Raising an extension ladder

   / Raising an extension ladder #12  
Never... but I have laid a ladder on the roof and used my bucket to keep it from sliding down! Had to use another step ladder to reach the bucket so I could access the other ladder. Did I mention that I hate roof shingles???

(photos Sunday night when I can access my other computer...)
 
   / Raising an extension ladder #13  
Local church has very stout 12’ folding wood ladder. At least 75 years old. Once upright there is a wood section that is raised vertically up the middle another 8 ft or so. Like an inverted Y. That second section is one scary place to be.
 
   / Raising an extension ladder #14  
I still raise my bucket all the way up in my barn, then lean a ladder against it and climb up to change bulbs.
 
   / Raising an extension ladder #15  
Has anyone ever used the bucket of their tractor or the bed of a pickup to lift an extension ladder to reach higher? Is this one of those things that's not exactly safe but people do it anyway?

I need to change out a light fixture at the peak of my barn. It's about 24 feet up and my ladder won't reach high enough. I've rented a portable man lift before but wanted to avoid doing that.
The cost of that man lift is minuscule when compared with the hospital bills, and six months in a cast.
 
   / Raising an extension ladder #16  
If the back of the truck would be enough difference to get the job done I wouldn’t think twice about that. The loader is a little sketchy but I’d probably still do it.
 
   / Raising an extension ladder #17  
Just did this today to work on a metal roof. Felt very stable and safe even though it looks like a real rig job. No other good way to get up to the ridge in this case.

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   / Raising an extension ladder #18  
By the way, I used a couple timbers to brace under the bucket to avoid leak down. My loader will drop 1-2" after about 20 minutes, which isn't bad, but I didn't want to be worrying about that while up there on the roof.
 
   / Raising an extension ladder #20  
 
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