Rope choice for Patagonia

I'm headed to Patagonia in January 2015. I was planning on bringing double ropes, 8.5 diameter. However, the guide book I picked up (Patagonia Vertical) recommends using a rope of at least 9.8 diameter, due to the abrasion of the rock. Considering I'll have doubles, drag would be reduced. Thoughts on rope selection for the trip?

Is go for the wider rope because of how much more expensive the gear is down there. Need to replace a rope and you'll be out AT LEAST $500

This depends on what your objectives are…

If you are going for long rock routes, say on the big FitzRoy or something similar then
I would go with some larger line for leading on. Yes it is rough granite.
If you are planning on having a 2nd climber jumar, then most definitely a larger rope.

I know what you are thinking though… I need two ropes to rap with…
Anyway, my overall thought is two slightly fatter ropes is the ticket.

Hope that helps some!

C

Thanks for the input. Sounds like two thicker ropes are the way to go.

Bring the kitchen sink. I bring a set of skinny half ropes, a single (or 2) in the 9.5 category (usually a 60) and then can use one of the half ropes as the rap cord to go with it for mountain objectives.
The rock is abrasive yes, but if you aren't jugging then you can go a bit skinnier.

Man my 70 liter haul bag is going to be STUFFED. I'll be spending a few months at the crags in Colombia so the thicker 60m would serve that purpose as well.

What are your objectives, how long will you be there, and how much room do you have in your luggage? I brought a 70m 8.9 single and one 7.5mm half-rope. That was the lightest setup I could think of that would allow me to climb using half-rope technique on routes with 50-60m raps, or climb with only a single 70m lead line when long raps weren't mandatory.

edit - just read your followup. If you are going to be doing a bunch of cragging, I'd bring a 7.5mm half rope, a 8.9 single rope, and a 9.2-9.6 for cragging. Lots of versatility and redundancy in that setup but a hell of a lot of rope to schlep and if you are already paying for oversize luggage what's a few extra pounds.

edit again - I just saw that the Mammut Serenity is now 8.7mm and rated for single, half, and twin. If you aren't jumaring I'd bring two of those and assume that you will trash one by the end of the trip.

I'll be in Patagonia all of January and February, and given my skill set will be searching routes in the 10-20 pitch range. Skill set being alpine routes, black canyon adventures, and 5.11 multi-pitch trad in Colorado. Minimal snow/ice and no big wall experience. I have the 8.5mm Petzl Tango double ropes, which are rated to be used as doubles and twins. I also have a 60m 9.8mm, and a 65m 9.8mm.

I would like to avoid buying another rope. So from what I've heard in this post from everyone maybe the doubles and the 65m 9.8mm would be the way to go.

We ruined 3 ropes down there last season, ranging in size from 8.4-10.4. The best experience I had was with double 60 m ropes, but fat, like 9.? mm.

Why is the area so rough on ropes? Simply the abrasion of the rock, meandering routes with heavy rope drag? It seems doubles should minimize the wear enough that they don't get eaten up so severely.

you are spending multiple thousands for the trip don't risk ruining it for a couple of hundred

Not worried about spending some more cash on another rope. Just trying to figure the best set up.

We had several climbs where there was no rope damage. But the rock is really abrasive, and there is plenty of loose rock (even though much of it is awesome). I knocked a melon sized rock onto our rope from about 10 feet up that cut all but 2 strands. Chances are your ropes will just get a little beat up, but if something does happen, I would have two decently fat ropes just in case.