Royal Arches Rappelling

I hate the RA rappel but it is quicker than the walk off.  On my first time climbing RA, my partner and I joined our ropes with another part of 2 for the rap to skip stations.  The rap stations were cramped for 4 people rappelling and I'm not sure if it would have been any quicker than: 1) doing all raps with one 70 or b) bring a second rope just for the rappel.  

I'm planning to do RA a second time but in 2 independent parties of 2.  We're talking about teaming up for the rappel by joining the two ropes.  My question is: What is the most efficient/quickest way to rappel down RA with 2 teams of 2 ppl and having 2 70M ropes.  Thoughts?

I have found that on routes like RA getting 2 groups of two down more efficiently involves single rope rapping with the trailing party pulling the lagging rope down so the "lead" rappeller can set up the next rap. This keeps from bunching up at rap stations and is more efficient in that the next rap is constantly being setup. It also avoids double rope rap snags that tend to occur since you only need one snag to negate the benefit of using a double rope rap. This method is super easy on routes like RA because the raps are stacked on top of one another and the rope that is being pulled doesn't need any guidance to get to the next rap station for setup.

Thanks Doug!  That makes sense.  I'll propose that idea with the group.  Cheers!

bring two ropes. following can backpacker the 2nd., hopefully a ligther rope. Then simu-rap the route with 2 ropes. much faster then 1 60m. or do the epic last pitch traverse and walk off. also just as cool. good luck!

4 peeps at those rap stations is a lot.

Don't do the walk off YGD™.

Tag lines are a beautiful thing.

I've done the RA rap route 5 times now and have tried just about every technique to get down faster. Tying ropes together in an attempt to skip rap stations is definitely not the way to go. You are very likely to get your rope stuck in a crack or a tree and get yourself in trouble. In two times tying ropes together we had our rope get caught 3 times. You're pulling 400-450 feet of rope each rappel and asking for trouble. We've climbed trees and climbed unknown sections on short ropes to retrieve stuck ropes, adding stress and more time than was saved, as well as holding up groups above us each time it got stuck.

We typically just rap as a party of two on one rope and talk through a system where each person is in charge of doing the same thing at each rap. For example, person A passes the rope through the anchor and finds the middle point while the person B ties safety knots in the rope ends and tosses the rope. Person B raps first, gets to the next anchor and ties in, unties both rope end safety knots, passes one side through the next rap anchor and ties the safety knot on just that end while the person A rappels, keeping the person A on fireman belay for safety. When the person A arrives at the rap anchor, they connect into the anchor, double check that the rope end safety knot is untied, then pull the rope from the prior anchor while person B is simultaneously feeding the rope through the current anchor and watching for the mid-point, grabbing the midpoint and setting up to rappel. When the rope passes through and flies past, person A pulls that rope and ties in the rope end safety knot then tosses that rope. Person B rappels, and the same process continues for all 15 rappels. After the first few you get into a rhythm and it goes really fast.

You could also do this system and leap frog with another party of 2. Group A rappels on Group B's rope, carrying a rope and immediately sets up the next rappel. Group B rappels their rope, joins group A, pulls their rope, coils it fast and rappels again on Group A's rope. Essentially you let the other group rap your rope and set up the next rappel, then switch roles. We tried this as well but it actually took longer than just doing our system with 1 rope / 2 people.

The other issue is that you're likely going to have people in front of you, and you can only go as fast as they are. If they're doing double rope rappels you'll likely be helping them get their ropes unstuck a few times. There's nothing more frustrating than seeing a group of 4 start double rappels, everyone learning how to tie their own prusik for their first time and then rappeling a foot at a time in jerky motions. Your dreams of making it down in time for half dome village pizza and beer are quickly squashed. 

Harumpfster Boondoggle wrote: 4 peeps at those rap stations is a lot.

I know!!!! Esp when those stations are more or less a hanging belay.  Apparently Wing Suits don't work well :-(

I was thinking about the leap frog set up since that'll reduce the amount of time 4 people would be at each station together.

I have done this route probably 50 times doing both the walk off and rappels.  The walk off takes about an hour for a normal party and is faster than the rappels.

Karsten Duncan wrote: The walk off takes about an hour for a normal party and is faster than the rappels.

And if you've never done the North Dome Gully descent, you've missed a rite of passage just as significant as doing the *full* RA route. It's also a great intro to the even sketchier descents in Yosemite that don't really have a rap option.

Marc801 C wrote:

And if you've never done the North Dome Gully descent, you've missed a rite of passage just as significant as doing the *full* RA route. It's also a great intro to the even sketchier descents in Yosemite that don't really have a rap option.

well, plenty of newbie accidents on the rappels and ND Gully so I can't really say one is safer than the other....but I'd leave my harness on to use on the fixed rope left on the 4th Class death slab (as of last Fall 2017). Just clip in with a locker and scramble across as it was anchored on both ends.

ND Gully is no free pass to the bottom.