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unga123
Aug 10, 2011, 5:07 AM
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Registered: Sep 25, 2010
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Hello all.
A friend and I (we both know how to sport climb) would like to try some multi-pitch sport climbing this weekend. I have a basic understanding of how multi-pitch works, but what I don't understand is why 2 ropes would be required for a multi-pitch sport climb. (for example http://www.mountainproject.com/...-the-beast/105860218says two ropes needed to rap off) The way i see it. You lead and follow to the top, and when both people are at top, one person rappels to the next anchor, attaches to anchor, and the next person rappels. Repeat until bottom.
Basically, why would you need two ropes on a multi-pitch sport climb? and apologies in advance if I am just missing something crucial.
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JAB
Aug 10, 2011, 5:40 AM
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unga123 wrote: Hello all. A friend and I (we both know how to sport climb) would like to try some multi-pitch sport climbing this weekend. I have a basic understanding of how multi-pitch works, but what I don't understand is why 2 ropes would be required for a multi-pitch sport climb. (for example http://www.mountainproject.com/...-the-beast/105860218says two ropes needed to rap off) The way i see it. You lead and follow to the top, and when both people are at top, one person rappels to the next anchor, attaches to anchor, and the next person rappels. Repeat until bottom. Basically, why would you need two ropes on a multi-pitch sport climb? and apologies in advance if I am just missing something crucial.
If the pitches are longer than half of your rope lenght, you will need two ropes to get back down again. In other words, if you have a 60 meter rope, you can climb pitches up to 60 meters long, but only rappell 30 meters at a time.
However, on many multi-pitch routes you either walk down or rappell down a special rappell route, which might require double ropes or not. So it all depends on how you are supposed to get down again.
(This post was edited by JAB on Aug 10, 2011, 5:41 AM)
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Jes3se
Aug 10, 2011, 6:57 AM
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The need for two ropes depends on the climb.. If you are able to do a multi-pitch rappel, meaning back to your previous belay anchor, and then again from there, you only need one. If the route traverses left or right, or around a spire, you may not be able to get back to your previous belay anchor, and thus, you would need two ropes to make it all the way to the ground. It depends entirely on the route.
The route you posted a link to sounds like it's vaguely in the shape of a question mark with pitch 2 going left and pitch 3 going back right. A two rope rappel would make it so you could bypass the curvy part of the question mark, which, from the description sounds like it also goes over a horn, which would turn into all kinds of bad news if you were trying to pendulum under.
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unga123
Aug 10, 2011, 1:41 PM
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Thank you very much for quick responses, and just to clarify, I could rappel with one rope if it were a straight route because then I could just stop at one of the other anchors and go from there, but if it traverses I can't do it? Is that correct?
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adelphos
Aug 10, 2011, 2:04 PM
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Just to put this out there; you should really re-think doing a multi-pitch route without at least one highly experienced climber who really knows multi-pitch climbing. The things that can go wrong go up significantly in multi-pitch.
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kennoyce
Aug 10, 2011, 2:19 PM
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unga123 wrote: Thank you very much for quick responses, and just to clarify, I could rappel with one rope if it were a straight route because then I could just stop at one of the other anchors and go from there, but if it traverses I can't do it? Is that correct?
That is ONLY correct if the pitches are less than half your rope length which they may or may not be depending on the climb and the area.
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redonkulus
Aug 10, 2011, 2:20 PM
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You could unless at some point in the climb, one of the pitches was longer than 30 meters (if you've got a 60m rope). Very frequently on multi-pitch, you'll have a pitch that is, say, 35 meters. This means that from the belay anchor you started from to the belay anchor you finished the pitch on, is 35 meters apart. If you rappel, your rope would be 5 meters short on each side, and once you got to the bottom of the rope, you'd be royally fucked, hanging 15 feet above the anchor. Then you would really wish you'd brought two ropes, so that you would be able to rap 60m at a time.
Even if you have a 70m rope in this scenario, you're just praying that you'll have enough rope to reach it. If it says you need two ropes, its just about a certainty that the route either traverses, or has a pitch longer than half a rope-length, or it is impossible to rappel back down the route, so they've set up rap anchors somewhere off route at intervals that demand two ropes. Just take two, but also follow Adelphos' advice and get someone more experienced to take you.
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Mariofercol
Aug 10, 2011, 4:37 PM
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adelphos wrote: Just to put this out there; you should really re-think doing a multi-pitch route without at least one highly experienced climber who really knows multi-pitch climbing. The things that can go wrong go up significantly in multi-pitch.
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bearbreeder
Aug 10, 2011, 5:26 PM
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unga123 wrote: Thank you very much for quick responses, and just to clarify, I could rappel with one rope if it were a straight route because then I could just stop at one of the other anchors and go from there, but if it traverses I can't do it? Is that correct?
you need to have a good idea/topo of the descent on a multi
with traverses, often the rappel route would not follow the climbing line
a good topo will say exactly where the rap anchors are and what the length is
oh and if the rap line is different from the climbing line ... make sure you know how to reascend the rope with a prussik ... in case you miss the rap stations
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Kartessa
Aug 11, 2011, 12:39 AM
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Registered: Nov 18, 2008
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unga123 wrote: Thank you very much for quick responses, and just to clarify, I could rappel with one rope if it were a straight route because then I could just stop at one of the other anchors and go from there, but if it traverses I can't do it? Is that correct?
If the topo says you need 2 ropes, then you need two ropes. Don't go looking for the exception.
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unga123
Aug 11, 2011, 11:36 PM
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Registered: Sep 25, 2010
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Thank you everyone for the responses.
I will take someone experienced
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justroberto
Aug 12, 2011, 1:49 AM
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Registered: Feb 21, 2006
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unga123 wrote: Hello all. A friend and I (we both know how to sport climb) would like to try some multi-pitch sport climbing this weekend. I have a basic understanding of how multi-pitch works, but what I don't understand is why 2 ropes would be required for a multi-pitch sport climb. (for example http://www.mountainproject.com/...-the-beast/105860218says two ropes needed to rap off) The way i see it. You lead and follow to the top, and when both people are at top, one person rappels to the next anchor, attaches to anchor, and the next person rappels. Repeat until bottom. Basically, why would you need two ropes on a multi-pitch sport climb? and apologies in advance if I am just missing something crucial.
First, if you are a beginner, don't make the mistake of thinking that E-Rock is 'sport climbing.' There are a handful of single-pitch routes there that fit that description, but any of the multipitches will have 20 or 30 foot spans without a bolt. Mark of the Beast is well-bolted at the only tricky part, but the last pitch is 100 to 150 feet of 5.easy awesome water groove with no bolts and no protection. You can traverse over right to hit three bolts, but it's way suckier climbing. It's not hard, but if you don't have the composure (or don't know if you'll have the composure), it may not be the route for you. I don't know where you climb, but it seems most kids 'round the Austin circuit like to call 35' tall routes with only three bolts and sport anchors "super-runout." Coming from Dallas, if you've led in the Witchitas/Quartz Mtn area then you'll be all right.
Second, the Kracken or Dome Driver anchors are the only ones in that area where you can rap from the top with a single rope, but you'll need a 70m and then have to do some easy down-climbing. All of those routes back there have pitches over 30m. On DD, you'll need to rap way right to the station at the tree. For everything else, you'll need two ropes. Now, you can never go wrong by climbing elsewhere during the day and topping out one of the Backside routes right at sunset, then hiking back to the car from the top. Just don't bring too much shit.
Third, I climbed Orient Express out there last year one of the first 100F days. The rock was so hot that the glue on my shoe melted and the rubber separated from the sole. I can't imagine how terrible it would be on the Backside, since it was ridiculously hot back there in April.
Good luck. Start climbing super early and be done by 1 or 2, then drive to Cooper's in Llano to reward yourself for all your hard work.
r
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