Report-Another Rappelling Death

[SlickRock]

Thanks for the video Hank. "Running" the hitch in that manner effectively makes it a munter and is no longer a clove.

I know what I would call a triple clove, but for clarity can someone post a pic?

[hank moon]

Facts

- a properly tied and dressed clove can loosen, walk, become a not-clove and slip or "run"
- in general, not everyone in a party will inspect the rigging on every rappel, every time. Perhaps they should. Regardless, they won't. That's a fact of human nature.

The video starts with a loose clove for the sake of brevity. I didn't see much value in showing the loosening process; it is enough to know that it can happen, and that it has happened on a trip with highly experienced and competent people present.

"Leaders" of any group need to pound this issue at every rap to every rappeller (noobs to vets) to the point of annoyance (essentially).

Tom Jones is The Emperor of annoyingly pounding the safety issues at every rappel, yet clove-walking occurred despite his imperial presence. The point here is to take a critical look at what actually happens in the field, then take steps to mitigate any known safety issues. Clove-walking is one such issue. What will you do to mitigate it?

[hank moon]

Thanks for the video Hank. "Running" the hitch in that manner effectively makes it a munter and is no longer a clove.

I know what I would call a triple clove, but for clarity can someone post a pic?

Triple clove hitch:

Attachment 80849

[Renatomic808]

Thanks for the video Hank. "Running" the hitch in that manner effectively makes it a munter and is no longer a clove.

I know what I would call a triple clove, but for clarity can someone post a pic?

[qedcook]

a properly tied and dressed clove can loosen, walk, become a not-clove and slip or "run"...

it is enough to know that it can happen, and that it has happened on a trip with highly experienced people present.

Yes, exactly. You can argue that a perfect clove hitch should never fail until you are blue in the face, and you might be right. But the fact is that in the canyon, in real life, in practice, clove hitches can and do fail. Just get rid of it from your inventory of block knots and use a different one.

[Iceaxe]

I think I got it...

Clove Hitch - yet another reason biner blocks suck.... err... I mean overly complicate what should be a simple solution.

[Renatomic808]

I think I got it...

Clove Hitch - yet another reason biner blocks suck.... err... I mean overly complicate what should be a simple solution.

I say it depends on the situation.

[hank moon]

I think I got it...

Clove Hitch - yet another reason biner blocks suck.... err... I mean overly complicate what should be a simple solution.

Ice old buddy, yer gettin' slow on the dogma. I thought that woulda popped up in your first post!

[CanyonFreak]

Facts

- a properly tied and dressed clove can loosen, walk, become a not-clove and slip or "run"
- in general, not everyone in a party will inspect the rigging on every rappel, every time. Perhaps they should. Regardless, they won't. That's a fact of human nature.

The video starts with a loose clove for the sake of brevity. I didn't see much value in showing the loosening process; it is enough to know that it can happen, and that it has happened on a trip with highly experienced and competent people present.



Tom Jones is The Emperor of annoyingly pounding the safety issues at every rappel, yet clove-walking occurred despite his imperial presence. The point here is to take a critical look at what actually happens in the field, then take steps to mitigate any known safety issues. Clove-walking is one such issue. What will you do to mitigate it?

I tend to think that a video showing just that would be much more factual and meaningful to the community than sparing us the mundane details of how this hitch magically arrives at this scenario...not saying it can't tho

I'm just a peasant and by no means an emperor but still believe that human error causes more accidents and deaths than gear failure...which happens to be fact.

[ratagonia]

I mean overly complicate what should be a simple solution.

My specialty!