Why aren't we using alpine butterflies for tether/rappel?

[gcr0003]

And you don’t have to take your hitches off the rope. I’ve used it all season with two hitches on, only had one tree crotch it wanted to be a pain on.

So I alpine butterfly a few feet off the center of my rope and then wrap that around the tree. Then I push my hitch up to the top and clip on to the hitch and my rappel ring. Rappel down and then pull from the other side. The worst case is your loop catches on the other hitch and you pull it down a few feet until you can grab it.

I hang the rope from the center to my saddle when climbing so that I have access to it if I need to self rescue. I also attach my bow and pack to each end.

I didn’t like one sticking or 2tc on the alpine butterfly full rope because the rope is more in the way. It is plenty doable and isn’t terrible but prefer dedicated tethers.

If you’re constantly weighting and hooked in to the correct side, I don’t see how you would grab the wrong side. Obviously if you’re connecting at hunting height for the first time before a rappel you want to make Triple sure you’re on the right side before weighting it. This is another reason I like being on a dedicated tether. I can test out my rappel set up before i weight it solo.

One thing I would do Is retie the alpines periodically to try and avoid memory in the rope and wear in one spot.

Try it a little bit and let us know how you like it.

 

[Horn]

And you don’t have to take your hitches off the rope. I’ve used it all season with two hitches on, only had one tree crotch it wanted to be a pain on.

So I alpine butterfly a few feet off the center of my rope and then wrap that around the tree. Then I push my hitch up to the top and clip on to the hitch and my rappel ring. Rappel down and then pull from the other side. The worst case is your loop catches on the other hitch and you pull it down a few feet until you can grab it.

I hang the rope from the center to my saddle when climbing so that I have access to it if I need to self rescue. I also attach my bow and pack to each end.

I didn’t like one sticking or 2tc on the alpine butterfly full rope because the rope is more in the way. It is plenty doable and isn’t terrible but prefer dedicated tethers.

If you’re constantly weighting and hooked in to the correct side, I don’t see how you would grab the wrong side. Obviously if you’re connecting at hunting height for the first time before a rappel you want to make Triple sure you’re on the right side before weighting it. This is another reason I like being on a dedicated tether. I can test out my rappel set up before i weight it solo.

One thing I would do Is retie the alpines periodically to try and avoid memory in the rope and wear in one spot.

Try it a little bit and let us know how you like it.

Are you using the rappel ring during rappel. In the fashion where you run the rope through a binder then pull a bight through the ring and clip into the bight? This is backed up by the hitch? Just trying to be sure I'm understanding.

 

[gcr0003]

Are you using the rappel ring during rappel. In the fashion where you run the rope through a binder then pull a bight through the ring and clip into the bight? This is backed up by the hitch? Just trying to be sure I'm understanding.

Yes with that or a figure 8. I probably use the figure 8 more though. If you don’t have the right size ring and rope and carabiner you will not have enough friction. So probably just use a figure 8.

 

[JC3]

The FiddleStick: An Advanced Anchor Tool for Canyoneering

It is a new approach to retrievable anchoring, opening up a wider range of possible anchors, and making it possible to descend more canyons while leaving nothing behind (aka “ghosting”).

www.canyoneeringusa.com

In case anyone else is crazy or interested. I think howNOT2 did a video with rappel and a highline using one

This is my "fiddle stick" (carabiner)
Just need to figure out how to remove the carabiner when on the ground with a pull rope.
Or use a fiddle stick, but would need to assure that it would stay in place until you pulled on the pull down rope.
The result would be an "exploding hitch"
Needs further study.........

 

[Iron_llama]

This is my "fiddle stick" (carabiner)
Just need to figure out how to remove the carabiner when on the ground with a pull rope.
Or use a fiddle stick, but would need to assure that it would stay in place until you pulled on the pull down rope.
The result would be an "exploding hitch"
Needs further study.........

View attachment 85771

On another thread, somebody commented that he clips his pulldown rope to the carabiner and just pulls it down, like it was a Delta link. It has enough friction so it doesn't slip, but not so much you can't retrieve it. I haven't tested this (yet, I've got some branches to trim by my pole barn) but intend to do so shortly.