Sport rappelling???

So, I have seen references here and there to the concept of "sport rappelling". I had always assumed it was a joke. After all, who in their right mind would go out to a crag just to rap off some bolted anchors? What's the point?

Anyway, I was climbing in Rock Canyon on Saturday. Just as we were finishing up on the Green Monster (awesome climb), a group hollered down from above asking if they could "use the clips when we were done".

They fixed a rope, and for the next hour or so took turns rapping down, with tied webbing harnesses and figure 8s. One guy even did an Australian rappel!

It was weird.

I can rappel 5.14c. I'm a pretty accomplished sport rappeller . ;-)

I'm hoping to break into the 15s on rappel next year.

John Marsella wrote:Climbing up rocks is weird too

I went to costa rica and they had waterfall/sport rappelling. Everyone was so excited. I'm like, meh...why not.

Waterfall rappelling was definitely cool. After that, we basically raced each other on the rock faces using figure-8 devices (of course, backed up by someone using an ATC above us).

Yeah, and I've heard some people whiz down steel cables on rollers. They call it "ziplining." Odd. Next thing you know, people will walk on webbing elevated off the ground.

I'm old school. A great man once said, "he who does not climb shall not rappell."

Now wait, slacklining and ziplining are very different. Slacklining has a huge skill component. There is a clear progression and one can spend years mastering the art of it.

Ziplining takes no skill, and is kind of like a really slow, boring roller coaster. I guess ziplining through a rainforest could be cool, just like rappelling down a waterfall sounds kind of fun.

What I don't really understand is, what is the appeal in rappelling 100ft down a slab over and over? The guys said they do it all the time. I guess it could be fun once, but after that there is nothing more to it. It takes very little skill, there is no real progression of difficulty, it's slow, and it's not even that dangerous (if you are looking for a thrill).

Long raps on overhanging routes still freak me out - just dangling out in space with a thin line keeping me from becoming a lawn dart.

I get squibby just thinking about it.

Mike Marmar wrote:Now wait, slacklining and ziplining are very different. Slacklining has a huge skill component. There is a clear progression and one can spend years mastering the art of it. Ziplining takes no skill, and is kind of like a really slow, boring roller coaster. I guess ziplining through a rainforest could be cool, just like rappelling down a waterfall sounds kind of fun. What I don't really understand is, what is the appeal in rappelling 100ft down a slab over and over? The guys said they do it all the time. I guess it could be fun once, but after that there is nothing more to it. It takes very little skill, there is no real progression of difficulty, it's slow, and it's not even that dangerous (if you are looking for a thrill).

I have a friend who took some folks rappelling for fun. The rappel was all free hanging so it I imagine it was a little scary. A girl got on the line, dropped down halfway and promptly got wads of hair jammed down inside her ATC.

A hour later, her head cinched up nearly against the ATC, they finally got to her and cut her hair loose with a knife.

Sounds like a real hoot.

Ray

I had a guy at black rose in rock canyon once tell me: "I'm actually really good at rappelling, I mean really good, climbing's not really my thing, but I'm a dang good rappeller!"

I need to run into these guys at overhanging and wandering routes. I bet they can clean like no one's business.

Jake Jones wrote: I do not think it means what you think it means.

Sport rappelling is a gateway drug to canyoneering. Personally, as a climber, I don't get a ton of satisfaction sport rappelling unless it's in the water or a big free hang, but I do enjoy descending canyons. My partner, on the other hand, always prefers to rap off a route vs walk down. He enjoys the rappelling even though he is a climber.

People might have been practicing, or they might just have enjoyed rapping.

Here is a rap in the water and 95% free hanging. Total descent was 170ft. And yes, it was fun.