Rappel Back-ups

A recent rappel mishap led to a fatality.

Very tragic.

applewood wrote:It appears he clipped only one strand of his rope into his ATC when rapping instead of 2 and so fell about 70 feet. Check your rap and other setups...

Yes, check your rappel set-up, but I would add: Use a rappel back-up.

We are human, we make mistakes. I can cite two recent examples of very experienced climbers I know clipping only one rope strand into a ATC-type device- once while rappelling Crack of Delights after an ascent of the Diamond, and once with a guide friend on a work day. One of these climbers has been climbing for over 40 years and had never had a mishap like that happen to him before.

In both instances, a third-hand friction hitch back-up was used, and an accident was avoided.

Rappel back-ups are easy to use, require very little equipment, and can save your life.

and so easy to inspect, apart from anchor, ropes, etc. Just you attached to the rope.

For me, the jury is still out on friction hitches. Yes, they can save your life but only if they are set up correctly. With a friction hitch, the autoblock can be tricky to set up and fail relatively easily. I don't like the idea of giving someone a false sense of security during rappelling.

Here is an example of when the 'auto-block' failed. From what I read, this type of failure is relatively common.
youtube.com/watch?v=3T4FT2S…

Can I ask how one manages to clip only one side of the rope? Was it a failure to clip one of the strands that had been passed through the device with the biner?

In my case the tail on the rope was several feet long and I loaded one of the correct strands and one of the tails. I felt something odd in my hand as I started to descend and stopped. I was not using an auto block and nearly shit my pants.

matt c. wrote:For me, the jury is still out on friction hitches. Yes, they can save your life but only if they are set up correctly.

Any technique/piece of equipment, if done/used incorrectly, can result in serious harm. Learn to use the friction hitch correctly. There are many instructional books that can show you how to do this, or hire a guide if you can't figure it out on your own.

Used correctly, a third-hand friction hitch can save your life.

H.. wrote:Can I ask how one manages to clip only one side of the rope? Was it a failure to clip one of the strands that had been passed through the device with the biner?

Yes, a failure to clip one of the strands passed through a belay device into a locking carabiner. It is easier than you think to look down and just see the top part of your device/rope/biner set-up and think all is good. Add being momentarily distracted, in a hurry, or tired, or in the dark with a headlamp, and bingo, you are dead.

Use a rappel back-up.

I always use a Prussik as my backup. It will never fail if set up correctly. But when weighted they can sure be a bitch to loosen up. From my understanding, using a autoblock as your back up is fast and efficient but I've heard from a few people that they are not the best to use when it's wet or snowy. They tend to slip I suppose?

Years ago my husband told me after a rap that he had made a mistake and only threaded one strand through his device - he wasn't in the habit of using a friction hitch back-up then, but thankfully he was in the habit of weighting his rappel to test it before taking himself off the anchor. He was pretty shaken up that he had made that type of mistake, but fortunately it was a non-issue that day. I can't remember the circumstances, but it was probably the end of the day and he may have been a bit distracted. He has 25 years of climbing experience and had never made that error before (or since). It can happen to anyone as previously mentioned.

I have always used an autoblock (I also extend my rappel to keep my device/rap set-up in my direct line of sight and my harness clean), and the husband has also gotten into the habit. A benefit is it does make cleaning routes on rap and managing cluster f**ked ropes so much easier. I use extra wraps when rapping on my skinny doubles. I keep thinking about the Seattle climber's wife, who was present at the accident and how incredibly awful that must be and will be for her. Especially when it was such an easily prevented accident.

Thanks, Steve for reminding us all of this.

Edit to add: and yes, you should still always weight the rap to test it before taking yourself off the anchor!!!! The autoblock is not a substitute for that step.

whatever happened to weighting your rap before you disengage your tie-in point?

We tend to be rappelling at the end of the day when we are tired and hungry and dehydrated and it's getting cold and it's getting dark and all these things gang up on us and we make stoopid mistakes.

Adam Burch wrote:whatever happened to weighting your rap before you disengage your tie-in point?

THIS. Every time.
Weighting your device is part of the double-check while you're still anchored in.

And keep the tails of any knots to 18 inches or so. Tails that are several feet long is way unnecessary and just asking for trouble.

Adam Burch wrote:whatever happened to weighting your rap before you disengage your tie-in point?

This

TEST your setuo BEFORE taking off the safety

A 2 wrap autoblock/kleimheist/prussik clipped with a non locker to your leg loop (how many folks do it) is a poor thing to depend upon to stop a fall of an ATC setup incorrectlt especially if you havent snugged up the friction know yet

The problem wasnt the lack of "backup" but the failure to test the system

In the video posted above they used an autoblock but FAILED to test the system

I see folks thinking that "backups" will protect em and fail to go through the proper steps

Backups are just that ... Backups, not a cure all ... Use em if you want, dont depend in em or substitute em for proper technique or complacency

I'm really glad the back-up saved them, but I wouldn't count on it to do that.

You typically have to let go to get the backup to engage, and in a number of circumstances I've heard about, it won't engage once the rope is running through it. Take these two things together and there is a chance, and not necessarily a small chance, that the backup won't stop you if you somehow only clip one of the two strands in your ATC.

By far the best way to guard against the fatal effects of misthreading the device is to be attached to the anchor with a tether of some sort, and then to fully weight the rappel device to make sure all is well while protected by the tether. Skipping this step because you have a backup installed is, in my opinion, a bad idea.

Rappel backups, if not installed too loosely, allow you to consciously and/or accidentally let go of the brake strands. I don't think they should be relied on for anything else.

Travkrack wrote:I always use a Prussik as my backup. It will never fail if set up correctly. But when weighted they can sure be a bitch to loosen up. From my understanding, using a autoblock as your back up is fast and efficient but I've heard from a few people that they are not the best to use when it's wet or snowy. They tend to slip I suppose?

An auto block is easier to tie, adjust, and untie than a prussik. On wet/icy ropes, you can add another wrap to increase friction if you need it.

Like any friction hitch, before relying on it, pull it in the direction of use to test that it will catch.

Extending the rappel device with a sling girth-hitched through the hard points of your harness (many ways to do this) and clipping the carabiner/hitch loop to your belay loop eliminates the chance the hitch will ride up to the rap device and fail, for example if you were knocked unconscious by falling rock and collapsed into a fetal position.

Sterling makes a nice pre-sewn loop called the Hollow Block that works very well for this application.

bearbreeder wrote: The problem wasnt the lack of "backup" but the failure to test the system In the video posted above they used an autoblock but FAILED to test the system I see folks thinking that "backups" will protect em and fail to go through the proper steps Backups are just that ... Backups, not a cure all ... Use em if you want, dont depend in em or substitute em for proper technique or complacency

rgold wrote: Rappel backups, if not installed too loosely, allow you to consciously and/or accidentally let go of the brake strands. I don't think they should be relied on for anything else.

While I agree that challenging the system before going live should be part of the rappel protocol, I disagree strongly that a third-hand back-up serves no purpose other than to stop mid-rappel and go hands free.

In the rappelling near-miss on the Crack of Delight I mentioned above, the climber had weighted the system before untying his tether, and thought all was fine. It wasn't until he was a few meters down that the problem revealed itself. When close in to the rappel anchor, your weight can easily be held by one strand of the rope in an improperly rigged ATC rappel set-up, especially on slabby terrain, as was the case of C of D.

Use a rappel back-up!

I almost always use an autoblock (below the belay device) on rappels. I guess we're assuming it would save you when you only thread one strand through your rappel device, provided you put the autoblock around both strands? Yeah, I think that could save you.

I suppose it would be unlikely to only pass one strand through your rappel device and only put the autoblock on only one strand, too. That would constitute two mistakes on the same rappel and would result in a free-fall.

Gunkie Mike, in my case we were rapping on another parties rope as we all were getting down off a moderate in Red Rocks. I was working on 2-3 hrs of sleep from the night before and had taken a nap. My partner woke me up as they were pushing off and I think I still groggy when I rigged my rap.

I really make an effort these days to double check myself and use a backup. It only takes a second and a small distraction to kill oneself.

Steve Levin wrote: While I agree that challenging the system before going live should be part of the rappel protocol, I disagree strongly that a third-hand back-up serves no purpose other than to stop mid-rappel and go hands free. In the rappelling near-miss on the Crack of Delight I mentioned above, the climber had weighted the system before untying his tether, and thought all was fine. When close in to the rappel anchor, your weight can easily be held by one strand of the rope in an improperly rigged ATC rappel set-up. Use a rappel back-up!

AGGRESIVELY test the system

I see many folks lean back to "test" it but most of their weight is still on their tether

You should be fully hanging off ur atc and there should be decent slack in the tether

If you cant weight it for some reason, tripple check it visually and get your partner to as well

As to prussiks, are you using em because you

- are guarding against unexpected events or stupid mistakes

Or

- you dont have the proper confidence, technique or brake control to rap properly

If the former than thats yr call

If the latter then the prussik is acting as a bandaid hiding other errors

The video posted is a prime example of this ... The person setup an autoblock, thought he was safe but FAILED to TEST the system ... And his autoblock failed when he depended upon it

My suggestion this case is to practice rapping over and over again without a friction backup but with a FIREMANS so you gmlearn the proper techniques, checks and rope control

Then if you want and can rap confidently, use a friction backup

One of these days you WILL find yourself without a prussik when rapping

And if you cant rap with proper control, how can i depend on you to lower me?

I think we should do some tests with a 2 wrap autoblock/prussik/kleimheist falling off the anchor ... Im skeptical its a good idea

I see folks all the time who use friction backups but dont test em properly or have a host of other errors

Personally i dont use one as i wrap in assisted breaking mode on my smart or a grigri most of the timr

Humbly ... neither a rap backup nor a "bump test" replace a 100% visual inspection. Why think of them in the context of saving us if we fail the visual?

I think of the bump test as just a way to check if things will line up the expected way once on rappel.

Similarly, the rap backup is there in case of rock fall or similar.

Fully weighting while tethered is pretty good when you can. But it still does not replace a 100% visual.

I agree with Matt c.: "With a friction hitch, the autoblock can be tricky to set up and fail relatively easily. I don't like the idea of giving someone a false sense of security during rappelling."

By autoblock, I mean the simple spiral wrap below the rap device. And pretensioning it and then testing can result in a "passed test" that really doesn't mean anything.

That said, a panic grip doesn't cause the autoblock to fail like the panic grip on a prusik above the device ... unless the rap device isn't properly threaded in which case the autoblock probably won't grip well enough no matter what.