Misplaced Pages

#943056

23-412: The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring is a non-fiction book by Richard Preston about California 's coastal redwoods ( Sequoia sempervirens ) and the recreational climbers who climbed them. It is a narrative-style collection of stories from climbers who pioneered redwood climbing, including botanist Steve Sillett , lichenologist Marie Antoine, and Michael Taylor . They inadvertently discovered

46-410: A book about her year climbing trees. Many different techniques (free climbing, self-belayed climbing with a doubled-rope technique, single-rope technique, and lead climbing) are used to climb trees depending on the climber's purpose for the climb and personal preference. Free climbing is performed without protective gear, and as such is the oldest method of climbing. Technologically aided tree climbing

69-446: A climber over DRT or lead climbing techniques, as the climber can rig the rope over multiple limbs when using a ground-level trunk anchor. If one limb breaks, then lower limbs may stop the fall. Lead climbing is employed by climber where points of protection are formed by girthing the tree's limbs with slings. Once the lead climber ascends the tree, they may create a belay or top rope anchor or else simply rappel down. If an anchor

92-492: A review of bio-terror threats to the U.S. The book strove to tell a fast-paced thriller narrative within the bounds of well-researched bio-terrorism possibility, and was reportedly pressed upon Clinton by a molecular biologist when he was attending a Renaissance Weekend event. The Demon in the Freezer (2002) covers the story of the eradication of smallpox , perhaps the most destructive virus to have plagued mankind. It details

115-407: A set of friction hitches or mechanical ascenders ) to obtain the desired limb. With practice, this method is typically fastest and requires the least amount of hardware. One drawback is that it does not necessarily involve directly ascending the tree itself, as the vast majority of the time spent climbing is ascending the rope, and not the tree itself. Additionally, it can provide greater safety to

138-415: A single anchor point (doubled rope technique), or for SRT into an optimal redirect. The throw bag is then removed; the climbing line is tied on, and pulled through the canopy and back down again, at which point the climbing system may be installed. The doubled-rope technique (DRT or DdRT) is used to self belay the climber in such a way that the rope can be retrieved without going back up the tree. One end of

161-470: A thriving ecosystem hidden among the tree tops, 60–90 meters (200–300 ft) above, of redwood lattices, berry bushes, bonsai trees , epiphytes , lichens , voles , and salamanders . The book was #83 on Amazon's Best Books of the Year . It was illustrated by Andrew Joslin. The Wild Trees introduces several characters and provides backgrounds for them, as far back as their childhoods. Throughout

184-511: A visit to Africa where he was an eyewitness to epidemics. The book served as the (very loose) basis of the Hollywood movie Outbreak (1995) about military machinations surrounding a fictional "Motaba virus". Preston's novel The Cobra Event (1998), about a terrorism release of a fictional virus combining various qualities of different diseases upon New York City, alarmed even then-President Bill Clinton who, shortly after reading it, instigated

207-457: Is performed by lapping a long rope over a limb and ascending the fallen end using a friction knot tied from initial tie's excess tail. There are a large number of factors that can affect the difficulty of a climb; the regularity of branching, the brittleness of dead wood, the texture of the bark, the width of the trunk and branches, the height and location of the tree, and the weather can all contribute to challenges faced while climbing. Getting to

230-704: The Hale Telescope on Palomar Mountain , and the astronomers who work there. American Steel chronicles the history of the Nucor steel company, and focuses on its newest steel plant in Indiana, whose success depends on a new steel-sheet making machine engineered in West Germany. Preston's personal hobby of recreational tree climbing is introduced in The Wild Trees (2007). His climbing experience likely led him to write about

253-699: The Michael Crichton estate to complete his unfinished novel Micro after Crichton's death in November 2008. The book was released on November 22, 2011. Approximately a third of Micro was completed by Crichton. Preston completed the book according to the author's remaining outline, notes, and research. In 2016, Preston served as the Bedell Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Iowa 's Nonfiction Writing Program where he judged

SECTION 10

#1732855810944

276-774: The Wayback Machine , and activism. Professional arborists have been climbing trees since the late 19th century in the UK and North America. Climbing a tree every day for a year or longer has become a challenge taken up by several artists; Todd Smith from Louisville, KY, USA, climbed a tree every day for 3 years. Henrik G Dahle invited people to climb with him and interviewed people in the canopy of trees, including former competitive tree climber Leo Murray of Monkeydo, who now runs tree top adventures. Other artists include Christopher B Gray from Connecticut, USA, Kamila Wajda from Przybowka, Poland and Cecylia Malik from Kraków, Poland who has published

299-559: The book, information about trees, forests and logging is woven into the story. Several of the largest and tallest known redwoods are introduced, including descriptions. Details are provided about how these trees are climbed, explored and studied, although many of their specific locations are not given. Richard Preston Richard Preston (born August 5, 1954) is a writer for The New Yorker and bestselling author who has written books about infectious disease , bioterrorism , redwoods and other subjects, as well as fiction. Preston

322-436: The experience and skill of the tree climber. Some tree climbers take special hammocks called "Treeboats" and Portaledges with them into canopies where they can have a picnic or sleep. Some tree climbers employ a mixture of techniques and gear derived from rock climbing and caving . These techniques are also used to climb trees for other purposes: tree care ( arborists ), animal rescue, research Archived 2013-09-21 at

345-403: The first branch of a tree is typically the most difficult part of the climb due to the potentially large distance between the first limb and the ground. Both aid climbing and free climbing can be used, but the throwline technique is most typical among hobbyists. This is done remotely from the ground utilizing a throw weight and line. The weight is swung from its attached line as a pendulum, with

368-549: The largest known redwoods like Lost Monarch in the Grove of Titans , or Iluvatar , described in that book along with delicate forest canopy ecosystems. Preston's Panic in Level 4: Cannibals, Killer Viruses, and Other Journeys to the Edge of Science is a collection of essays related to his experiences researching his previous books. In November 2009, Preston was selected by Harper-Collins and

391-408: The line either held between two fingers of one hand at hip level, or in a basket configuration achieved by running a bight of the line back through the ring that is held in the other hand, with the weight being swung between the legs in a wide stance. It is then launched toward the targeted branch. Once over the branch, the weight must return to the ground, and may have to be manipulated so as to isolate

414-558: The prestigious Iowa Prize in Literary Nonfiction. Preston resides in Hopewell, New Jersey with his wife, Michelle, and their two daughters and one son. He is also the brother of best-selling author Douglas Preston . Minor planet 3792 Preston is named in his honor. Recreational tree climbing A rope , helmet , and harness can be used to increase the safety of the climber. Other equipment can also be used, depending on

437-454: The rope is fastened to the climber's saddle (harness), from there the rope passes around the tree and back to a friction hitch , which is also attached to the climber. This system allows the climber to easily adjust the rope to provide a belay if free-climbing, or to go up or down if hanging on the rope. As long as the climber is below the anchor and there is minimal slack in the system, any fall will be restrained. This system can be placed into

460-413: The survival of the virus in research labs and bio-weapon programs of Russia and other nations, despite its eradication in the human population. The narrative continues with anthrax , a bacterial disease of cattle and humans, used in the 2001 anthrax attacks . First Light and American Steel are non-fiction books addressing astrophysics and the steel industry. First Light centers around the history of

483-406: The tree from the ground, or the climber can advance the rope up the tree over the course of the climb. The single-rope technique (SRT) is used mainly for getting to the top of large trees that cannot be easily free-climbed. With the adequate hardware, a throw line , an attached weight, and a launching system (e.g., a bow or slingshot ), a climbing rope can be anchored to a branch very high in

SECTION 20

#1732855810944

506-402: The tree. This is done by launching the weight (with the throw line attached) over the desired limb and tying the climbing rope to the unweighted end. The climbing rope is then hauled over the branch by pulling on the throw line. The line is anchored to the trunk or to the high limb itself by running one end through a closed bight made in the other end. The climber then ascends the rope (using

529-804: Was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts . He graduated Wellesley High School in Massachusetts in 1972 and attended Pomona College in Claremont, California. He earned a Ph.D. in English from Princeton University in 1983. His 1992 New Yorker article "Crisis in the Hot Zone" was expanded into his breakout book, The Hot Zone (1994). It is classified as a "non-fiction thriller" about ebolaviruses . He learned of Ebola through such contacts as U.S. Army researchers Drs. C.J. Peters and Nancy Jaax. His fascination began during

#943056