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Self rescue training

J

Jokerswild

Active Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2019
Messages
163
So today I did reps of switching from the prussic to a ATC Rappel device. the "Lost my stick scenario." Started on the ground. Just simply retrieving the spare carabiner and atc, without fumbling. I'd love to keep it stowed back on the bridge/loops so it could NEVER fall off. just sliiiide it up into place .... Havent mastered that yet.

Wound up doing multiple switch and rappel descents from just 5 or 6 feet. The tough part is if your climbing on the rappel line....your weight is loaded into it. So my process is...
1. Screw in a tree step as low as I can(have to have one on ya... two is better)
2. Tie in my Auto block
3. attach the spare carbineer and atc to just the bridge
4. Insert the rappel line through the atc, biner- its doing, holding,,, nothing at this time. Still allll prussic pressure
5. Step up on my step.

This where it gets a lil laborsome....
6. pull on the tag end creating some slack between the prussic and the atc
7. Sung up the Autoblock
8. At this point I can usually lean back into the autoblock to A:test B: click OUT of the prussic.

At that point its an autoblock rappel. Im using my linesmans belt the whole time until Ive done at least a lil bit of testing. Then I click out of it as its much more pleasant to descend without.

Next time out I will be doing reps of....Short tether ..."dropped my stick." Now pull out the rappel line.

Third time out will be .... both techniques but higher and emphasizing on my safety mental checklist for connections and such

LOVE the learning curve!
 
I use a 4 wrap Klemheist above a figure 8 to reppell, you can load the Klemheist friction hitch above your original connection to unload and disconnect it then take a bite of rope through the figure 8 and tend your way down.
 
Make sure you have a tether to hang from while you thread your rappelling system. You can reach down, pull up some rope from your climbing line and tie a figure 8 loop. Stand in the loop and tighten your tether. Now sit down, weighting your tether. Your rappel rope is now slack and you can reach down, untie the figure 8 and thread your rappeling system. Now tie a figure eight on your tether line to stand on and tighten your rappel line. Hang from your rappel line and remove your now slack tether. Easy, peasy. This is really caterpillaring between your foot and your saddle bridge. No screw in step needed. Or, you can use an ascender or a Prusik with foot loop to stand on which is attached to the line above everything else. I had to do this last year when I got stuck up the rope about 4 feet above ground to release an ATC which was stuck in guide mode.
 
Last edited:
Jokerswild said:
Can you always reach the prussic? Thats my worry about going ABOVE.
Click to expand...
Yup, well within reach. I had a hard time transferring from my tether to a repel line with the friction hitch below the belay device, with the hitch above it's easy to load.
 
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