|
Post by gregggagliardi on Mar 12, 2013 12:14:35 GMT -8
Here is a video on how to ascend a rope with an autoblocking belay device and a foot loop attached to a friction knot. The video shows the technique on two strands of rope; it is even easier on one strand. No special gear is required.
This technique can be enhanced by running the belay hand side of the rope up and over the carabiner attaching the friction knot to the foot loop. Add a pulley to this carabiner and it is even more efficient (2:1 advantage for the arm pull). It is also easy to convert from rope ascent to rappel and vice versa.
I have used the enhanced version of this system as an instructor to move up and down on a rope in order to inspect intermediate student rock pro. It's safe, works well and saves energy. This is way easier and far more efficient than the Texas Prusik system. Check it out.
gregg
|
|
|
Post by gregggagliardi on Mar 13, 2013 11:53:09 GMT -8
Here is another video on rope ascension with an autoblocking belay device. It's the simplest that I have found. Although demonstrated for self rescue out of a crevasse, it will work for other rope ascent situations.
When there is no slack in the rope to set it up this way, one attaches a friction knot to the rope with a foot loop. Next, stand up on the footloop and clip a biner from your belay loop to the biner holding the friction knot. Next, one sits back and using the slack created one can now setup the autoblocking device in autoblock mode.
Next, stand up in the foot loop, and pull up the slack thru the belay device, transferring all the weight to the belay device. Now sit back and slide the footloop up, stand up on it again and pull the slack thru the device. When there is enough rope slack it can be redirected to a biner on the biner connected to the friction knot, thereby creating additional mechanical advantage. Lockers are safest for these two biners. if you have a pulley, you can attach it to the slack first before clipping the biner holding the pulley to the friction knot biner. This improves the efficiency of the system even further.
This sounds complicated when presented in words. In practice it is very simple, very effective, safe and easy to learn. It also requires a minimum of gear: short prusik loop, foot loop (double runner), ATC Guide or Reverso (Cinch and Gri Gri make it even faster and easier), several locking biner. For additional safety one can connect another prussik, the one that normally runs through the chest harness, into the system. At some point when there is sufficient slack in the rope, drop your pack and drop you coils if carrying them
|
|
|
Post by jimnelson on Mar 13, 2013 17:20:28 GMT -8
I like the way this video explains how to set-up the reverso/guide variation.
|
|
|
Post by jimnelson on Mar 13, 2013 17:25:23 GMT -8
I also like the use of "friction hitch" rather than "prussik" or other, at least for this application.
|
|