Rope(s) for alpine climbing?

[jared_j]

I've got a solid fat heavy Edelweiss rope that works great for cragging, but I'm looking for lighter weight options for alpine climbing in the Cascades. And by alpine climbing, I mean alpine rock with the occasional glacier crossing, and not the other way around.

 

It seems if money were no object, the ideal would be to have one lightweight single rope for climbs only requiring a single, and a pair of lightweight doubles for use when you need doubles (e.g. double-rope raps or concern about rockfall). But, well, money is an object.

 

1. Any recommendations for lightweight singles? Alternately, any negative experiences with lightweight singles (e.g. abrasion resistance when dragged across rock)?

 

2. Any experience specifically with the Beal Joker (marketed as being used as a lightweight single, as well as lightweight enough to use as part of a doubles system)?

 

3. Is it safe to mix-and-match on doubles? i.e. if I get lightweight single (9.x mm) and another thinner 'doubles' - designed rope (8.x mm), can they safely be paired as doubles (I have a BD ATC guide device, and I think it can accept thin ropes just fine)? I've climbed on doubles a few times, but always friends' who had matching ropes.

 

My competing priorities are weight savings, safety, and cost. I'd like to avoid having n! ropes in my closet, hence the question about pairing a light single with a double.

 

Minimal spray and thread drift is appreciated! Thanks!

 

EDIT: Clarification

Edited July 31, 2007 by jared_j

[fenderfour]

I don't have a Joker, but I've had a few Beal ropes. None were very good with abrasion. After one season they were pretty well fuzzed out.

[rob]

I would match the double ropes, if you can. That way they wear at roughly the same rate. At least, that's what I always hear, not sure how big of a deal it really is

 

I've got a pair of mammut genesis doubles, I love them.

Edited July 31, 2007 by robmcdan

[tlinn]

Sounds like you might want to go with a lightweight single and then get a light 7mm static line for making double rope rappels. I've been using this system and it's actually lighter and cheaper then buying two double ropes.

 

I have the Mammut Revelation 9.2mm with dry treatment. I love this rope but it is now just a 50 meter after it was chopped by rockfall on Slesse.

 

The only negative is that your 7mm line will feed more quickly through your ATC then the 9.2mm so you have to make sure your rappel knot is on the 7mm side of the cord you are rapping on so that the ropes won't move on you and burn through your anchor. Pretty easy to prevent this by using a quicklink instead.

 

Make sure you buy at least 5 meters of extra 7mm static line for use with your single rope to make up for the rope stretch of your dynamic rope (even more if you are using a 70m single or if you want to use this stuff as rappel material). It comes in very handy for this purpose but you may quickly run out of static line if you are constantly chopping bits of it off to back up sketchy alpine rappel anchors.

 

Other then the friction issue the only other negative I can think of is that you have to be careful rappelling over sharp edges with the 7mm line. Oh yeah, you should probably use a prussik if you are doing a freehanging rappel. Once again, it feeds pretty fast through the 7mm and you don't want to rapp out of control.

 

hope this helps!

cheers,

 

[sweatinoutliquor]

Mammut serenity 8.9mm... It's awesome.

[Baltoro]

I've got the Beal jokers and they don't wear that great, but I've seen worse.

 

One nice option with those is to get a 70m with the middle mark. You can use it as a long single or have the second clip in as they would on a glacier with an alpine butterfly at the middle mark.

 

This gives the leader two strands to tie into and since the rope is rated for double or twin rope use, you can use it as such, depending upon the terrain. Seconding on doubled lockers should be no big deal. Put a short strip of tape around one of the rope right next to the leaders tie in and treat this as the rope that always goes on the right hand side pro. This helps to keep you from confusing the ropes and cross clipping and creating extra drag. Not critical, but it can make life easier.

 

You might go shorter though as often shorter is better, depending upon the route, pitch lengths and ability or inability to communicate. It's also less to carry in.