How to lower off 45m or 50 m sport route safely

FrankPS wrote:

If you want to climb a 45 m route, lead, it, bring the follower up (he cleans the draws) with him trailing or backpacking the second rope. Rappel down on both ropes.

Or the follower DOESN'T bring a second rope up.  They lower or rap on a single strand.  Once they get to the bottom, they tie the second rope to the main line; leader (still at the top anchor) pulls it up and does a two rope rap.

Gunkiemike wrote:

Or the follower DOESN'T bring a second rope up.  They lower or rap on a single strand.  Once they get to the bottom, they tie the second rope to the main line; leader (still at the top anchor) pulls it up and does a two rope rap.

Many ways to skin this cat.

Nick, I'm posting this on both your threads. I live near Austin and have climbed at Enchanted Rock several times. In my opinion, if you're thinking of getting a second rope just to do long rappels on the backside sport routes, it's not worth the money and the hassle. Just top out on one of the multi-pitch routes and walk off, or, if you're doing other routes, just walk a short way to the News Wall anchors, where you can rappel with a 60m rope.

If you do get a second rope, find someone experienced who can show you safe ways to join two ropes. There are some secure ways, and there are some bad ones that have gotten people killed.

Instead of getting a second long rope, you're probably better off with a single 60 and the options above and then buying a 30 or 40, which will cover you for just about anything at Reimers or the Greenbelt with much less rope to carry and manage.

Consider joining the Austin climbing group on Facebook. It is an active group with a lot of friendly people, and you should have no trouble finding experienced people to go out to the rock with you. I'm out of town until about July 4, but if you are looking for E-Rock partners later, feel free to PM me.

GTS wrote:

According to the MP page for the area you want to climb, you either 

A) Walk off

B) Rap off using two ropes

C) Scramble up and over to a different wall to rap with a 60m rope.

How would I retrieve gear with the A or C option? I think B is by far the least expensive unless I'm missing something here. 

Nick S wrote:

How would I retrieve gear with the A or C option? I think B is by far the least expensive unless I'm missing something here. 

You belay from the top, your belayer follows and cleans the route.

grog m aka Greg McKee wrote:

Only if my partner or girlfriend is carrying it. 

Says a lot about you. 

Nick S wrote:

How would I retrieve gear with the A or C option? I think B is by far the least expensive unless I'm missing something here. 

What? You don't need to leave any gear behind to walk off, carry it down with you. Likewise if you walk to a different spot to rappel, you retrieve your rope the same way you would if you rappelled right there...

?

Nick S wrote:

How would I retrieve gear with the A or C option? I think B is by far the least expensive unless I'm missing something here. 

Your partner retrieves the gear as you belay from above. If you happen to be solo-leading, which I don't recommend at this point, you would rappel the pitch on a single strand and then reclimb it solo-TR style. You clean the gear either on the way down or back up. Really depends more on what devices you have.

Anyway, I got your PM. When I'm back later this summer, we can go out on something easy and I can show you some of the things people are talking about here.

Sport crag around here has long routes, they have it set up so you can do what they call "lower, pull, lower" LPL. 

For example it's a 50m route and you have a 70m rope, and there is an intermediate anchor at 30m. You climb, clip the chains, lower the 20m to the intermediate anchor. Then you go direct to the anchor, pull the rope, and lower a second time to the ground.

Nathanael wrote:

Sport crag around here has long routes, they have it set up so you can do what they call "lower, pull, lower" LPL. 

For example it's a 50m route and you have a 70m rope, and there is an intermediate anchor at 30m. You climb, clip the chains, lower the 20m to the intermediate anchor. Then you go direct to the anchor, pull the rope, and lower a second time to the ground.

Interesting... so by the "lower" terminology, I assume you're still being belayed from the ground?