8mm 30 m rope limits?

[sir_vent]

So I bought this "glacier rope" and it says twin on the package. I was planning to use it singly on glaciers and it would be much nicer for the NE face of eldorado than my fat heavy rope. So how unsafe would it be to lead some moderate grade ice / fall in a crevasse on this thing without another for twin technique?

[ryland_moore]

That is the rope I use on all glacier climbs in the NW as long as the route does not require multiple pitches or serious rock. I would not want to take a huge leader fall on this rope alpine climbing, but a glacier fall for sure. It is not really long enough for alpine climbing though, and it may be tough to catch someone using an ATC becasue of how thin the rope is. I just use mine for no more than a team of 3 on glacier slogs in the NW.

[Winter]

If its any help, I was tied into a 30 m 8 mmm line on a moderate snow and ice climb when the leader fell. The leader took a full 60 m fall and I took a 30 m fall on 50-60 degree terrain. The last guy in line self-arrested. The line held no problem.

[Squid]

[jmckay]

If you run intyo some short sections fold the rope in half and do a couple 30 meter pitchs to get you back to easy terrain. Glacier travel it is fine.

Joe

[Crampon]

Question.....What happens when you partner which has fallen and stretched out all 30M of line ends up with a broken leg and cant do anything for himself.........

 

Where does this light and fast approach make sense?.............How do you get him up.....And good climber has more rope than 90ft for the rescue portion of the climb..........There's the 30M limit.

[Crampon]

If you can prove to me that 30M is just perfect for a 2 person team that is capable of assisted rescue from the anchor side, and is enough rope to perform a 6:1 system in ANY terrain...

 

...then I will cut my 50M to a 30m.....But for now I will be proving your theory as a risk, and is at the same level as just carrying 12 oz of fuel for a 3 day trip...(which is possible)...,but why skimp...?

[ketch]

Question.....What happens when you partner which has fallen and stretched out all 30M of line ends up with a broken leg and cant do anything for himself.........

 

 

This is a fine base for your argument. But if it is a rope of two you should never be tied into just the ends of the rope where you could potentially be stretched out that 100 ft apart. Both parties should tie in and take some coils. That way when either one falls you will still have some rope to start the rescue with. If both take 20' and you burn up about 5' each in knots that still has the two of you about 50 feet apart. In most cases that is plenty of distance in the cascades. One should be able to get a z started with 20' and it takes no extra to make a Z-C.

 

As to skimping we all need to make that call. There is truth in the cliche that light is fast and faster is safer. Where you decide the best balance of available gear and support falls in relation to just getting out quicker needs to be worked out with partners on a trip by trip basis.

[ryland_moore]

Crampon, you can't be serious. When have you ever travelled on a glacier slog without coils while actually being tied into a rope? Don't cut your 50 m rope. Just go buy a Beal or BD 30m glacier rope. They are like $50.00. I travel with a 30m with three people max. It still give you about 25-30 ft between climbers and plenty for pulling someone out with your coils.

[jmckay]

crampon your response shows that you have very limited experience in mountaineering terrain. I suggest for the sake of those who are trying to get something out of this that you sit back for awhile and/or find a forum your more suited to. picking up chicks perhaps.

[Cobra_Commander]

post of the day right there

[tomtom]

This is the guy who can't find UTM coordinates on a map. Even Mounties know that.

[jmckay]

TomTom

 

Not sure if that comment was directed at me. I have little respect for Ottawa's mercenaries as it is.

[Crampon]

This is why we dont like your horrible food.....

 

And another thing....Why be just subjected to a ZC?

 

There are tons more ya know, perhaps they havent been translated into french as of yet.

[ryland_moore]

No wonder Crampon is having so much trouble finding a significant other...........

[Cobra_Commander]

yeah most of my dates go well until she brings up glacier travel skills. might as well call it a night at that point

[TeleRoss]

8mm 30 knows no limits

[Fairweather]

If you run intyo some short sections fold the rope in half and do a couple 30 meter pitchs to get you back to easy terrain. Glacier travel it is fine.

Joe

 

Hmmm. Lemme' see... If I 'fold' a 30m rope in half, and climb a 30meter pitch, won't I run out of rope about 15 meters from the top? And if I do 'a couple' of these pitches, run out 30m short? Sounds like a poor plan, but that whole metric thing is so confusing to Americans.

[jmckay]

Of course your right the math doesn’t make sense. I must have been thinking about a 60-meter rope. I have thought that I could fold over a 60 in a pinch but it has never really been required. I doubt that you stress a rope out too much by tumbling into a crevasse. The limited experience that I have had in going into a crevasse resulted in a 12 or foot ceiling. That was keeping the rope tight and anticipating just such a thing to happen. I can imagine it being quite a bit farther in one was just strolling along not really expecting much to happen.

 

Crampon is sort of right in the sense that 30 m is certainly the min. amount of rope that one would try and get away with. You would want to be going into terrain that you knew would not have much if any technical terrain. I’ve never been there but I am guessing Rainer is a place one could get away with a short chunk of rope.

Not sure how one would manage a 30 meter in that kind of terrain. I would most likely just tie into the end take in a few coils and get the pard to do the same. Tie off the coils and travel changing the rope as terrain dictates. If I were to be textbook I would most likely place a prussic so that I would have one less step should I require doing a load transfer.

I never actually do that cause I figure I can always do it later if something happens, which never does so in reality I am saving two steps. Not putting the Prussik on and not taking it off. You know when you first learn to drive and you hold your hands at ten and two. Then twenty years latter after endless miles of black ice winter driving your crack'in a beer, rolling a joint, and driving with your knee. Doing just fine. It’s sort of like that.

If you were to divide the rope into three chunks would leave you only tenmeters from your partner. oOk on some terrain but pretty close on other pieces of turf. That may not be very practical at times. So I guess the next thing would be to take in a few meters off of each end then tie or clip in. This would give to just enough to do a load transfer and initiate a 3/1. Certainly not going to get that 6/1 with that little bit of rope. What would a 6/1 take 3 prussic 6 biners, 1 maybe 2 lockers. Guess you sort of need to know what your doing no matter the length of the rope but a shorter rope certainly limits a couple options.

Edited August 18, 2005 by jmckay

[Crampon]

I knew I wasnt stupid, but I felt it...........Glad we can agree to a point.

 

There are places on Rainier that a 30M is perfect, but I avoid those spots due to traffic, and prefer the north west side of the hill where its a bit different....

 

By the way......I like French Fries.....

[archenemy]

Summary:

Size and skill BOTH matter.

[Fairweather]

Arch. Are you always horny?

[Crampon]

.

[Crampon]

Speaking of 8x30m ....Where is DIVOT?

[archenemy]

Arch. Are you always horny?

No.

I usually get a two minute reprieve after a great session.