Rapelling help
Rapelling help
Sorry for the n00b question but I'm new to trad. All the forms that I've read about rapelling from a tree mention leaving webbing behind. I have also noticed that most of the trad routes in the guide book state rap from a tree. So what method do you use? I've heard about the Texas rope trick. but what about single pitch routes where you're more than a third rope length high without leaving slings or other anchor material behind or damaging the tree?
Andrew
When the guide says rap from a tree, there are most likely slings and rings on the tree already. It's up to you to inspect them and replace them if needed before you rap. I always have a quiklink and 8 or ten feet of webbing in my pack in case I'm going somwhere obscure. Wood rats like to chew up webbing for nesting material.
"Everyone should have a plan for the zombie apocolipse" Courtney
No kidding, or the sun warps the webbing. What's bad is when you can hear the rats chewing on the webbing while you're climbing........
"Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness and they live by what they hear, such people become crazy-they become legends." ---Legends of the Fall
-
- Posts: 1557
- Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2004 3:01 am
Actually, you can but it's a bit hard on your gear. You should NEVER pull half your rope along the tree b/c you just draped each side on opposite sides of the tree. This is very hard on the bark.
1. Instead of girthing the slings to the tree, drape it from the back so that you have an equal amount of sling on both sides.
2. Clip a biner into each "end" of the sling.
3. This part depends on how far you have to rappel. If it's less than 1/3 the total length of the rope, tie one end to just one of the biners and feel the rope through until the hanging "u" touches the ground. The free end of the rope must also be on the ground or you won't have enough rope to make it! If you're more than 1/3 of the way up, tie a second rope to the single biner.
4. Rappel with the rope through the two biners. If using the single rope method, rap with the free end and side of the rope than runs from the biner to the ground.
5. Pull free end of rope through biners.
6. Pull on single biner to pull sling around tree and recover your sling.
This is a modification of a technique I found in Climbing.
http://www.climbing.com/print/techtips/ttsport223/
1. Instead of girthing the slings to the tree, drape it from the back so that you have an equal amount of sling on both sides.
2. Clip a biner into each "end" of the sling.
3. This part depends on how far you have to rappel. If it's less than 1/3 the total length of the rope, tie one end to just one of the biners and feel the rope through until the hanging "u" touches the ground. The free end of the rope must also be on the ground or you won't have enough rope to make it! If you're more than 1/3 of the way up, tie a second rope to the single biner.
4. Rappel with the rope through the two biners. If using the single rope method, rap with the free end and side of the rope than runs from the biner to the ground.
5. Pull free end of rope through biners.
6. Pull on single biner to pull sling around tree and recover your sling.
This is a modification of a technique I found in Climbing.
http://www.climbing.com/print/techtips/ttsport223/
Ticking is gym climbing outdoors.
-
- Posts: 1557
- Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2004 3:01 am
Strange. There is supposed to be URL at the bottom of that post. SCIN, what's the deal?
Try this.
http://www.climbing.com/print/techtips/ttsport223/
Try this.
http://www.climbing.com/print/techtips/ttsport223/
Ticking is gym climbing outdoors.