BASIC RAPPELLING

Rappelling is defined as descending a rope where you use some method of applying friction to the rope to enhance the safety of the descent. Over the many years, any number of techniques and devices have come and gone. We will address a few that appear to currently be most valued and practical. Be aware that the physical act of rappelling is the easiest part of the rappelling process. The judgment that is needed to choose, set up, and execute a descent is the critical element. This is a serious endeavor; a majority of the deaths and injuries in mountaineering arise from it. Further note that mountaineering/rock climbing and canyoneering differ in a number of important ways due to their unique requirements. We’ll strive to delineate these differences. What follows is an outline of the major elements of the rappelling process. This is a basic survey, which onlybegins to prepare you for fully-independent rappelling, but which is essential to know to be a responsible team member.

1. Location. Though most of your rappels are likely to be on established routes with established anchors and some available information, it is still incumbent upon you to LOOK everything over carefully. This includes whether you’re in the right place, whether the length appears as expected, if there are water features, vegetation or other obstacles along the course of the rappel to avoid. In many instances in canyons, once you drop in at the first rappel and pull your rope there is no going back! Rapping where there are climbers coming up can be hazardous especially due to rock fall, and logistical logjams can occur.

2. The anchor. This must be absolutely safe, so you must inspect it and be prepared to correct any deficiencies, or back off. It may be fixed and artificial eg. expansion bolts with hangers; removable but artificial like camming devices or nuts; or using natural features or materials eg. boulders, trees, logs, secure threads,chockstones or constructed as in deadman/cairn anchors. If you can’t inspect some of the webbing or rope used, make sure it is tested before trusted. Locating where to place an anchor and constructing it is critical and can be tricky. The rope must run ONLY through a metal device (never webbing or another rope.) A simple anchor for shorter pitches is the old-fashioned hip (or “meat’) belay, where a usually stronger climber who is capable of downclimbing the pitch, positions himself securely and reels out the rope which is placed around his lower back. The folks below can also be nice and spot or assistively lower the last person down.

3. The harness. This is what you wear and connect the rappelling device to. It should be in good shape, sturdy, and have leg loops. Ideally, the cinch should be self-locking to avoid error. Gear loops are advisable and you should carry a self-protection sling, and 2-3 locking carabiners. A Swami belt could be acceptable for very short raps/few in number if you want to go light, or as a backup in case you have no harness.

4. The Rope. It’s critical that it be long enough to reach! Inspect it regularly for compromise and carefully if it’s not yours. Climbing ropes are usually 9mm or larger while canyoneering ones tend to be 9mmor smaller. Climbing ropes are dynamic in that they stretch when loaded while canyon ropes are static and stretch little. Stretch gives you an extra 5-10% of rope length on rappel but makes it harder to pull the rope as it absorbs part of the force of the pull. Statics absorb little water making them best in a wet environment. Climbing ropes can be purchased with a pattern change at the middle making it easier to manage, but, regardless, all ropes need a clear marking of the middle (restorable with a Sharpie xylene-free marker.)

One can rap on a single rope strand or 2 strands of rope. The former is, in practical terms, often more advantageous: easier to toss or lower one strand; no second cord to get tangled with; less trouble to untangle from vegetation or obstacles, retrieve from cracks, retrieve if the wind blows it laterally etc.; nothing to untangle if the rope ends are in flowing water below; allows you to carry shorter (lighter) ropes; allows for precise placement of the knot to avoid jamming; offers less rope drag on very long rappels for lighter people.

Single rope strand raps, unless fixed, require a blocking mechanism to permit retrieval, usually a simple carabiner block either on the other side of the (single) rope, or on a pull cord. Double strand raps can involve a single rope doubled through the anchor, practical and fast for shorter raps, or 2 ropes tied together at the level of the anchor. The current standard for tying 2 ropes together is 2 simple overhand knots, neatly dressed and tightened, closely abutting each other or 6-8” apart, and leaving a tail of approximately 12”.

There are many ways to drop the rope down the cliff depending upon circumstances. A simple butterfly coil from either the free end or the center,tossed allat onceor in segments, is standard and often works. For better control, the rope can be tossed in a bag taking advantage if it’s weight eg. in a wind. It can be fed out by the rapper as he descends, from a bag attached to him or fed out from above by another person. The first descender could be lowered off a belaying device assuring good rope position. If the length of the rappel is unknown, the first descender could rap to the knotted end of the rope then be lowered further if needed. Clearly, a first descender should have the means to reascend the rope in case there’s a problem (it’s generally very hard to haul them up without an elaborate pulley system.) One usually places a knot in the end(s) of the rope, separate ones for each strand, unless the rope is clearly down on the ground or a very wide ledge. An exception would be rapping into water, where one should adjust the rope length so that they reach the end as they hit the water. It’s very hard to detach from your rap device while bobbing around in freezing cold water!

5. The friction method. There have been innumerable techniques or devices employed over the last 150 years but most are outmoded and will be allowed to rest in the historical dustbin. Three methods are important to know. First is a simple handline, descending a properly set rope hand-over-hand. It’s fast, simple but can be dangerous for obvious reasons. It still has great utility in general mountaineering. It’s best to wear frictiony gloves if available. Second is the use of the Munterhitch, best used with single strand, on a simple locking carabiner. It will twist the rope severely though. It’s great to know if you have limited gear. Lastly is the mechanical device that the rope passes through in some way to generate friction. The current “standard” that everyone should possess and know how to use is the tube device, exemplified by the ATC. They’re lightweight, simple, cheap, and can be used for belaying as well. They give good control on 2 strands, but can feel a bit sketchy on single strand if the cliff is challenging, eg. a lip followed by an overhang, flowing water from above, or simply a very long rap when you’re getting fatigued. Many canyoneers prefer plate-like devices with several arms sticking out to the sides, eg. Piranha, ATS, Critter which allow you to adjust the degree of friction and to rapidly and securely tie yourself off. The Figure-Eight device should ideally not be used for rapping as it can flip relatively easily into a locked position which will require a rescue.

6. The Rappel. Finally, we get to the fun! The basic technique is simple: lean back with spread legs so that your feet engage the rock and walk down, looking over your shoulder to see where to go. Clip your self-protection sling into an anchor if needed. Be relaxed. Before starting, be sure to double-check that you’ve set it up correctly. Have a buddy check you. Call out below that you’re “ON RAPPEL” so they can move aside in the event of rock fall, and/or place you on safety belay (vi.) Remarkably, this is THE main source of injury and death in rappelling and it’s happened to even very experienced folks who were fatigued, stressed, or inattentive! The start can be tricky for any number of reasons, but it’s usually more psychological. Stay calm. Ease yourself gently over the rim. It’s Ok to sit at the rim and slide down, or downclimb a bit. NEVER jump back or jolt the rope/anchor system…..it could fail, or you could flip yourself upside down and fall out of the harness. Always keep the break hand close to your side or even slightly around your butt so you gain friction off your body. The free hand can be on the rope above but should be rapidly available to assist in “semi-climbing” around obstacles on the path eg. aprotruding lip. At a lip, I find it safest to turn sideways and slide past it, trying to avoid getting the rap device hung up on it. In a “free rappel” situation, relax, keep upright, and trust in your rap device until your feet come back in contact with the rock again. Leather gloves, smooth or suede, should be worn on long or multi-pitch rappels to prevent friction burns.

7. Safety issues. A compromised (fear, fatigue, inexperience etc.) rappeller can be lowered; placed on belay using a 2nd rope;allowed to rap with a contingency backup where they could be lowered all the way if needed; offered a Fireman’s belay from below where someone simply pulls down on the rope, locking off the rap device, if a problem. The rapper could also use a backup hitch, eg. Autoblock, Kleimheist, Prussik, in order of increasing friction. These are attached to the rope at one end and the harness on the other. On single, thin ropes, I prefer the Prussik, placed above me. The other two work better on 2 strands and are placed on the rope below the device, and connected to the harness on the leg loop or central loop. In this application, it’s wise to get some separation between the hitch and the device as they could jamb together diminishing the hitches friction; the device can be extended 12-18” above the harness loop on a sturdy sling. But a serious downside to this extension is trapping the device above you across a lip. Clearly this decision depends upon anticipated conditions.

Rock fall is a very serious and common hazard. It is usually triggered by the rapper or others mulling around at the top. Clear the path. Be careful. I’ve actually seen a falling rock sever the rope!

For very long pitches, it’s wise to have walkie-talkies, especially if it’s windy.

8. The rope pull. This is figuratively the Fat Lady who must sing! This scares me the most, the drama of the rope pull. If it doesn’t come down you probably will have to ascend to retrieve it. This can be a very complex and potentially dangerous endeavor, one that is beyond the scope of this course. At a minimum, someone should have an ascender system and know well how to use it.

Before pulling the rope, carefully study the course that it will take, realizing that the end will be in free-fall. Common hazards include jamming in a crack, snagging in vegetation, spinning around a chickenhead or similar protrusion. Not infrequently, the course that you direct the rope to differs somewhat from the course of the rappel which is the “fall line.” So you may need to flip the rope to one side first to redirect it. Sometimes, while there is someone still on top, a mock pull could be tried to see how the rope runs, then repositioned from above. Commonly, the rope is hard to pull because of friction against the rock, usually at the top. This is where the mock pull is helpful to feel reassured that the rope isn’t actually stuck. If high frictional resistance, step back as far as possible to open up the angle the rope makes with the top; have a 2nd person flip the rope to send up a wave that releases it briefly while you pull. You may need 2 pullers. Never pull overly hard if you’re not sure why it’s stuck or if the rope is stuck on a chickenhead; you may sever/damage it. You’ll need to reascend. As the end of the rope approaches the anchor, you must decide whether to give a sudden sharp jerk to the rope to flip it out away from the cliff, or let it fall passively. It’s generally better to flip as it keeps the rope away from potential snags along the cliff face. Let the rope fall passively if the face is vertical and smooth, if the rope falls through protection devices eg. quickdraws, and especially if the rope could fall below you, mainly on multi-rappel wall, where it could snag/get stuck below creating a new headache.

9. The rope carry. If the next rap is close, simply drag it to the next station,posting people along the course if needed. Or drape it in coils around your neck and walk over. Otherwise, stuffing it into a bag or coiling the rope is needed. Avoid carrying a rope exposed outside of a bag/pack as it can be damaged or snag and cause you to fall.

Goals for this outing:

>Read and understand this syllabus in advance of the outing. Ask questions if clarification needed

Proper use of the harness, helmet, safety sling and rappelling device

>Rappelling double strand rope on an ATC. 1st rap will be belayed

>Rappelling single strand rope with a Critter (or similar device)

>Application of the Fireman’s belay

>If time and ability allow, rapping single strand on ATC and/or doing a free rappel

Ed Forkos

December 2015