BWCA Getting your hanging rope up a tree... Boundary Waters Listening Point - General Discussion
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07/24/2008 08:18AM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
I posted this on another thead and thought it might be useful to put it out in plain sight rather than burried in an unrelated thread:

This is what I use instead of a rock to toss a line over a branch for food pack hanging.

A LaCrosse Ball works much better than a tennis ball or rock. It is about the same size as a tennis ball but is solid rubber.

Drill a 1/4" hole completely through the middle. Use a light line that is long enough to go up over the highest branch you can imagine (30 to 40 feet). Put the line through the hole and tie a stopper knot on the end. Make the knot small enough so that if you tug hard it will come out (in case the ball gets lodged in the tree.)

When tossing the ball, the only thing you have to look out for is having it swing around a branch a couple of times. If that happens, you are SOL. Make sure you have plenty of slack on the line when you toss it (i.e. don't stand on the line.)

Because the ball is heavier than a tennis ball you can through it more accurately than a tennis ball and it will make it through smaller branches.

Once the line is up and over the branch you want, tie it to the hanging line and pull it over.

To give credit where credit is due, an Old Scout taught me this method.
 
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IronBallsMcGinty
Guest Paddler
  
07/24/2008 08:38AM  
I used to be a thrower. Then someone told me just to hook a sinker on my fishing rod, cast it over the branch of my choice effortlessly and reel in my rope. It makes hanging the food very simple.
 
07/24/2008 09:13AM  
or an old baseball. then you can throw a curve or a sinker if you need to.
 
612er
distinguished member (270)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
07/24/2008 10:02AM  
I like the fishing line idea, but my only concern is that it would fray a lot of line (I use mono) to drag it over a tree branch. I suppose if you use an 80ft steel leader it would be okay!

Good ideas though. I've heard of using tying the rope to your hatchet handle, but that method seems destined to cause lots of injuries.
 
Woodbender
distinguished member (257)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
07/24/2008 11:34AM  
Same idea - different execution;

We use a heavy duty nylon tool sheath (which typically is worn on the belt - belt loop comes in handy).

Filled it with a few oz of lead shot sewed it shut VERY securely. Tied a 30' length of parachute cording to it (through that belt loop) and then tied to your actual rope at the other end of the 30' para cord. Up and over the branch it goes with surprising accuracy and it's so slender that it just slips right through the other branches. The para cord is quite tightly braided so it doesn't easily snag on things.

As mentioned by another poster if you are not standing on the cord there's usually enough slack that it will slink on down to where you can reach it. I've lost most of a good rope due to the weight end whipping around a tree limb three or four times. So now if that happens again (but not for ten years now at least) I just lose a bit of 3/16" para cord, not a hank of good rope.

Works like a charm and takes up hardly any room in the packs.
 
07/24/2008 12:30PM  
I use a tennis ball. The ball has about a 2" slit on one side, and 180 degrees from it is a cross shaped slit, very small cross. Same as PJ, put line thru big slit and small cross, tie off with stopper knot. Then hold bigger slit open, add weight, small rocks or sand until you have your perfect fastball, slider, knuckler, etc, weight. Slit will stay closed. Fire when ready. Have used golf ball also in the past, drilled right thru. That seemed to do the around the branch thing too often, was replaced with T ball.
 
07/24/2008 01:00PM  
I use a rock, mostly beacause they are plentiful in the bwca, and They take up no weight, or bulk in my pack.
 
schweady
distinguished member(8070)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
07/24/2008 01:40PM  
Are there that many sports courts and ball fields up there on the sites you're on that you find these balls on the ground? I usually only see rocks.

 
07/24/2008 01:41PM  
No more rocks: I got tired of looking for the right rock, tying the right knot, throwing the rock, getting hit in the head with the rock, having the rock come out of the knot, retying the knot....
 
stratosjoe
member (26)member
  
07/24/2008 01:43PM  
why can't you just store the food in your buddies tent. A lot less hassle with the rope....
 
07/24/2008 08:27PM  
I used my buddies sandle our first trip, he got upset when it got hung up. I was laughing my butt off. He said to me "What the hell am I supposed to do now?" to which my reply was "Why the hell did you give it to me then?"

After about 30 min we finally got it down. Needles to say I use baseball now.

 
07/24/2008 08:27PM  
I used my buddies sandle our first trip, he got upset when it got hung up. I was laughing my butt off. He said to me "What the hell am I supposed to do now?" to which my reply was "Why the hell did you give it to me then?"

After about 30 min we finally got it down. Needles to say I use baseball now.

 
07/24/2008 08:27PM  
I used my buddies sandle our first trip, he got upset when it got hung up. I was laughing my butt off. He said to me "What the hell am I supposed to do now?" to which my reply was "Why the hell did you give it to me then?"

After about 30 min we finally got it down. Needles to say I use baseball now.

 
07/24/2008 08:27PM  
I used my buddies sandle our first trip, he got upset when it got hung up. I was laughing my butt off. He said to me "What the hell am I supposed to do now?" to which my reply was "Why the hell did you give it to me then?"

After about 30 min we finally got it down. Needles to say I use baseball now.

 
07/24/2008 08:27PM  
I used my buddies sandle our first trip, he got upset when it got hung up. I was laughing my butt off. He said to me "What the hell am I supposed to do now?" to which my reply was "Why the hell did you give it to me then?"

After about 30 min we finally got it down. Needles to say I use baseball now.

 
07/24/2008 08:31PM  
 
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07/24/2008 08:33PM  
ok, don't know what happened there ! I got an error message, and the thing posted all of that above! Would an admin please delete the extras?!
 
07/24/2008 08:42PM  
Trying to get that 4th tree huh?
 
07/24/2008 09:31PM  
I use the tennis ball rig that buz described for throwing tarp ropes. I don't hang my food pack (BearVault) but if I did I'd use it for that too.
 
07/24/2008 11:06PM  
Throw the pulley that I use. It's good and sturdy and about the weight of a baseball.
 
Guurn
senior member (55)senior membersenior member
  
07/25/2008 08:40AM  
Just try using the pulley and then after an hour or so of getting it caught in the smaller branches under the one you want to hang it from get pissed and go buy some blue barrels.
 
07/25/2008 10:21AM  
regarding blue barrels...yep that works

But I also use this method of getting lines in the trees for hanging tarps like this:

Now that\'s a tarp setup

That is my blue barrel in the picture.
 
07/25/2008 10:47AM  
PJ,

That appears to be some levitation trick that you have empowered.

No,really a neat tarp set up.

Boppa
 
07/25/2008 08:13PM  
I use a 16oz plastic pop bottle....fill it about 2/3 with water. I prefer coke because it has a "waist" that the rope ties nicely around. When done, I dump the water out, and sqrunch it into the bear bag stuff sack...no weight and very little space. It throws nicely and you can vary the water/weight to adjust for height and branch density.
I've used a rock, a small bag with rocks, the lead sinker/fishing pole technique and the doggie kong toy (that used to be my favorite).
I stumbled onto the pop bottle the year I forgot the kong toy but my wife had already emptied her first "cached" Pepsi. Have used it ever since. Get the thicker plastic bottles to withstand the long falls onto rocks better.
It sounds stupid....but it works!(if you're a barrel person, I'm sure it.....just sounds stupid) Bear bag in upper right. High and tight
 
07/25/2008 09:24PM  
ok..how about this?

a zebco 202 (or cheapest reel possible).

golf ball attached to the line.

wrist rocket.

:)
 
07/25/2008 09:28PM  
I used to use an old robe hook, but I lost it . . . . .JK.
 
07/25/2008 10:52PM  
Guurn, I have a blue barrel and usually hang it if I take it. I am VERY partial to my food. double protection for me. My pulley doesn't get caught up too much, and being small and slick, it pulls out pretty easy.

PJ, very nice tarp rig! I hope that was a base camp!
 
07/25/2008 10:57PM  
protect the fire cheese at all cost. btw, nice old thread reference BB. :)
 
07/26/2008 04:57AM  
Thats a lot of fire wood cowdoc!
 
07/26/2008 08:14AM  
HA! Yes it is. That's my cousin's work...he's a "get er done" type of guy. We stayed there 2 nights and maybe used 1/3 of that wood. I think he was planning on wintering there! I think he cleaned all the twigs and duff, around the fire grate area, up at every site we were at also. He likes a good clean site. He'd probably like to bring a rake and a shovel along if I'd let him.
 
07/26/2008 03:30PM  
OOO! A wrist rocket would be a GREAT idea, Kanoes!!! And it also doubles as protection :)
 
fishnfreak
distinguished member(1170)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
07/26/2008 03:40PM  
I use the baseball instead of the tennis ball. My 70mph fastball is deadly accurate. Only once was I standing on the loose rope when throwing my pitch.
 
Vagabond
distinguished member (176)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
07/27/2008 11:39PM  
Corsair, how do you reconcile bringing a baseball with the "pack lightly" approach? Use a rock and put it in a small stuff sack that you brought along anyway. Easy to tie a line to it and lob it over a branch. The sack gets a little beat up, but not not nearly as much as you'd think.
 
612er
distinguished member (270)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
07/28/2008 09:29AM  
I tried Buz's tennis ball approach this weekend and it worked perfect.
 
bobby726
distinguished member (221)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
07/28/2008 11:22AM  
I use my brother in law. He's part monkey anyway and love to climb up to tie off the rope. It think that's the only reason he goes along.
 
Guurn
senior member (55)senior membersenior member
  
07/28/2008 03:32PM  
Man that is great tarp action. Somehow I don't think I would have the patience for that, but maybe it is worth a try... next time.

If I am at all worried about my blue barrels I float them. We never hang anything anymore other than the basecamp filter.
 
07/28/2008 03:38PM  
Just tie the rope to the roll of duct tape thats in the pack

play toss the rope
 
07/28/2008 03:41PM  
Roll of duct tape? Not on my packing list. (some duct tape wrapped around a stick, yes...a roll?...no)
 
07/29/2008 02:09AM  
Vagabond,

I have someone in the group carry the baseball! I don't even carry a small stuff sack!

 
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