How to Use Lag Bolts for Tree Climbing

If you've ever noticed the steel L-shaped metal shafts that are positioned on utility poles, you get a sense of what a lag bolt can do. Lag bolts can be used in a similar fashion to climb trees by providing footholds until you reach the first crotch of the tree or limbs that will allow you to climb higher. You can add wooden dowels and adhesive cloth tape to make the climb safer and easier. Two methods can be used. Which you use will be determined by the girth of the tree and the length of your arms and legs.

A Small-Girth Tree

• 1

  Cut the 12-foot wooden dowel into 12-inch lengths using the circular saw.

• 2

  Measure 1 ½ inches from the perpendicular sides of the cut-end of the dowel to find the middle. Mark the middle with a pencil and situate it under the drill press. Using the ½-inch drill bit, drill a hole through the middle of the dowel. Make certain you can cleanly but snugly fit the 16-inch lag bolt through the dowel.

• 3

  Find the small-girth tree you want to climb. Small girth means that you can fit your legs on either side of the tree. Presumably, the branches are high and you need help getting to them to climb the tree.

• 4

  Pick the side of the tree you want to climb. You're going to be installing the dowels with the lag bolts on either side. As for stairs, a comfortable spacing for the pegs is 8 inches, alternating on either side of the tree. Measure eight inches from the ground and mark this spot with the pencil. Using the 3/8-inch bit with the cordless drill, drill about 3 1/2 inches into the side where you want to locate the first dowel peg. Place the washer over the end of the dowel that you will push the lag bolt through.

• 5

  Align the lag bolt and peg with the drilled hole and, using the socket wrench, tighten the lag bolt. Don't over-tighten the bolt or it could split the dowel.

• 6

  On the opposite side of the tree, measure 16 inches from the ground (8 inches higher than where the first peg was lagged into the tree) and repeat the drilling process into the tree and Step 5.

• 7

  On the side you first measured, measure 24 inches from the ground perpendicular to the first peg (or as close as the tree shape allows). Repeat Step 6 and continue repeating by adding 8 inches alternately every time you add another peg until you've reached the crotch of the tree or the limbs ywhere ou want to start the rest of your climb. Depending on the height of the tree, you may need the ladder to complete the process.

• 8

  Thoroughly wrap each dowel with non-slip adhesive tape. Wrap each dowel two to three times.

Wide-Girth Trees

• 1

  Find the wide-girth tree you want to climb, like a Weeping Willow or Sequoia.

• 2

  Follow all the steps above except that you want to use the longer lag bolts, and the dowels will have to be located within a leg's length of one another. In other words, the pegs won't be on opposite sides of the tree because your legs won't reach that far.

• 3

  Attach the dowels with the lag bolts at comfortable distances, using the 8-inch rise as a guide. There is no exact measure because of your size and the girth of the tree, so make the spacing between the alternate dowels comfortably within leg's reach.