RRC Archives

Alan Evil wrote:...and it doesn't have the double weave to it. It's a BlueWater Accelerator 10.5mm x 60m but it's all the same weave. How do I mark the mid point without hurting the rope?

Cat piss. That's the olde school way climbers marked the middle of the rope.

The coolest mid (and end) marking I have seen was some kinda glow-in-the-dark ink. Seemed like a nice thing for those time when you end up climbing/rapping in the dark.

Wes

I've had good luck with stitching a bright, contrasting color of thread around the middle of the rope (just through the sheath). This is a far more time consuming process than you might expect. The long ride to the gorge or your brain-wash time in front of the boob tube might be converted to some value by this exercise in stitchery. I also like to mark the rope 30' from each end with another color to assist my belayor with giving me timely and accurate estimates of when I am about to run out of rope on long pitches (at other destinations, obviously).

I generally slice a 2" section of sheath from the middle, leaving only exposed core. Theres no mistaking the middle then.

You could always take a sodering gun and just soder the middle, leaving a black ring around the sheath. That works for me. If it is too much of an eyesore just cover it up with duck tape.

If you have to have the middle of your rope marked for you, maybe you should stick to climbing in a gym somewhere!

Just tie the two ends together and lower the rope down or coil it and throw it. I've never been more than a few inches from the middle this way and you won't rap off the end of the rope.

Yah right J-Peeble, you forgot the important part! I've seen you follow your directions and then have to have someone bring the rope back up to you!

The worry is passing the middle on the way up without knowing it. Hopefully it won't be that long until I get on some multi-pitch stuff out west so I would prefer that the belayer be able to shout out that it's time to set an anchor system. I know it's possible to belay from above with the rope nearly run out but then only one of you gets to lead each section.

I've never climbed in a gymn, bruiseboy, and I don't plan on it. I'd rather go hiking in a thunderstorm than hang out at a gymn.

Sorry, Al-Ev. Didn't know where you were coming from, not knowing you well! But watch out for J-Pebble he's a bit obsessed! Too bad you weren't at The Gunks with us last week.