— In canyons@y…, “moabmatt”
We did something similar in Englestead, at the fluted rappel, when our rope wouldn’t pull.
For those who haven’t been there (and forgive me if I get the details wrong, it’s been a while. Feel free to correct me)…
The anchor is a slung log that is well wedged. The rope goes around a corner/buttress, then there is a 5-10 (more?) foot drop over a lip into a shallow pothole, across the pothole (5-10 feet in diameter), past another lip, and then the fluted drop, perhaps a 60-70 foot rappel after the second lip?
You can not see the anchor, buttress or the upper lip from below, so it’s hard to see any twists.
When we pulled the ropes, there was a single twist. When the twist reached the buttress, it pinched against itself and wouldn’t pull. I jugged the lines, took out the twist. Meanwhile, one of my partners tied in to one end of the rope. Using my partner as an anchor, I single-line rappelled the opposite side – this kept another twist from kinking the rope. It pulled fine after that, and I’d recommend this method for this particular rappel in the future.
Now, a question. Several of us (very fine canyoneers, and you know who you are) pondered this a little bit this weekend. How can this rappel be rigged to avoid rope grooves? Currently, there is friction against the buttress and over the two lips. If you extend the anchor to the top of the first lip, there will still be friction on the second lip. There is no anchor between the first and second lip, at least that I recall (didn’t look hard, won’t use a deadman). Log can’t be macramed, as it is wedged in the canyon good and there is a risk of sticking the rope between log and wall. Extended anchor to the second lip would require using the webbing as a handline down to the second lip, with an obsene amount of webbing left behind.
Any ideas?
Mike dallin@on-line.com
jameskm1
You could always pull a Tom and be the second man to bolt Englestead! Kip
— In canyons@y…, “moabmatt” wrote:
Hi Mike,
You could leave a small loop of webbing at the logjam and macrame off > the small loop of webbing. Not entirely “clean,” but it would avoid a > lengthy piece of webbing being left there. However, I’m not sure if > the friction caused by the corners and lips would present a problem > with releasing the macrame knot?
On a somewhat related note, you mentioned jugging on crossed lines. > I’ve done this too, but I always sweat it since the ropes often > “bounce” across each other and I always envision the frictioning ropes > slicing through each other (or at least damaging one another). > Probably not a huge concern, but it’s the “probablys” that scare me! > Anyone have thoughts on this situation?
Moab Matt
Now, a question. Several of us (very fine canyoneers, and you know
who you are) pondered this a little bit this weekend. How can this
rappel be rigged to avoid rope grooves? Currently, there is > friction
against the buttress and over the two lips. If you extend the > anchor
to the top of the first lip, there will still be friction on the
second lip. There is no anchor between the first and second lip, at
least that I recall (didn’t look hard, won’t use a deadman). Log
can’t be macramed, as it is wedged in the canyon good and there is a
risk of sticking the rope between log and wall. Extended anchor to
the second lip would require using the webbing as a handline down to
the second lip, with an obsene amount of webbing left behind.
Any ideas?
Mike
dallin@o…
moabmatt
Hi Mike,
You could leave a small loop of webbing at the logjam and macrame off the small loop of webbing. Not entirely “clean,” but it would avoid a lengthy piece of webbing being left there. However, I’m not sure if the friction caused by the corners and lips would present a problem with releasing the macrame knot?
On a somewhat related note, you mentioned jugging on crossed lines. I’ve done this too, but I always sweat it since the ropes often “bounce” across each other and I always envision the frictioning ropes slicing through each other (or at least damaging one another). Probably not a huge concern, but it’s the “probablys” that scare me! Anyone have thoughts on this situation?
Moab Matt
> Now, a question. Several of us (very fine canyoneers, and you know > who you are) pondered this a little bit this weekend. How can this > rappel be rigged to avoid rope grooves? Currently, there is friction > against the buttress and over the two lips. If you extend the anchor > to the top of the first lip, there will still be friction on the > second lip. There is no anchor between the first and second lip, at > least that I recall (didn’t look hard, won’t use a deadman). Log > can’t be macramed, as it is wedged in the canyon good and there is a > risk of sticking the rope between log and wall. Extended anchor to > the second lip would require using the webbing as a handline down to > the second lip, with an obsene amount of webbing left behind.
Any ideas?
> Mike > dallin@o…