Simulrapping mishap

Marc801 Cwrote:

I notice that the two proponents of simulrap who claim "it's so much fun" still haven't answered the question of why it's supposedly so fun. FFS, it's just higher risk rappelling.

Rappelling should never be the fun part of climbing, moving smoothly as a group up and down the rock is fun thou. If your climbing in a group of 3 or 4 w simul-seconds, moving smoothly up, then simulrapping moving smoothly down also makes sense. 

One caveat, simulrapping only works in the right situations, the number of people I'd simul with is pretty low, it's something you do during multiple lower angle raps where there's lots of rope laying on the rock to be cleared, and you have bomber anchors. 

Marc801 Cwrote:

FFS, it's just higher risk rappelling.

it's weird, because it's almost like some people enjoy risk or something.

PWZwrote:

it's weird, because it's almost like some people enjoy risk or something.

Safety third!

Let’s not overlook the fact that simul-rapping literally allows the team to jerk each other off during the descent, not just figuratively afterwards 

I don't know what dutch Rudder is and I damn well certain that I am not going to google it...  Im still getting nasty spam from that time I searched for Widefettish.... 

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

I don't know what dutch Rudder is and I damn well certain that I am not going to google it...  Im still getting nasty spam from that time I searched for Widefettish.... 

There’s a cream for that.

From this thread simul rapping seems so dangerous that I’m shocked anyone in this thread has lived to tell about it!

Simul rap has benefits and cons. Understand them and pick what works for you and your own risk tolerance. 

Cherokee Nuneswrote:

What's the point of simul-rapping in the Gunks?

Saw two guys coming down simul rapping asking fir a knife at the gunks. Dude eventually pulled out a major chunk of his hair because it was stuck in his grigri.

Gumby Scumwrote:

Saw two guys coming down simul rapping asking fir a knife at the gunks. Dude eventually pulled out a major chunk of his hair because it was stuck in his grigri.

Should have had it up in a bun eh?

M Mwrote:

Should have had it up in a bun eh?

Do the math.  Bros, Gri Gri’s, simul rapping at the Gunks…

It was pubic hair. 

If you really want to settle the simul-rap debate just google Todd Skinner.

Tim McCabewrote:

You POS you do not get to talk about Todd's death fuk you shut up.

The subject is rapping accidents so it seems appropriate to me even if it wasn't a simul accident. 

Tradibanwrote:

If you really want to settle the simul-rap debate just google Todd Skinner.

This is the second time you've tried to use the tragic death of a fellow climber to try and prove your point. And again your way off base, dailycamera.com/2009/08/13/… worn belay loop failed end of story.  

edit if it will let me add

They were working fixed ropes and Todd was trying to free an aid line, the partner was there to jug and belay, at no time was the partners life on the line with the worn belay loop. It's pretty disrespectful to say that he would have risked the other guys life. 

M Mwrote:

The subject is rapping accidents so it seems appropriate to me even if it wasn't a simul accident. 

Then it's equally appropriate to get the facts right. Todd died because he was out there climbing full time, and made a judgment error concerning a worn out piece of equipment. Yes there is a lesson there. 

Tim McCabewrote:

This is the second time you've tried to use the tragic death of a fellow climber to try and prove your point. And again your way off base, dailycamera.com/2009/08/13/… worn belay loop failed end of story.   

Actually the third time.

I think the examples of a very experienced climbers making seemingly small errors in judgement that resulted in their deaths are what new and overly confident climbers need to hear.

Tim McCabewrote:

This is the second time you've tried to use the tragic death of a fellow climber to try and prove your point. And again your way off base, dailycamera.com/2009/08/13/… worn belay loop failed end of story.   

If he had been simulrapping when his harness failed there would have been two fatalities. 

Rapping as a party of 3, with isolation, don't call it simulrapping. Its pre-rigging.

Set up for a normal single or double rope rappel.
1st person puts on ATC guide style device, extended, and puts a friction hitch below.
( Friction hitch goes on first if you are a smart cookie and don't want to fight with rope weight and drop your device )
2nd and 3rd people go on the individual ropes below the 1st persons friction hitch. Extended ATC guide style device w/ friction hitch below or GriGri style device, whichever.
2nd and 3rd people rap down, when they are both off rope they yell off rappel.
( If they are nice, one of them gives a fireman's to the 1st person and the other starts pre-threading for the next rap )
3rd raps down. Knots out. Pull rope.

The 1st person's ATC and friction hitch isolates the individual strands of rope. Essentially tying them off. None of the normal dangers of simul rapping are now present. Just the normal dangers of rappelling in general.

If the 2nd or 3rd person raps off the end of the rope the other 2 people are still alive.
If one of the strands of rope is cut below the 1st person while the others are rapping, only 1 person takes a fall.
2 pairs of eyes searching for rap anchors, etc at the same time can prevent the issue of the first person down going to the wrong anchor and everyone else just following blindly.
Extended raps with atc guide style or grigri style devices so its easy to transition to ascending if necessary.
( more benefits I'm forgetting )

Edit: setting up like this and providing a community service when raps are backed up on like solar slab gully, first creek slabs raps, etc... is universally loved.

A few years ago 3 friends were coming off Serenity Crack.  1 guy down at the last belay and his 2 buddies simul rapping to him from the top. The first guy to reach the anchor took himself off belay and his simul-rap partner started plummeting to his death.  Very fast action by the climber already at the belay stopped his death fall and resulted in extensive palm burns as he grabbed the rope. The climber fell 30 or 40 feet before being arrested.  Though not a fan of simul-rapping, after hearing this I swore off it permanently. 

thats ust the kind of brain fart that can happen when your really tired, dehydrated and sleep deprived etc.  thats what happened to me. fourtunatly it was in a snow gully so i only fell over and slid a few ft before self aresting but that was the wake up call for me,