Rope
14 May 2015 18:47 #63793
by tiska
We used to tie our new rapp chord (4mm) around the existing old chord (and not around the bollard or peg or whatever the anchor was). So we would thread the 4mm through the end of the loop made by all the existing tatt (or a sample of it). The advantages are a) you use less of your own chord b) the 9mm climbing rope that you rapp off just threads through one loop - the new one just placed - so reducing friction when you pull the rope through c) the 9mm climbing rope stays clear of the mess at the rapp station.
It worked fine.
I was interested to see the ski-rope on the Column rapp stations in Intrepid's post. If you pull your own climbing rope through that ski rope fast, then I would expect that stuff could burn/melt.
ghaznavid wrote: Surely the old chord is not safe to use as backup, if the shortest loop isn't the new rope and the old chord snaps, it would shock load the other chords and, more importantly, the anchor.
We used to tie our new rapp chord (4mm) around the existing old chord (and not around the bollard or peg or whatever the anchor was). So we would thread the 4mm through the end of the loop made by all the existing tatt (or a sample of it). The advantages are a) you use less of your own chord b) the 9mm climbing rope that you rapp off just threads through one loop - the new one just placed - so reducing friction when you pull the rope through c) the 9mm climbing rope stays clear of the mess at the rapp station.
It worked fine.
I was interested to see the ski-rope on the Column rapp stations in Intrepid's post. If you pull your own climbing rope through that ski rope fast, then I would expect that stuff could burn/melt.
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14 May 2015 19:09 #63794
by intrepid
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
Well, true, tat shouldn't be depended on unless you come across big nests like at the top of Column, and one or two of the old ones on Mponj before the chains were put up. I think when AndrewP and I came down South Ifidi we used some healthy-looking tat without adding our own cord on one of the abseil stations, but I've rarely done it. Mostly we set up our own, single cord loop to take most or all of the weight, and if there is tat it is included in the system where possible as a back-up, often just as a "why the heck not since it is here" kind of thing, it just makes you feel better mentally. The cord isn;t likely to break and the real back-up is setting up proper gear for the first guy going down (who should ideally be the heaviest and carry the pack etc), without it carrying any weight. The theory is that if it holds for him it will be fine for the rest and the back-up can be removed. If we find a good, solid block, we don't set up any back-ups.ghaznavid wrote: Surely the old chord is not safe to use as backup, if the shortest loop isn't the new rope and the old chord snaps, it would shock load the other chords and, more importantly, the anchor.
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
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