Big wall transition sequence

Moof, I've hauled several hundred pitches with the micro trax as my haul bag attachment point and have not experienced any rope damage. To each is own though, there are many ways to skin the big wall cat and finding a way you are comfortable with is the most important part of it.

Good luck with Excalibur this spring! I was eyeing Bermuda Dunes if the weather didn't cooperate for Freerider.

mucci wrote:Thanks Mark, Ditto! Hope to run into you this season sometime. I always use a mini trax for backup on jug lines, and if needed use it separately with another rope for manhandling bags via 2:1 if necessary. Learning different docking techniques is key, and how to move the haulbags onto another anchor with munter/mule hitches is key. This thread turned out to be very informative, absorb it thoroughly OP.

I'm formulating follow up questions as we speak haha

Mark Hudon wrote:Use a Micro-Trax as your haul line-haul bag tie in and you'll never have to untie a tight knot again. Additionally, it gives you a built in 2:1 AND a rope grab.

I have a couple questions about this set-up if you don't mind. So the white rope is the haul line, which is going through the micro-trax and then backed up with a figure 8 on a bight to the swivel, correct? Is the other end of the white rope just cloved/figure 8'd into the anchor? Or is this a pic after the leader has taken weight?

What is the red cord doing? Is this another backup going to the anchor? Looks like it is just a loop or cord, or any special knots?

What's the purple cord? Is this a different haul bag, or a completely unrelated system?

You mention above as well that you don't see the need for a lower out line. Could you briefly describe the system you use to avoid this need?

Thanks! I saw you have a website which probably has more detail, but I think it might be hacked. The link from google sent me to a porn explosion

smurray47 wrote: I have a couple questions about this set-up if you don't mind. So the white rope is the haul line, which is going through the micro-trax and then backed up with a figure 8 on a bight to the swivel, correct? Is the other end of the white rope just cloved/figure 8'd into the anchor? Or is this a pic after the leader has taken weight? What is the red cord doing? Is this another backup going to the anchor? Looks like it is just a loop or cord, or any special knots? What's the purple cord? Is this a different haul bag, or a completely unrelated system? You mention above as well that you don't see the need for a lower out line. Could you briefly describe the system you use to avoid this need? Thanks! I saw you have a website which probably has more detail, but I think it might be hacked. The link from google sent me to a porn explosion

Not wanting to put words into Mark's mouth, but assuming he is sorting out his porn explosion......
I'd guess the following (fingers crossed)
1. white line is haul line
2. yes it is backed up with fig 8
3. the other end of the haul line is attached to the anchor or the trax on the anchor being used to haul, or the back of the harness of the leader if she is on the next pitch
4. there are two haul bags
5. the red and purple lines are the docking cords. The bags are tied to the anchor with these. These will be tied to the anchor with a releasable knot, possibly a munter mule overhand
6. to lower out a short way, the docking cords will probably be long enough
7. for a longer lower out, pull the slack in the white haul line through the trax on the bags and tie another backup knot to the swivel. Release the old backup knot. Now you have a nice long tail of white rope to lower out with. Put this on the anchor with a munter to better control the lower out.

Marks out of 7?

Yup, David has it.

My site is hacked again? Entering the address directly will avoid the porn.

Www.hudonpanos.com will get you there sans porn.

Quick update: climbed two big walls in Zion the last couple weeks (moonlight and touchstone), and the hauling/transitions went super smooth thanks to ya'lls advice and help! We used the docking cord with munter hitch method as shown in Mark's website, as well as the micro-trax attachment to the bag, which worked great for the one longer lower-out we had to do.

The one thing which I never quite got the handle on was the 3:1 technique to make it easier to unclip the lower haul bag strap to get the bag open easier while hanging. I don't really understand what knot to use to secure the thing while hauling, so we just defaulted to a non-locker attachment and straining our backs each time we wanted to open it. Can anyone elaborate on this method?

Thanks for all the help, went great!

Munster mule to attach the bag to the anchor. No need to lift, just release the mule and pay out slack using the munter

Sorry, maybe I wasn't clear. We did use the munter mule for releasing the bag. I'm talking about a technique to allow you to unclip the lower haul bag strap to allow the bag to hang open to access stuff inside it. I believe some folks use Mark Hudon's 3:1 cord method, but I couldn't figure out how to secure it correctly.

smurray47 wrote:Sorry, maybe I wasn't clear. We did use the munter mule for releasing the bag. I'm talking about a technique to allow you to unclip the lower haul bag strap to allow the bag to hang open to access stuff inside it. I believe some folks use Mark Hudon's 3:1 cord method, but I couldn't figure out how to secure it correctly.

I might be missing something here, but put large d-shaped maillion on one bag strap, attach haul line to this maillion (via trax if used) and girth hitch docking cord to this too. Clip a locker from the other strap to this maillion. Job done. Because the locker makes the second strap 4 inch longer, it is easy to undo.

I use Mark's method that is on his "all thins haul bag" essay

hudonpanos.com/bigwall_tips…

This method is soooo easy- it has brought the good life to a formerly hand wringing, grunt inducing process. Thanks Mark Hudon!!!

smurray47 wrote:Sorry, maybe I wasn't clear. We did use the munter mule for releasing the bag. I'm talking about a technique to allow you to unclip the lower haul bag strap to allow the bag to hang open to access stuff inside it. I believe some folks use Mark Hudon's 3:1 cord method, but I couldn't figure out how to secure it correctly.

Oh i get it. If you use the 3:1 cord method then the instructions are in the odd linked above except I wouldn't bother with a munter after tightening it up, a mule on the line once it's tight with some half hitches will be fine.