Rope Suggestions - Over 9mm Single, Glacier Travel

[rob]

wow, even after unweighting it? Crazy!

 

I has something similar happen once.

[pcg]

I've never been in a real crevasse incident, but when practicing, clearing the lip has ALWAYS been difficult.

Same here. My solution has been to carry an extra prussik leg loop. After working up as high under the lip as possible, with my waist and leg loops below the lip, I can generally reach up and grab the rope above the lip with my fingers and jam something underneath it, thus providing room to attach another leg prussik. Of course if someone hasn't placed an axe handle or something there and the rope is dug in, well... haul me out!

[SeanO]

So it sounds like a 30m rope is insufficient if you chose to tie butterfly knots along the length of the distance between you and your partner, because they will jam in the lip of the crevasse and the fallen climber won't be able to prussik out of the jammed rope.

 

DPS, since you've tried this method, do you always tie butterfly knots, or no? I've heard about this technique only from this forum. It seems good for stopping a fall into a crevasse, but otherwise, it sounds like 30m is totally sufficient for a rope without butterfly knots.

Edited April 12, 2012 by Ferum

[DPS]

wow, even after unweighting it? Crazy!

 

I has something similar happen once.

Me too! It was the craziest thing, like the crack just ate the rope! You should've been there. Oh wait, you were.

[DPS]

DPS, since you've tried this method, do you always tie butterfly knots, or no? I've heard about this technique only from this forum. It seems good for stopping a fall into a crevasse, but otherwise, it sounds like 30m is totally sufficient for a rope without butterfly knots.

No, not always. In two man rope teams on big glaciers (Alaska) is the only time I've used it. I personally don't think its necessary with three or more man rope teams (as long as everyone knows what they are doing).

 

I've read a number of folks advocating using a 30 meter twin rope, but my guess is these folks have never had to do a crevasse rescue. Use too skinny a rope and you waste all your rescue efforts on strectchhing the rope, not to mention a thicker rope is easier for prusiks to 'grab'. I personally think 30 meters is too short for a big glacier (Mt Baker, Mt Rainier, AK). The difference between an 50 m rope and an 30 meter rope is only about 13 onces (in 8mm diameter). Totally worth it for the extra flexibility and safety it provides IMNSHO. Not to mention, buy its mate and you have a great alpine/ice climbing set up.

 

Using a 30 meter rope (about 100 feet) allows you have have 50 feet between partners and about 25 feet in coils. (Knots take up rope, so this is a rough generalization). If you have a text book fall and your partner is able to prusik out, no big deal. But if the rope is entrenched and you have to drop a spare line in, you are S.O.L., not to mention hauling out your parnter's pack and skis to help facilitate the rescue.

Edited April 12, 2012 by DPS

[mplutodh1]

Agreed, great discussion.

 

Maybe here's a question to shed more light on what I should be looking for.

 

QUESTION: What rope do you use for 3 people on Rainier/Baker?

 

Most of my trips will be 3-4 climbers.

[DPS]

QUESTION: What rope do you use for 3 people on Rainier/Baker?

 

Edelweiss 8.5mm X 50m Sharp Everdry.

Edited April 12, 2012 by DPS

[genepires]

8.something by 50m whatever I have laying around. I don't put that much thought into the actual construction of the rope as the forces during the fall are relatively little. The only thing that is critical is that it be treated for water resistance, obviously. My glacier rope is usually a retired ice climbing rope before it becomes a canyoneering rope.

 

 

[JoshK]

My glacier rope is usually a retired ice climbing rope before it becomes a canyoneering rope.

 

 

The lifetime of a rope.

 

Ice climbing rope --> glacier slogging rope--> canyoneering rope --> S&M tiedown rope --> rope floormat.

[genepires]

My glacier rope is usually a retired ice climbing rope before it becomes a canyoneering rope.

 

 

The lifetime of a rope.

 

Ice climbing rope --> glacier slogging rope--> canyoneering rope --> S&M tiedown rope --> rope floormat.

 

not hip enough for a rope floormat but the S&M part, that's Tvash's world. I am way to white bread for that kind of excitement.

[mplutodh1]

Looking at maybe picking up one of the following at REI with the 20% off:

 

EDELWEISS Energy ARC Bi-Pattern 9.5mm x 60m Everdry Rope

or

Mammut Infinity COATINGfinish superDRY 9.5mm x 60m Dry Rope

 

Thoughts on either?

[DPS]

It is kind of a lot of rope for just glacier travel, but you can use it for rock climbing and ice climbing too, so there you go.

Edited April 14, 2012 by DPS

[MJaso]

The Mammut Infinity is one fine rope, go all out and get the doudess braid pattern too. A bit much for doing the dog routes on Rainier or just glacier travel, but it handles great! In- fact I used it last year for the Cleaver on Rainier with 4 people.