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Retrieving Stuck Rope Rapping
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Hi Everyone, Prepping for some multi pitch sport climbing. I have experience in this area but really just practicing technical skills on "multipitch" routes with two anchors that could be reasonably done with a 70m rope in one pitch. This climb is 5 pitches 400 feet and so I'm doing a but more work to prepare leading it. Several MP comments on the route remark that it is unwise to combine rapping from the 5th to the 3rd pitch anchors. While doable with a 70m, it's easy to get your rope stuck while pulling it. Another commenter mentions pulling the rope from the 5th to the 4th pitch anchors was challenging, although their rope did not get stuck. I will obviously be choosing to rap to the 4th pitch anchors instead of skipping them. I'm aware of some of the techniques for ascending a rope should it get stuck while I have access to both sides of it. However, if it gets stuck while I'm pulling it from the 5th pitch anchors to the 4th pitch anchors what are my options? Am I just fucked? In general, are there any self rescue techniques you consider absolutely essential to multi pitch climbing? I'm going to spend the week practicing lowering a second while belaying from the top with an atc in guide mode, setting up a 3:1 to boost a second up, and ascending a rope if I have access to both sides of it at the end of a rap. Anything I'm missing? |
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One self-rescue technique is to ask the climbers above you to unstick the rope! Another is to reascend the stuck rope, with prusiks, while placing gear along the way. Have your partner belay you. If the rope becames unstuck while ascending, it becomes a regular lead fall. What route are you doing? Birdland? Edit: Good for you for preparing for the unexpected, practicing and asking questions. |
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This is a question whose answer highly depends on the situation. Do you have both ends? What does the terrain look like between you and the stuck end - climbable? protectable? Did it get stuck after going through the anchor or before? How hard can you try to unstick it? What equipment do you have? What does the rest of the descent look like - can you cut the rope and still get down? Are there parties coming down the same descent? As long as you know the basic technique of ascending a rope, the rest is thinking through the steps, risks, and consequences of various situations. Try to imagine what you would do in situation A, then change the parameters and see what you would do differently. Don't ignore all the choices you have at your disposal: cutting the rope, soloing up or down, building intermediate rap anchors, etc. Can you imagine a situation where all you can safely do is call for a rescue or is there always a way out? |
Jacob Millerwrote: How does one practice this? With a live person? If so, then it's no longer "practice," is it? |
Paul Morrisonwrote: I suppose it depends on your definition of practice. Specifically, I plan on reviewing the method, and then actually going through the steps but on terrain my climbing partner and I are comfortable on and absent the stress of having something unexpected go wrong. I think intention means practice here although if practice means devoid of risk then this doesn't count. |
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You can still drop your partner while lowering from top anchors on terrain you're both comfortable on. |
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Personally, I would re rig my ATC for a lower and not lower a partner a whole pitch in guide mode. Also, it might be a pain in the ass to carry for the whole climb, but if you're not comfy with the idea of retrieving a stuck rope....take another rope and deploy it if you need. Like I said, a pain in the ass, but if you get one stuck just lead up on the other. |
Igor Chainedwrote: I'm well aware. |
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The best way to unstick your rap ropes is to not get them stuck to begin with. Easier said than done, of course. There are tons of subtleties. Here's a few: 1. First person down (indeed, EACH person down) does a pull test by pulling at least a few feet (on the pull-side), to see if the rope moves easily, or gets stuck. It's up to the next rapper to make adjustments to improve the pull. 2. It pays to understand WHY a given rap has a reputation for stuck ropes. Something like, oh, if you rap off the left side the rope falls into the crack when you pull but if you rap off the right side you should be in the clear, sort of thing. Do your resesarch. 3. If you tie knots in the rope ends make damned sure you untie the one being pulled through the anchor. |
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If you're tying two ropes together, use an offset overhand ("EDK"). It's the most compact knot that's appropriate for this application and therefore less likely to get stuck. |
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If you are rapping directly down the climb you can relead the pitch with the rope you have available. For example, if the rope gets stuck after it pulls through the anchor you have half the rope on the belay ledge with you. Or if the rope get stuck while pulling, you have enough rope to lead up to the bottom (stuck end) of the other side. Or if stuck further up you at least can reach the end and then have both sides to safely ascend the doubled rope. There could be an an issue if there is a substantial traverse that needs more rope. In these cases you can also tie into the rope in the middle and lead, moving your tie in point up the rope at secure stances, since you will be creating slack in the rope above you. The only time you should have to ascend the rope is if the rap route is unclimbable. (Edited) |
Paul Morrisonwrote: A pack full of gear or rocks. Pretty obvious, no? |
Paul Morrisonwrote: The second could have a backup rope, set up as rappel or with an ascender |
Jeremy Rwrote: I always bring doubles in everything just in case. 2 ropes, 2 helmets, 2 harnesses, 2 partners, just in case I drop one. |
