Is Texas rope trick safe?

Isn't the Texas part of the Texas Rope Trick due to the fact that the tallest cliffs in Texas are about 1/3 of the standard rope length?

I think it is....!!!!!!!!

FrankPSwrote:

How can a rope damage a hanger?

Dirt and grit on a rope pulled over metal eat away at the metal.  The is most pronounced on aluminum (think of the grey color of your hands after belaying and rappelling) but also occurs on steel (think of the grooves in mussy hooks). 

Travis Haussenerwrote:

Serious question, why is rapping off hangers so bad? Anecdotally I've done it a few times. Yes I understand the hanger can be sharp, abrasive, etc but there's no way it's sawing your rope in half rapping this way one time in a hundred. I also understand rope can damage the hanger, but assuming again one time in a hundred, am I missing something here?

There is nothing wrong with rappelling off of the correct type of hangers.  Rappelling directly off of a bolt  (threading your rope through the bolt) can wear it out rather quickly though. This is caused by pulling your rope through the bolts.  

Chad Millerwrote:

There is nothing wrong with rappelling off of the correct type of hangers.  Rappelling directly off of a bolt  (threading your rope through the bolt) can wear it out rather quickly though. This is caused by pulling your rope through the bolts.  

Rapping off a pair of oversized Metolius Rap hangers is okay. Threading your rope through a single mid-pitch bolt hanger in order to bail... no thanks. I wonder if, when glue-ins become the norm with their smooth round surface, people will start lowering directly off the crux bolts regularly enough that they'll end up getting grooved out and prematurely worn.

Brandon Rwrote:

Rapping off a pair of oversized Metolius Rap hangers is okay. Threading your rope through a single mid-pitch bolt hanger in order to bail... no thanks. I wonder if, when glue-ins become the norm with their smooth round surface, people will start lowering directly off the crux bolts regularly enough that they'll end up getting grooved out and prematurely worn.

But why no thanks, like what's the reservation to doing that? Is/Are there any instances where someone has died/injured/fell by chopping their rope in half with rapping directly off a super sharp hanger.

Travis Haussenerwrote:

But why no thanks, like what's the reservation to doing that? Is/Are there any instances where someone has died/injured/fell by chopping their rope in half with rapping directly off a super sharp hanger.

Probably not.

But it might damage your $100-200 rope vs leaving a $3 biner.

That's why, "no thanks."

Travis Haussenerwrote:

But why no thanks, like what's the reservation to doing that? Is/Are there any instances where someone has died/injured/fell by chopping their rope in half with rapping directly off a super sharp hanger.

I don't think there's any data to suggest that wiping your butt with sandpaper has resulted in any deaths... but I'd still sacrifice a sock if given the option. 

Serious answer: the potential damage to the rope, even if it doesn't sever, would cost more than a bail-biner or sling. It can be surprisingly difficult to pull a rope through some hangers too. I know this from experience when a partner decided to do this. 

Travis Haussenerwrote:

But why no thanks, like what's the reservation to doing that? Is/Are there any instances where someone has died/injured/fell by chopping their rope in half with rapping directly off a super sharp hanger.

I haven't heard of any such accidents, but I would worry about the weight of the climbers resulting in core damage where the rope is on the hanger. I'd especially be concerned the longer the rappel was or if it was free-hanging.

Travis Haussenerwrote:

But why no thanks, like what's the reservation to doing that? Is/Are there any instances where someone has died/injured/fell by chopping their rope in half with rapping directly off a super sharp hanger.

Probably not, but I've seen folks unable to pull their rope down when they went through a pair of hangers. They opted not to use the chains-and-rings at this designated rap station; presumably they wanted to "avoid including more potential points of failure" (like the folks who don't use the belay loop on their harness for rapping).  I think they learned something that day. At least I hoped they did.

Cherokee Nuneswrote:

Isn't the Texas part of the Texas Rope Trick due to the fact that the tallest cliffs in Texas are about 1/3 of the standard rope length?

I think it is....!!!!!!!!

Although there are some single-pitch routes at Enchanted Rock longer than 100', it is unfortunately true that we are mostly stuck with 30-40' routes around here.

We called this "French retreat" back in the day. Did it a fair amount, say, more than once, less than 10 times. Main reason was cheapness and not wanting to leave a biner. Yes the biner is easier but walking away leaving nothing always felt better.

Brandon Rwrote:

Rapping off a pair of oversized Metolius Rap hangers is okay. Threading your rope through a single mid-pitch bolt hanger in order to bail... no thanks. I wonder if, when glue-ins become the norm with their smooth round surface, people will start lowering directly off the crux bolts regularly enough that they'll end up getting grooved out and prematurely worn.

Thanks for repeating what I already said.    

Travis Haussenerwrote:

Serious question, why is rapping off hangers so bad? Anecdotally I've done it a few times. Yes I understand the hanger can be sharp, abrasive, etc but there's no way it's sawing your rope in half rapping this way one time in a hundred. I also understand rope can damage the hanger, but assuming again one time in a hundred, am I missing something here?

The rope can get stuck in the hanger and you won’t be able to pull it.

Safe?  I've screwed it up.  My sling got hung up a bit on the hanger.  I pulled super hard, staring straight into the situation above me.  The sling cut loose...and the biner (on the pull side of the sling) rocketed into my grimacing face and broke the back end of my two upper teeth out.

Sure glad I didn't leave a 'biner...

Chad Millerwrote:

Thanks for repeating what I already said.    

There's a lot of people who don't know which hangers you can do this with, so I thought I'd give some specifics. Metolius Rap hangers look like this, and I don't think they're made anymore. Rap Hanger

Edit @PRRose: 

Brandon Rwrote:

There's a lot of people who don't know which hangers you can do this with, so I thought I'd give some specifics. Metolius Rap hangers look like this, and I don't think they're made anymore. Rap Hanger

Isn't there another kind of rap hanger that has a bit of a lip to it?

Chad Millerwrote:

There is nothing wrong with rappelling off of the correct type of hangers.  Rappelling directly off of a bolt  (threading your rope through the bolt) can wear it out rather quickly though. This is caused by pulling your rope through the bolts.  

How does one thread their rope through a bolt??

PRRosewrote:

Isn't there another kind of rap hanger that has a bit of a lip to it?

Allen Sandersonwrote:

How does one thread their rope through a bolt??

Smartass.   

You drill a hole inside of the bolt and out the other end of the mountain. Duh.