by CAMERON McPHERSON SMITH
copyright 1996
THE ALPINE ROPE
When you choose a rope for alpine climbing, there are several main points to consider. These are length and diameter, performance statistics, water-absorption characteristics, weight and, last but not least, whether you will climb on a single or double rope. In this chapter the main concern is whether to use a single rope or double-rope techniques, and what length of rope to use. Because you should have some climbing experience before starting alpine climbing, I leave you to decide on such factors as performance statistics. The 50m Rope
Some climbers use a single 50m rope (usually of 10.5mm-11mm diameter) for alpine climbing, but I think they're missing out. Certainly, the rope is strong enough, but it is a single rope. One chop and it's finished, and in alpine climbing, damaged ropes are a regular occurece. Perhaps the worst aspect is that a single 50m rope can only give you 25m rappels, thus doubling the number of anchors you have to arrange, carry and - worst of all - trust. Of course, you can make 50m rappels if you tie your lead rope to another rope (often a smaller-diameter rope carried in someone's pack on the way up), but then there's a knot in the rope which can cause major problems if (when, more likely) it gets snagged. Also, carrying a spare rope in a pack for the rappels is a waste; if you're carrying two ropes you may as well use both of them for belaying. That is precisely what some climbers do - they use two 50m 'half' ropes (c.8-9mm diameter) for double-rope climbing, then make 50m rappels with the ropes tied together. Still, chances are, that knot is going to be big trouble some day. I suggest you eliminate the problem altogether and climb on a 100m rope. This is discussed in the following section. The 100m Rope
There are at least three excellent reasons to use an 'alpine' rope rather than a standard rock-climbing rope. First, with a 100m rope you can make very long leads when the terrain is relatively easy and falls will not be generating normal rock-climbing stresses. On approach slopes which need to be belayed, long sections of easy climbing in the midst of a route, and descents, the 100m rope allows you to keep moving for as long as possible; you spend less time switching belays. Second, a 100m rope may be doubled for use on more dangerous terrain, where falls are a greater risk. In these cases, the increased saftey of a doubled rope makes the whole alpine game more reasonable; the consequences of a chopped or damaged rope are reduced considerably. Thirdly, on descents, a 100m rope can be used to make 50m full-length rappels without a knot in the middle of the rope which can snag when you're pulling the ropes. The absence of a knot makes everything smoother and significantly reduces the chances for disaster. Clearly, the 100m rope is an excellent choice for alpine climbing. The cons ? Well, a 100m rope is large, heavy and bulky at first, but you can soon get used to this and you end up thinking, 'this is the weight of a rope' rather than 'gee, this is a lot heavier than my 50x11 rock rope !'. So the weight and bulk are no big deal once you're used to them. It's true that untangling a 100m rope can be double the nightmare of untangling a 50m rope, but you really shouldn't be getting a lot of tangles anyway; efficient rope management is a basic key to swift movement in the mountains, and you must master it. So the tangle argument is out. Long ropes cost more than a single rope, but - again - this argument is pretty weak. Would you skimp on a pacemaker? I'd rather pay extra and be able to make full-length rappels without a knot, and I can split the cost with my partner, so it's not all that bad anyway. You have to learn double-rope technique to use 100m rope in more dangerous sections, but what's the big deal there? It is just another skill to add to your alpine resume ! If you get into the double rope method and -for whatever reason- hate it, you can always cut your single 100 meter rope in two and use these as you see fit (as haul lines, perhaps). The Twin Rope Method
One method may be to your liking if you prefer the saftey of two ropes but don't want to learn the double-rope technique. This is the twin rope method, where two ropes (or one 100-meter rope) of 8-9mm diameter are used precisely as a single rope. The twin ropes are clipped through all protection; everything is the same except for the added saftey and complexities of belaying two ropes. Whatever rope system you decide on, be sure to get ropes which are dry; these have been treated so that they do not absorb as much water as a non-dry rope. A sodden rope is heavier and weaker than a dry rope. A dry-treated rope will absorb water, just not as much as a non-dry-treated rope. Double-Rope Techniques
Whether you use a single 100m rope and double it on more difficult pitches, or a pair of 50m ropes, you are going to have to learn to use double-rope methods. A few double-rope basics are outlined below, but you must learn more than can be discussed here. Without some practice and efficient organization double-rope method can be dangerously confusing. Still, it's not as hard to learn as you might think. If you decide to use this system, do a lot of practice climbs and get used to double-roping before going up on a 'real' climb. Though two ropes are intrinsically more difficult to manage than one, I think the effort in learning is worth the security, and it doesn't take all that long to learn anyway. The leader must tie into the doubled rope with a doubled figure-eight as shown in Figure XX. This takes advantage of the full strength of both ropes. The second also ties into both ropes, as shown in Figure XX. The belay ends of the doubled ropes anchored to separate anchors whenever they can be arranged. Using separate anchors is crucial if you plan to take advantage of the doubled rope technique. Figure XX illustrates the principle. This may require a bit more hardware and will not always be possible, but I maintain that it is safest and still a worthy goal in alpine terrain; just learn to place multiple anchors quickly and hope you can get them. When you can't, it's just too bad. The best double-rope belay device is the Sticht plate, which is made for keeping the double ropes separated to reduce tangling. Though hopefully each rope will be anchored to different anchors, both ropes go through the same belay device. If you're using a Munter hitch (as you may when the rope gets icy), you will have to use two Munters, preferably each on a different carabiener; again, this will preserve the value of the two separate ropes. This is a bother but still worth the effort in the long run. See Figure XX. The leader heads off. As long as the protection is arranged in a relatively straight line, the leader clips the ropes alternately through each piece, as shown in Figure XX. Alternate clipping reduces the chances of the rope twisting together, which would create real problems. When a piece of protection must be placed to the side of your line of ascent, you can clip one rope or the other through this piece to reduce drag, as shown in Figure XX. The main thing to remember is not to cross the ropes, as shown in Figure XX; this would be defeating the drag-reducing advantage of the double-rope technique and could generate bad directional loads on protection. One advantage of the double-rope technique is that it can be used to protect the second from long, nasty pendulums if they fall while seconding or are jumaring. The leader clips one rope through the traverse anchor, traverses across, then climbs upward again, now clipping the ropes alternately again as usual. See Figure XX. When the second comes across, the rope not clipped through the traverse anchor can be used to 'top-rope' the second as they swing across on the other rope, making the whole operation far less hair-raising than with a single rope. Once at the belay, the leader must remember to try to anchor the two ropes to different anchor systems, again to provide the maximum saftey of the two-rope system. To prevent major headaches (or worse) be vigilant about keeping the rope untangled. After managing double ropes for a while, single rope management will be much easier and faster. Rope Care
The rope is, of course, your lifeline. Treat your rope with reverence. Be very careful with crampons and ice tools; you don't want to be several thousand feet up and accidentally slice the rope with a clumsy step or a wayward swing of your axe. Although these are real concerns, most of the time when you've stepped on a rope with crampons, they're not sharp enough to impale the rope - it generally 'rolls' away from the spike. If you have a tendency, as I do, to over-sharpen your crampons so that they are like knives, control yourself. It's not hard, and can save you much grief. If you do find yourself stepping on a rope with a crampon, look very carefully as you raise your foot. If the rope comes up with the boot, skewered on a spike, you may commence weeping. Even if the rope wasn't skewered, inspect it anyway, as you may have damaged it by mashing it between a rock, or some ice, and the frame of your crampon. Inspect your rope before you go climbing. Run it through your fingers two or three times, feeling for soft spots, kinks, flat spots, holes in the sheath or lumps under it. Any of these are potential problems which you should investigate. You can clean your rope in a washing-machine with powdered detergent, but DO NOT dry it in the drier. Set it in a shaded area and let it air-dry. Remember that UV rays slowly but surely degenerate the strength of nylon fibers; don't store the rope in sunlight. Don't let bleach, oil or corrosive chemicals near the rope. When you go climbing, take care where you put the rope in relation to the solvents, oils and other corrosives in your car. Finally, replace the rope after it's taken a real winger, or has been subject to many alpine climbs. And, of course, don't use the same rope you use for alpine climbs for practice climbing at the crags; no matter how much you down-climb, you're liable to eventually put some big falls on your 'cragging' rope (especially if you're pushing your limits). Rope bags have become popular for protecting ropes from dirt or sunlight. On alpine climbs, though, carrying a rope bag is excessive - most of the time you won't be dragging the rope around in dirt, as at a local crag, and the last thing you need on an alpine climb is another piece of gear to try not to drop.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cameron's Climbing Page | Cameron's Home Page