|
ericbeyeler
Feb 24, 2005, 4:46 PM
Post #1 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 12, 2004
Posts: 160
|
What is the best way to handle this:
I like to set up the toprope so that the anchor carabiners are hanging freely - and the rope doesn't have to slide over any rock. However, this makes it harder to get in position to rappel down.
Any suggestions?
Eric
|
|
|
|
|
kimmyt
Feb 24, 2005, 4:47 PM
Post #2 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 10, 2003
Posts: 4546
|
Walk off?
|
|
|
|
|
ctardi
Feb 24, 2005, 4:54 PM
Post #3 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 8, 2004
Posts: 1278
|
If your uncomfortable with it, you could have a belayer lower you down on the top rope setup.
Also, your anchor carabiners don't have to be hanging a foot over, just 1 or 2 inches will do. But, make sure that the biners arn't loaded over the edge.
When you are setting up your rappell, set up your device on both the lines, and then tie off the rappel device with your preffered knot, and you can downclimb a mover or two untill the rappel is loaded, then untie the knot and down you go.
|
|
|
|
|
a_guy_named_smith
Feb 24, 2005, 4:58 PM
Post #4 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 9, 2004
Posts: 142
|
if you are setting up a top rope so that you can belay from the ground
you could have the person on the ground lower you.
on a single pitch climb if you can rap the route you can be lowered.
but if the toprope anchors are set up in such a way that it is really hard to rap down i am not sure that lowering would be any better
it would seem that your best bet would be to walk off.
|
|
|
|
|
buckyllama
Feb 24, 2005, 5:04 PM
Post #5 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 12, 2003
Posts: 314
|
If you have a friend on the ground below they can give you a firemans belay. Basically they hold the rope and you downclimb until you can tension the rope. Should you fall, they pull on the tails of the rope to stop you.
If this seems a bad idea, you can set a backup in the form of a prussic knot below your belay device. Do a search on rappel backup. Not a great idea to fall onto this kind of rig but it's far better than nothing. You can also just wrap the rope around your leg, but this makes it rather harder to downclimb.
Resist the urge to clip directly into the master point while downclimbing as falling in this would be static and a "Very bad thing"
If the downclimb is lenghty and particurlarly sketchy, you can take the tail of the rope from one side and loop it around one of the anchors. Then rap off it till you can weight the master point directly. (warning, this involves trusting a single anchor... make sure it's something bomber like a large tree) Clip directly into the master point with a sling and biner, then pull the tail. Resest your device on the two strands of your toprope setup. Release your sling and rap normally. (clipping in with the sling keeps you lower and makes it easier to take your weight on the rope such that you can unclip the sling. )
This is a lot of effort/rigging, and I usually restrict it to where the alternative is downclimbing 20+ feet of chossy exposed crap, and/or where I can't get the setup rigged from above and I have to get down there to get it set up properly.
|
|
|
|
|
ericbeyeler
Feb 24, 2005, 5:33 PM
Post #6 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 12, 2004
Posts: 160
|
In reply to: If the downclimb is lenghty and particurlarly sketchy, you can take the tail of the rope from one side and loop it around one of the anchors. Then rap off it till you can weight the master point directly. (warning, this involves trusting a single anchor... make sure it's something bomber like a large tree) Clip directly into the master point with a sling and biner, then pull the tail. Resest your device on the two strands of your toprope setup. Release your sling and rap normally. (clipping in with the sling keeps you lower and makes it easier to take your weight on the rope such that you can unclip the sling. )
Thanks that is a good suggestion!
|
|
|
|
|
hugepedro
Feb 24, 2005, 6:07 PM
Post #7 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 28, 2002
Posts: 2875
|
In reply to: In reply to: If the downclimb is lenghty and particurlarly sketchy, you can take the tail of the rope from one side and loop it around one of the anchors. Then rap off it till you can weight the master point directly. (warning, this involves trusting a single anchor... make sure it's something bomber like a large tree) Clip directly into the master point with a sling and biner, then pull the tail. Resest your device on the two strands of your toprope setup. Release your sling and rap normally. (clipping in with the sling keeps you lower and makes it easier to take your weight on the rope such that you can unclip the sling. ) Thanks that is a good suggestion!
That'll work, but it's a lot of hassle just to get your rap started. I usually just rig my device and hold the brake strand in one hand, grab the slings above the anchor point with my other hand (often there's a knot there that makes it easy to grab) and lower myself into position.
If you think you need to use both hands in the down climb, or are otherwise freaked out, use a mule knot to tie off your rap device (because you can release it under load when your weight is on the anchor point).
|
|
|
|
|
climbingryan
Feb 24, 2005, 6:15 PM
Post #8 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 15, 2003
Posts: 66
|
Answer: let your belayer lower you.
In reply to: "The only way to define your limits is by going beyond them" |
|
|
|
|
markc
Feb 24, 2005, 6:29 PM
Post #9 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 21, 2003
Posts: 2481
|
You can also refer to this similar thread:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=70539&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=
|
|
|
|
|
azrockclimber
Feb 24, 2005, 6:31 PM
Post #10 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 28, 2005
Posts: 666
|
tie off your rap device and down climb till the rope is weighted
|
|
|
|
|
adamd
Feb 24, 2005, 6:45 PM
Post #11 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 27, 2004
Posts: 62
|
I frequently set topropes with long extensions using 9mm static rope. Most of the time I just pull up the masterpoint and put myself on rappel right at the anchor and use an autoblock (penberthy actually). Then I downclimb as others suggest. If I'm not psyched on the downclimb I rappel on one of the sides of the anchor using a munter hitch (with my actual rappel pre-rigged and backed up). This works fine as long as there's enough of a stance to unweight the munter to unclip it, then lower yourself a foot to weight the actual rappel/TR.
|
|
|
|
|
hiram
Feb 24, 2005, 7:06 PM
Post #12 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 18, 2003
Posts: 81
|
i like to give myself 10' to 15' slack and just jump off, it is also a good way to test your skills at setting up a TR anchor..
Note: in case you new to climbing, i am joking, (don't follow advise above)
|
|
|
|
|
keinangst
Feb 24, 2005, 7:56 PM
Post #13 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 1, 2003
Posts: 1408
|
As long as you don't plan to look cool or smooth while doing it, just shimmy and grunt off the edge.*
*Autoblock or other backup recommended.
|
|
|
|
|
ceramiclover
Feb 24, 2005, 8:35 PM
Post #14 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 10, 2004
Posts: 58
|
doing hand over hand on your cordellette can be good. if you don't have multidirectional pieces, though, and you apply force in too upward of a direction, the pieces come out. if anchor has any extension, it sucks. i have scars and a fear of getting onto toprope set ups because of it.
|
|
|
|
|
j_ung
Feb 24, 2005, 8:40 PM
Post #15 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 21, 2003
Posts: 18690
|
Pull up the rope and rig your rappel device and preferred rappel back-up first.
After that, attach yourself to your anchor system with a small cordalette and friction hitch of some type (a prussik will do). This gives you an anchor point that can follow you down until you're ready to start rappelling.
With this method, if you slip while downclimbing, you won't tumble and shock your anchor system, not to mention your rappel back-up.
|
|
|
|
|
irockclimbtoo
Feb 24, 2005, 8:55 PM
Post #16 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 3, 2004
Posts: 309
|
ab
|
|
|
|
|
jimdavis
Feb 24, 2005, 11:05 PM
Post #17 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 1, 2003
Posts: 1935
|
What I've seen taught as one of the AMGA's recommened ways is:
Take a cordellette, untied, and put an 8 on one end of it. Clip into that 8, and pass the cord up through one of the higher point on your anchor and back down to your harness. Put a munter in there, and lower yourself onto your pre-rigged (and backed up) rappel. Then just pull the cord through the biner up high, wrap it up, and head down.
That's the safest way I've seen, and makes me the most comfortable. After a while you'll probably get comfortable clipping into rappel, backing up, and climbing down your anchoring material "hand-over-hand" until you've weighted your device.
Try the above method out sometime though, it's a neat trick to know.
Cheers,
Jim
|
|
|
|
|
dontfall
Feb 24, 2005, 11:07 PM
Post #18 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 31, 2003
Posts: 2798
|
phht.....Base Jump 8^)
|
|
|
|
|
glanzer77
Mar 5, 2005, 7:47 AM
Post #19 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 3, 2004
Posts: 31
|
Like David Lee Roth said...Jump...no...have a buddy belay you.
|
|
|
|
|
swatson
Mar 9, 2005, 2:08 PM
Post #20 of 20
(3825 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 30, 2004
Posts: 4
|
If you want to do this a lot, it might be a good investment to simply buy another rope (maybe static), and set up a rappell on the same climb.
Especially if you, and others simply want to enjoy the rappel for the sake of rappelling.
Also can be kind of cool if you want a friend to shoot some video or take photos from the rappell rope while you are climbing up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
