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!
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!