Where do you put it?

I'm going to do a few multipitch routes with a friend who is pretty new to longer routes and we'll need a second rope for the decent. I want to use doubles, but my friend hasn't used them before and I'd rather not hassle with teaching that just yet. So I plan to climb on a single and take one of my doubles for the other rope on the decent.

My question is, which is the preferred method of getting that second rope up the route; use it as a tag line clipped to your haul loop or backpack coil it and have the leader or second wear it the whole time?

Thanks

shit, I always make the follower carry it. no questions asked.

If the follower is strong I make them carry it. If I'm "guiding" a non-climbing type friend then I probably would trail it or stuff it in a small pack.

If it might get snagged have the leader tag it and pull it up at the top of every pitch so the follower can get it unstuck if it snags. Or when I'm climbing nice smooth granite in Yosemite on a low-wind day I usually have the follower tag it and just let it hang.

If there's not any wide cracks on the route and the climbing's not too physical, carrying it stuffed in a backpack isn't too bad. But as soon as you have to get in a chimney it becomes a pain.

If possible you could stash the second rope at the bottom of the rap, fix a single strand, rap, first person down gets the other rope and ties it to the other then the person up top pulls it up and does a double rope rap. This obviously requires both climbers to know what they are doing.

I've always just coiled it up and tied it on me like a backpack. Over the shoulders and cross the chest with the tails, then around the waist and tied off.

Rick Blair wrote:If possible you could stash the second rope at the bottom of the rap, fix a single strand, rap, first person down gets the other rope and ties it to the other then the person up top pulls it up and does a double rope rap. This obviously requires both climbers to know what they are doing.

how would this work with more than 2 pitches?

Most often, I have the leader trail it along with the lead rope. THat way the follower can free it if it becomes snagged.

Jesse Davidson wrote: how would this work with more than 2 pitches?

It wouldn't.

trail it, wont be that much more, and its a half, so less. i use my 8mm tag line as my second rope, works good to if i have to bail. cant stay tied in to the lead rope, and unclip pro on way down. till to a good point to double rap down.

Could you climb with it as a twin rather then a double? There are two strands but you just treat them as one for every clip.

But that makes you carry most of the weight, suckah!

I've always preferred to trail the second rope rather than carry it.

BrianH wrote:Could you climb with it as a twin rather then a double? There are two strands but you just treat them as one for every clip. But that makes you carry most of the weight, suckah!

This is a terrible idea. Never use ropes that aren't twin ropes for that purpose. It dramatically increases the impact force on your body and your gear... you'll start ripping wires and exploding cams on falls.

Never clip 2 single ropes (or a single plus a half/twin) to one piece of gear.

Jesse Davidson wrote: how would this work with more than 2 pitches?

If I understand the OP he is talking about a 2 rope rap. If the landing area for the rap is not too far away from the start, stash a rope. First person down raps on a single strand fixed line, retrieve the rope, tie it to the other strand, remaining person pulls up the rope and does a double rope rap. Obviously depends on circumstances.

Rick Blair wrote: If I understand the OP he is talking about a 2 rope rap. If the landing area for the rap is not too far away from the start, stash a rope. First person down raps on a single strand fixed line, retrieve the rope, tie it to the other strand, remaining person pulls up the rope and does a double rope rap. Obviously depends on circumstances.

This will work only if there is a single double-rope rappel and it is the last rappel of the descent.

If the climbing is easy and the angle low (where a tag might get snagged,) I prefer to carry a mountaineer's coil over one shoulder (preferably your second's) for long multi-pitch moderates. It is lower profile than a pack. Downside is that it can be more fussy than a butterfly to uncoil, but it has it's uses.

cheers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyC7G21eEX8&feature=related