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padding the edge

Original Post
JediGorf · · Waterville, ME · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 5

Settle a debate for me. My buddy and I were climbing at a place where top-managed belays were the way to go. I set up the anchor close to the edge, but it didn't extend over the edge as well as I thought it would. I began lowering him on a Munter from the anchor and noticed the rope came down on the edge (see picture). I was already lowering him, so I continued lowering before grabbing something to pad the edge.

Rope over edge

Is this:
a) totally fine
b) not a death sentence since the rope's fairly new, but it will wear out the rope if done repeatedly
c) tempting fate

Dylan Randall · · Nashville, TN · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 615

From what I've learned, lowering off an edge as sharp as you depicted would very quickly wear your rope. Enough laps on the route on TR could pose a danger if the sheath gets worn down enough. Try all you can to extend your anchor over the cliff edge through use of slings or a longer static line.

Jamespio Piotrowski · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 5

Im pretty sure your friend lost that game of Hangman.

Tim Stich · · Colorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,520

b.

This will fuzz up the rope in time, but depending on the rock your rope can tolerate it some. On the other hand, a fairly good rope of mine got core shot in one day of this. So get that anchor extending setup right away.

mbakerwh · · Gallup, NM · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 0

yer gonna die!!!!!!

you likely wont cut the rope, unless on sharp granite-like rock, but you definitely will wear the heck out of your rope with that kind of angle. Also think about what kind of loads you're working with--with a 100 pound climber, you might squeak by with it. with a 300 pound climber (hey, i'm friends with some), you might say you're tempting fate. Common sense reigns supreme in these types of situations--if it looks bad for your rope....it probably is! extending the anchor out, preferably with a static line, and padding the edge (backpacks/rope bags are great for that!) would be the "ideal" situation. Can you get by with less? probably, maybe. When my life's on the line, I dont like to get by, probably, maybe though....

Dallas R · · Traveling the USA · Joined May 2013 · Points: 191

I go for B. It is a situation to avoid. I carry extra slings so I can extend my anchor out. When at a new area I often carry a 30' piece of web for the same purpose. (30' on three anchors about 5' extension). In similar situations I have stuffed my jacket, rope bag, pack, tape (climbing and duck), and an empty plastic water bottle on the edge and in cracks that provide abrasion resistance.

I think it was at Mt Magazine SP in Arkansas where we found someone had driven nails through a rubber mat below a rap station with a similar edge.

They even make some stuff to put on ropes:
Spiroll Rope Protector

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Beginning Climbers
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