Triggerfish
06-08-2021, 07:02 PM
I was wanting a way to get all the following in one setup:
1. Twin ropes
2. Simple, quick system
3. Ability to convert to lower without needing a LIFT step or pulling the entire free end of rope through
So I rigged this up in a tree.
1. Attach biner to anchor webbing
2. Attach rope midpoint to anchor biner with Munter
3. Stone both strands just below Munter with Smooth Operator
4. Lock Operator on both sides (if I really use this, I'll get a proper dogbone instead of the Amsteel pictured here)
5a. If all goes well, LAMAR converts Stone to standard block of choice before rappelling
5b. IF STUCK RAPPELLER:
6. Add VT Valdotain to Stuck strand, push down strand as far as possible
7. Basket hitch a short sling through the anchor biner
8. Clip the VT biner to the basket sling (***For how I tie the Stone, the sling must pass over the top of the unweighted strand to keep from creating a twist when the Stone is released***)
10. Warn Stuckman of upcoming short drop
11. Remove a biner from the Operator and pop it from the other side
12. Using both the Munter and the Valdotain, perform controlled lower
I tested it with my own weight. I had to stand up a bit (partly unweighing the rope) to properly pull the toggle. I expect with a big stuck rappeller, the pull will be hard but not impossible.
I was pleasantly surprised with how little the rope moved with the Valdotain in place during toggle pull. My first try, without the Valdotain, revealed that the simplest, tightest Stone still uses 8 or more inches of rope (each strand). 8ish inches of drop on the Stuck side +8ish of instant slack on the free side that even a quick belayer can likely only partially reduce = a likely unpleasant amount of sudden drop to Stuckman. Maybe ok to ditch the Valdotain in a very time-sensitive situation?
I know there are other ways to do twin contingency, and certainly other ways to help stuck novice rappellers, but I often need to stay up top and be LAMAR to make sure everyone else rigs right, and recently had a kid with stuck hair who was unable to free herself despite a step-up lowered to her.
Or, maybe this was just a fun exercise, but the probable need : added rigging time ratio doesn't justify using it over the beautifully simple approach of clipping the biner block to the anchor, and LAMAR unclips it, then rappels, and just deal with the rare stuck hair episodes with old lift and lower.
Thoughts?
1. Twin ropes
2. Simple, quick system
3. Ability to convert to lower without needing a LIFT step or pulling the entire free end of rope through
So I rigged this up in a tree.
1. Attach biner to anchor webbing
2. Attach rope midpoint to anchor biner with Munter
3. Stone both strands just below Munter with Smooth Operator
4. Lock Operator on both sides (if I really use this, I'll get a proper dogbone instead of the Amsteel pictured here)
5a. If all goes well, LAMAR converts Stone to standard block of choice before rappelling
5b. IF STUCK RAPPELLER:
6. Add VT Valdotain to Stuck strand, push down strand as far as possible
7. Basket hitch a short sling through the anchor biner
8. Clip the VT biner to the basket sling (***For how I tie the Stone, the sling must pass over the top of the unweighted strand to keep from creating a twist when the Stone is released***)
10. Warn Stuckman of upcoming short drop
11. Remove a biner from the Operator and pop it from the other side
12. Using both the Munter and the Valdotain, perform controlled lower
I tested it with my own weight. I had to stand up a bit (partly unweighing the rope) to properly pull the toggle. I expect with a big stuck rappeller, the pull will be hard but not impossible.
I was pleasantly surprised with how little the rope moved with the Valdotain in place during toggle pull. My first try, without the Valdotain, revealed that the simplest, tightest Stone still uses 8 or more inches of rope (each strand). 8ish inches of drop on the Stuck side +8ish of instant slack on the free side that even a quick belayer can likely only partially reduce = a likely unpleasant amount of sudden drop to Stuckman. Maybe ok to ditch the Valdotain in a very time-sensitive situation?
I know there are other ways to do twin contingency, and certainly other ways to help stuck novice rappellers, but I often need to stay up top and be LAMAR to make sure everyone else rigs right, and recently had a kid with stuck hair who was unable to free herself despite a step-up lowered to her.
Or, maybe this was just a fun exercise, but the probable need : added rigging time ratio doesn't justify using it over the beautifully simple approach of clipping the biner block to the anchor, and LAMAR unclips it, then rappels, and just deal with the rare stuck hair episodes with old lift and lower.
Thoughts?