside, but it will break off.
As stated, watch out for rodent damage.
From: VogieMN
29-Nov-18
This is my first year using a life line. Do you take them down at the end of the season or keep them up all year?
From: Cocoon Man
29-Nov-18
Take them down!
From: lewis
29-Nov-18
Always take them down
From: Kevin @ Wisconsin
29-Nov-18
I'm going to make another weekend out of pulling the life lines here in a couple of weeks.
Any time I mention safety harnesses and life lines my wife is like, "yes!" "Do that."
From: Beendare
29-Nov-18
Rope grab? Do you mean like the "Ropeman"....not a good idea as those aren't rated for fall protection and there have been cases in climbing accidents where they just strip off the rope sheath
From: BOWNUT
29-Nov-18
I never had one frozen going up but I did sit all morning in a freezing rain once. That thing was covered with solid ice and so was the stand. All I could do was unhook and hold on to the rail to come down. Never again will I do that.
From: pirogue
15-Dec-18
Seems ironic that one wraps pipes, covers plants, adds antifreeze, but doesn't want to be inconvenienced with taking time to use a thawed out lifeline.
