hi, After the rap, my partner Bill asked me with a worried look, “you think the following parties will understand how that anchor works?” I said “Sure, everyone checks that out before risking their life”. Just in case …..
I’m sure these techniques are commonplace for those striving to keep canyons bolt free and certainly well known among climbers. If you don’t have experience placing gear & evaluating anchor mechanics, please do more than practice this in your backyard.
1) common “rockcraft”: place rock in crack (or hueco). Jam sling in between rock and crack so rock is cammed tightly in place. Test in direction of force (rap or belay) w/ bouncing body weight. Need to make sure jammed rock is solid before doing the above. Whack w/ hammer. If it explodes, find another rock. A variation on this is to whack the rock into the shape required to fit crack. If hueco is used instead of crack, need to pack remaining space of hueco w/ smaller rocks so main rock anchor doesn’t move.
2) less common “rockcraft” and purpose of this post: imagine a boulder leaning against a wall. Not enough sling, besides being difficult to thread sling around boulder, to wrap around boulder for rap anchor. Would like to jam knot of sling inbetween top of boulder and wall and drape sling over boulder in direction of rap but this section of boulder doesn’t look solid. So instead, find a sold wedge shaped rock and wrap a sling around it. This is jammed upward into wedge shaped crack (formed by boulder and wall) and sling draped over boulder in direction of rap. When rapping, one must maintain force on the anchor at all times in the direction of the rap, so anchor rock doesn’t dislodge.
Sorry if this is mundane stuff. Just don’t want anyone to get hurt.
Also recently saw a sling rapped around a bush for a 100 ft free rap. Gave us the shivers. The roots of the bush moved when we pulled on the sling. Needless to say we used much more sling to reach a much better anchor. (We had plenty of sling in this case.) Personally, I’d cut a piece of rope to make a good anchor than use a dangerous anchor (good reason to use old climbing ropes for canyoneering instead of good ropes).
steve
jumar_b
I used to use just a hanger for v threads ice climbing. jeff — In canyons@y…, “Wm. Bees” wrote: > Teuns, what kind of wire have you found to work for you? In my work I > usually have 12ga. solid copper around so that’s what I use there. There’s > not so much of that in the canyons so I usually improvise. I’m curious what > you feel is worth the (admittedly minor) space and weight.
-Bill
on 11/18/02 9:19 PM, Teuns Kok at Teuns.Kok@c… wrote:
> Finding, and setting up natural anchors, and improving the anchors on
later descents, I find one of the most interesting aspects of canyoning.
With experience you also tend to easier “see” potential anchor points.
Some more tricks for traps. I always carry a piece of rigid but
bendable wire with me – about 50 cm long. It is very usefull for
cleaning cracks from dirt and threading chockstones and constrictions in
very narow cracks – especially when horizontal. Just push the wire
through, bend a hook in the end and pull the webbing/abcord back.
Wm. Bees
Teuns, what kind of wire have you found to work for you? In my work I usually have 12ga. solid copper around so that’s what I use there. There’s not so much of that in the canyons so I usually improvise. I’m curious what you feel is worth the (admittedly minor) space and weight.
-Bill
on 11/18/02 9:19 PM, Teuns Kok at Teuns.Kok@capetown.gov.za wrote:
> Finding, and setting up natural anchors, and improving the anchors on > later descents, I find one of the most interesting aspects of canyoning. > With experience you also tend to easier “see” potential anchor points.
> Some more tricks for traps. I always carry a piece of rigid but > bendable wire with me – about 50 cm long. It is very usefull for > cleaning cracks from dirt and threading chockstones and constrictions in > very narow cracks – especially when horizontal. Just push the wire > through, bend a hook in the end and pull the webbing/abcord back.
Teuns Kok
Finding, and setting up natural anchors, and improving the anchors on later descents, I find one of the most interesting aspects of canyoning. With experience you also tend to easier “see” potential anchor points.
Some more tricks for traps. I always carry a piece of rigid but bendable wire with me – about 50 cm long. It is very usefull for cleaning cracks from dirt and threading chockstones and constrictions in very narow cracks – especially when horizontal. Just push the wire through, bend a hook in the end and pull the webbing/abcord back.
Teuns
>>> s_mestdagh@yahoo.com 11/18/02 08:12PM >>> hi, After the rap, my partner Bill asked me with a worried look, “you think the following parties will understand how that anchor works?” I said “Sure, everyone checks that out before risking their life”. Just in case …..
I’m sure these techniques are commonplace for those striving to keep canyons bolt free and certainly well known among climbers. If you don’t have experience placing gear & evaluating anchor mechanics, please do more than practice this in your backyard.
1) common “rockcraft”: place rock in crack (or hueco). Jam sling in between rock and crack so rock is cammed tightly in place. Test in direction of force (rap or belay) w/ bouncing body weight. Need to make sure jammed rock is solid before doing the above. Whack w/ hammer. If it explodes, find another rock. A variation on this is to whack the rock into the shape required to fit crack. If hueco is used instead of crack, need to pack remaining space of hueco w/ smaller rocks so main rock anchor doesn’t move.
2) less common “rockcraft” and purpose of this post: imagine a boulder leaning against a wall. Not enough sling, besides being difficult to thread sling around boulder, to wrap around boulder for rap anchor. Would like to jam knot of sling inbetween top of boulder and wall and drape sling over boulder in direction of rap but this section of boulder doesn’t look solid. So instead, find a sold wedge shaped rock and wrap a sling around it. This is jammed upward into wedge shaped crack (formed by boulder and wall) and sling draped over boulder in direction of rap. When rapping, one must maintain force on the anchor at all times in the direction of the rap, so anchor rock doesn’t dislodge.
Sorry if this is mundane stuff. Just don’t want anyone to get hurt.
Also recently saw a sling rapped around a bush for a 100 ft free rap. Gave us the shivers. The roots of the bush moved when we pulled on the sling. Needless to say we used much more sling to reach a much better anchor. (We had plenty of sling in this case.) Personally, I’d cut a piece of rope to make a good anchor than use a dangerous anchor (good reason to use old climbing ropes for canyoneering instead of good ropes).
steve
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