Giga Jul Rope Juging

When we have had stuck ropes on pitches the rope won’t pull, we have used a grigri to climb the route and basically self belay on the stuck rope.   Essential we are top rope soloing.   Considering a GigaJul to replace my current BD Guide for the brake assist.  Could the GigaJul be a GriGri replacement also?    Would you feel confident rope soloing up a stuck rope with a GigaJul like a GriGri or would that be super sketchy?   

With those assisted braking devices it is very dependent on the particular rope/carabiner combo. Test it at home, if ya got one that works then sure. I've TR self belayed on an Alpine Up. The Giga doesn't lock my particular ropes/carabiners. 

You could also use your BD Guide in Guide mode off your belay loop to ascend. 

The Giga Jul has a guide mode function as well, however it does have a bit more friction than most guide plates.

Edit: OP is probably aware of this, but to clarify for others: You should not TR solo up a single strand of a stuck rope (unless using a biner block or similar and the load strand is still in reach). Lead up with the slack from the side you were pulling, once you reach the other end, try to free the rope by pulling it (opposite direction). If that doesn't work, ascend/TR solo up BOTH strands at the same time, or have your partner tie off your lead line and ascend the opposite side. This keeps you not dead if the rope decides to free itself while you head up.

jdejacewrote:

With those assisted braking devices it is very dependent on the particular rope/carabiner combo. Test it at home, if ya got one that works then sure. I've TR self belayed on an Alpine Up. The Giga doesn't lock my particular ropes/carabiners. 

You could also use your BD Guide in Guide mode off your belay loop to ascend. 

That's what I'm thinking too.  Thanks for confirming what I already came to the conclusion on.

Your not top rope soloing, your soloing with rope faffery.

Jason Zevenbergenwrote:

The Giga Jul has a guide mode function as well, however it does have a bit more friction than most guide plates.

Edit: OP is probably aware of this, but to clarify for others: You should not TR solo up a single strand of a stuck rope (unless using a biner block or similar and the load strand is still in reach). Lead up with the slack from the side you were pulling, once you reach the other end, try to free the rope by pulling it (opposite direction). If that doesn't work, ascend/TR solo up BOTH strands at the same time, or have your partner tie off your lead line and ascend the opposite side. This keeps you not dead if the rope decides to free itself while you head up.

Let’s clarify….It’s always best to have one person check to see if the rope will pull before both climbers head down.   Fortunately for us, our recent stuck ropes have left us both tails at the bottom of the rappel so we can tie one end off.   In red rocks that certainly isn’t always the case and more often people will have their rope eaten by a crack or feature.   Fortunately that has been rare for us because we always stand as far back off the wall as possible and focus on direction of pull.   In the event a crack or feature has eaten the rope and you only have a single strand, I would never recommend my method suggested.   Typically you can lead the route to the stuck section with the rope you do have.   If that don’t work, you better get creative.  

Keith Boonewrote:

 Would you feel confident rope soloing up a stuck rope with a GigaJul like a GriGri or would that be super sketchy?   

Whatever you do, assume the stuck rope could come free at any time. I would never treat a stuck rope as it if were a fixed line. I the the OP is aware of the dangers.
If I you have the bottom half of the rope, and it is long enough, then use it to lead climb up to where the rope is stuck with your partner belaying. You can use a prussik on the stuck line too as an additional backup. If the bottom half of the rope were not long enough then things become complicated. It sounds like you understand this.
I'd maybe fix a bottom anchor with some slack and lead rope solo using a GriGri placing protection as I proceed. This is a special skill set though. The GriGri must face the correct way as the anchor is below and you must place pro. below the GriGri as you climb. If another team is coming up behind or from above, then maybe wait for their arrival to borrow their rope.

If the rope were truly stuck and would stayed fixed, then you partner can fireman belay you with just about any belay device. Or, you can jug the rope with prussiks or device(s).

Comparing the Mega Jul, Giga Jul, Smart Alpine and Alpine Up, it is my experience that the Alpine Locks up most convincingly. However, all of these devices are very rope and carabiner fussy. I've found over time that a GriGri+ in Top Rope mode makes a very nice progress capture for sorting out in messy situations.

Keith Boonewrote:

Let’s clarify….It’s always best to have one person check to see if the rope will pull before both climbers head down.   Fortunately for us, our recent stuck ropes have left us both tails at the bottom of the rappel so we can tie one end off.   In red rocks that certainly isn’t always the case and more often people will have their rope eaten by a crack or feature.   Fortunately that has been rare for us because we always stand as far back off the wall as possible and focus on direction of pull.   In the event a crack or feature has eaten the rope and you only have a single strand, I would never recommend my method suggested.   Typically you can lead the route to the stuck section with the rope you do have.   If that don’t work, you better get creative.  

In this case, yes, the Gigajul can be used as a progress capture.  I would use a klemheist as your rope ascender with the Gigajul or other autoblocking device attached at your belay loop.  The brake strand should route up through the carabiner of the klemheist and back down.  Also attach a sling to the klemheist as a makeshift aider.  You can ascend with the technique in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4DCwrmhh60

Christopher Chuwrote:

In this case, yes, the Gigajul can be used as a progress capture.  I would use a klemheist as your rope ascender with the Gigajul or other autoblocking device attached at your belay loop.  The brake strand should route up through the carabiner of the klemheist and back down.  Also attach a sling to the klemheist as a makeshift aider.  You can ascend with the technique in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4DCwrmhh60

It can, but I use both devices, Gigajul and Gri-Gri, and I'm not convinced a Gigajul would be BETTER for this purpose than a Gri-Gri, which he already owns? With either, you should still periodically tie off the line you are ascending.  I am a "be prepared" type of climber, and I just carry a little RollNLock and some pretied 6 mil cord in my pack (or harness for multipitch) for real rope ascending.  The RollNLock is $85, the Gigajul is $53.  

phylp phylpwrote:

It can, but I use both devices, Gigajul and Gri-Gri, and I'm not convinced a Gigajul would be BETTER for this purpose than a Gri-Gri, which he already owns? With either, you should still periodically tie off the line you are ascending.  I am a "be prepared" type of climber, and I just carry a little RollNLock and some pretied 6 mil cord in my pack (or harness for multipitch) for real rope ascending.  The RollNLock is $85, the Gigajul is $53.  

I have multiple ascenders including the camp lift, camp turbo, micro traxion, etc.  I don't normally carry them on long multipitch routes.  Maybe I should.  I just was looking at the rollnlock.  Do you like it?  I didn't see any benefits over the micro traxion. 

Keith Boonewrote:

 I just was looking at the rollnlock.  Do you like it?  I didn't see any benefits over the micro traxion. 

I do like it, it's very light and easy to use.  I can't compare it to other devices as I don't have experience with them. When I decided to supplement my prusik cord with an ascender, I bought that one for an additional reason:  I had read a Supertopo Forum post where somebody who had done a ton of simulclimbing (which I do on occasion), had compared a bunch of different devices in that context, and he decided he liked the CT RollNLock the best.  I cannot remember a word of the article about why.

Yes, ascenders/progress captures are great to have, but not often will people carry an additional device when free climbing multi pitch routes.  There are many ways to improvise an ascending system, just make sure you find one that keeps you and your partner safe.  Self rescue books can be great resources, but self rescue is for another discussion.

Keith Boonewrote:

When we have had stuck ropes on pitches the rope won’t pull, we have used a grigri to climb the route and basically self belay on the stuck rope.   Essential we are top rope soloing.   Considering a GigaJul to replace my current BD Guide for the brake assist.  Could the GigaJul be a GriGri replacement also?    Would you feel confident rope soloing up a stuck rope with a GigaJul like a GriGri or would that be super sketchy?   

Not too sketchy, I've done it.

If you do decide to jug up a stuck rappel rope and assuming you have a partner to untie the rope later:

1. Tie off the bottom of the rope with some slack to a solid upward pull anchor.
2. Use a prussik connected to your belay loop decently below your capture device on the same loop, and keep pushing this up as you go. Keep it snug. You can also use a running clove hitch instead.
3. Place or clip protection as you ascend.

Basically you are lead rope soloing at this point. In the event of a rope failure you will take an inverted lead fall. But hopefully the prussik holds and you don't fall the length of the rope.

It's still a total mess, but you may live with luck.