Two ropes?

[Frenchy]

Just came across this flick. Wondering if anyone could explain.

 

Edited June 8, 2008 by Frenchy

[TrogdortheBurninator]

the climber is using half ropes in what is called double rope technique. Typically alternating pieces of gear are clipped so that if a rope is severed, you have a back up. There are lots of other advantages and disadvantages too that I'm sure a quick google search would bring up.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

http://www.gunks.com/index.php?pageid=67&pagenum=1&smGroup=2&smID=4

[Frenchy]

whats the belayer up to?

 

(running both through device, tending to whatever rope was last clipped?)

[mike_m]

Both strands run through the device; as the leader moves up, both strands move along together. The belayer generally does nothing different than when belaying with a single-rope, tending both strands together. Rope-management at the belay can be a bear if you're doing multi-pitch on doubles or twins.

[marc_leclerc]

Just came across this flick. Wondering if anyone could explain.

 

 

That looks like an intense climb! a bit scary and hard

[catbirdseat]

Both strands run through the device; as the leader moves up, both strands move along together. The belayer generally does nothing different than when belaying with a single-rope, tending both strands together. Rope-management at the belay can be a bear if you're doing multi-pitch on doubles or twins.

 

I have not had that much trouble with rope management. You just stack the two ropes together and they come off the pile together. If you have to do a hanging belay, just stack them across your tie-in the same way you would with a single.

 

I usually climb with a single, as it is simpler, unless there is a good reason to use doubles. Among the reasons: 1) the need to do double rope rappels, 2) high likelihood of having to back off of a route, 3) high chance of rock fall or sharp rock, 4) route wanders, 5) party of three.

 

Yesterday we used doubles for our party of three. It allows the two followers to climb at the same time. It's faster than having the second drag a rope for the third. Just have one person head off first and then the other can follow along behind. Each cleans the pro clipped to his rope. If one climbs faster than the other, he can clean all the pro, assuming no traverse, of course.

[denalidave]

IMO, belaying with 2 ropes does take some getting used to but is worth it in many cases, mostly for longer wandering multi-pitch routes. Not only for the extra rope security but also to reduce rope drag on wandering routes.

[G-spotter]

The belayer generally does nothing different than when belaying with a single-rope, tending both strands together.

 

If the leader is clipping pro at their waist, the belayer will not notice much different.

 

If the leader is clipping pro overhead, then climbing past it, the belayer will notice that one rope in their belay device is tight and the other is slack, unless they manage the rope by feeding each rope through the device individually rather than both together. If you belay a lot on double ropes, you figure out how to do this (taking in/giving slack on two individual ropes) safely relatively quickly.

[catbirdseat]

If you are a leader who has (the generally bad) habit of clipping high, which I do sometimes myself, double ropes have the advantage that if you blow a clip before falling, the extra rope you've pulled out will be of no consequence, provided you used the other rope to clip the last piece of protection.

[mike1]

Is it just me or does anyone else think both of those cam placements would blow fairly easy. Cool picture!

[counterfeitfake]

Well... the first one is a nut, and I can't tell what the second one is. Kind of looks like a bolt.

 

It does look like quite a whipper if she peeled off right there!

[catbirdseat]

The falls don't look like they'd be really clean.

[mike1]

Ah yes... I think the other is a nut too.

[G-spotter]

CBS - given how overhanging it is the falls would probably clean through the swing part, it's hitting the rock that would hurt.

 

They use double ropes a lot more in the UK. When the natural pro is distributed in cracks, flakes, pockets etc. semi-randomly around the face instead of in a nice straight line along a single crack in the usual style of North Amrican trad cragging, using doubles can really help to manage rope drag and protect traversing pitches.