Tying a knot in the rappel rope

[bstach]

A safety knot at the end of the rope would have prevented her 1,300-foot fall, Kallen-Brown said.

 

While tying such a knot is recommended in climbing manuals, eschewing the practice among experienced climbers is common, Kallen-Brown said.

 

Such knots can also be problematic because they are time-consuming and can get stuck in rock cracks, Kallen-Brown said.

 

Quote form Ruth Gorge accident report. Makes me wonder what the typical practise of cc.com'ers is:

 

 

Edited April 27, 2007 by bstach

[pms]

the poll needs another choice, since there are other ways to back-up a rappel

[Weekend_Climberz]

the poll needs another choice, since there are other ways to back-up a rappel

 

Yes, but are those methods "light and fast"

[dan_forester]

I only tie knots in the ends if I can't see whether or not the rope is going to reach the ground or the next rappel station. But I almost always put a autoblock (kleimheist actually) backup below the rappel device.

[G-spotter]

If you are really worried about rapping off the end of your rope, you will find it's better to have the autoblock/prussik/other braking device/knot above the belay device rather than below.

[jmace]

below the device..does that still stop you from rapping of the ends..?

[dan_forester]

of course, dru.

 

I almost put a disclaimer in after I wrote that, something like "hey smart guy, before you say anything, I know this won't keep me from rapping off the end of the rope, it's more for added security going over an edge or if I have to stop and untangle the rope or what have you...."

 

[pms]

no, but it does significantly reduce the chance

[fheimerd]

seems like a tieing a know is a small inconvienance compared to the major inconvienance of death

 

I never tie a not in the ends but I think I might start.

[spotly]

Even above the device may not keep you from rapping off the ends unless you're very quick to release the knot.

 

I'm also not real sure about the arguement for avoiding a knot because it can get caught in a crack. While it's possible, the rare times that I've had my rope catch on something on rappel, I just cleaned it on the way down. Doesn't seem like a strong enough reason on its own.

 

I usually tie a knot if I can't see the ends or they're hanging out over the wall.

Edited April 27, 2007 by spotly

[dan_forester]

just make sure you don't pull your ropes before taking that knot out or you'll be in for some fun times.

[spotly]

Hmm. Shouldn't the percentage on the poll add up to 100?

[bstach]

the poll needs another choice, since there are other ways to back-up a rappel

How do i edit the poll? There is no link to "poll manager" when i edit the post.

[spotly]

Do you tie individual nots in each end? I just tie both ends into a single knot. Kinda hard to pull the rope unless you untie it that way.

[dan_forester]

Do you tie individual nots in each end? I just tie both ends into a single knot. Kinda hard to pull the rope unless you untie it that way.

 

I tie a double overhand a couple feet up from each end. It's been a while since I tied both ends together; I seem to remember it tended to kink up the rope somehow.

[pms]

maybe a new poll and post

[jmace]

Why so far Ihavt heard one way that gaurantees you wont rap off the end of your ropes, besides a knot

[pms]

depends on how much information you want to learn from the poll

[jmace]

what would the other choices be..?

[bstach]

The other choice would be:

 

"I am naive enough to think a prussick or autoblock would keep me from rappelling off the end"

[Winter]

Do you tie individual nots in each end? I just tie both ends into a single knot. Kinda hard to pull the rope unless you untie it that way.

 

If you tie individual knots, it will be much easier to keep the two ends from getting completely twisted and wrapped up in each other. Keep 'em separate - faster and avoids tangles.

[tvashtarkatena]

Do you tie individual nots in each end? I just tie both ends into a single knot. Kinda hard to pull the rope unless you untie it that way.

 

I tie a double overhand a couple feet up from each end. It's been a while since I tied both ends together; I seem to remember it tended to kink up the rope somehow.

 

It's hard to throw two ends of a rope separately (preferred in an alpine environment, particularly if windy) if they're tied together.

 

My partner recently had this discussion on a climb before a short rappel. We were running short on time and couldn't afford to get a rope stuck on a rocky face we couldn't see, so I rapped first and tied the knots for his rap. In my mind, in windy conditions on a rocky face the objective hazard of getting a rope stuck if knotted outweighs the subjective hazard of biffing it and rapping off the end. In other situations, probably not. I would never tie the two ends of a rope together in any situation. You're just begging to get the rope stuck with loop and huge knot like that.

[Good2Go]

Doesn't anybody read AAC's Accidents in N American Mountaineering? Many accounts of deaths and injuries that could have been prevented by simply tying a knot in the ends of the rope (both rapping and lowering off). I don't recall ever reading the same about freeing a stuck rope.

[G-spotter]

Many car accidents could be prevented by riding your bike instead, too...

 

Many EPICS could be and have been prevented by NOT tying knots in the end of your ropes.

[tvashtarkatena]

After your first stuck rope, you might view the issue from a less academic viewpoint.