Rappelling on accessory cord

I've recently picked up 2x 7mm 30ft accessory cord for anchor building. I'm trying to determine whether I can reasonably rappel with it.

Of course I would not do this under ordinary circumstances, but I like to know what my options are in an emergency situation, the same way that I like to learn self-rescue techniques, how to build a carabiner brake, and all the things a munter can be used for.

I typically climb with an ATC or ATC Guide, which state 7.7mm is the smallest that should be used with the device. I figure in the case of a rappel, necessary braking force is lower, so possibly smaller rope can be tolerated.

Of course the cord is static, but a rappel is for all practical purposes static.

What are people's thoughts? Would you rap on 7mm cord in dire circumstances, or is this simply a non-option?

Personally, I'd do just about anything in "dire" circumstances. Even the thinnest of accessory cords is rated well above my body weight, so that isn't necessarily concern. As for the question at hand, I wouldn't want to do it on an ATC b/c of the diameter issue you've pointed out. Maybe an 8 would be better, or even a munter. Or maybe an ATC with a leg lock.

On the other hand, I wouldn't do this for a variety of reasons which include but are not limited to strength, sheath durability, access to better tools/ropes, length (30ft rappel??).

Don't know when/why you wouldn't have your regular rope. Would rather rap on a full rope even if it did have a core shot or sheath damage.

I use 7 or 8mm cord for an emergency chairlift evacuation rap rope. I have no trouble trusting a nice new piece of line that hasn't been dragged as a trail or haul line in any prior use. Clean and new, only saved for that last minute emergency rap off a chair when a breakdown leaves you hung up for an hour in a storm. Quick piece of 1 inch tubular web for a diaper sling, and a rap device of some sort and I'm set. Dont' think the local ski patrol would like me unweighting my chair and leaving on my own though.

Will, I certainly hope I never end up in a situation wild enough that I would have to! Aside from dropping your rope, which would never happen, I can't think of anything right now. But you never know.

It would absolutely make for a very brief rap, not even 60ft even if I tried a single-strand rap, but that's better than nothing. Enough to reach the next bolt, or progress down a crack.

Wise to mention the munter. Who cares about rope twists when things are bad enough to rap on cord! As for a leg lock, I was just thinking about that earlier! I carry a couple pieces of even smaller cord, true "accessory" cord, that should be small enough to make an effective prussik for a 7mm line (my regular prussik is 7mm, way too big)

Woodchuck ATC, this is something you just bring along in a pack for skiing? I guess there's the added reassurance of fluffy snow below you, much better than sharp rocks, eh?

Woodchuck ATC wrote:I use 7 or 8mm cord for an emergency chairlift evacuation rap rope. I have no trouble trusting a nice new piece of line that hasn't been dragged as a trail or haul line in any prior use. Clean and new, only saved for that last minute emergency rap off a chair when a breakdown leaves you hung up for an hour in a storm. Quick piece of 1 inch tubular web for a diaper sling, and a rap device of some sort and I'm set. Dont' think the local ski patrol would like me unweighting my chair and leaving on my own though.

This is awesome.

One feasible scenario- It occurs to me assuming you know knot passes, if you ever found yourself at the end of your rope (literally, hah!) on a rap, you could extend it with the anchor cord.

(Again, I don't plan on doing any of this, just thinking about self-rescue on a cold night!)

Using 2 biners (side by side) with your ATC instead of 1 will increase the friction, allowing more control of the rappel. I first learned this trick from a fellow bigwaller when rapping with a heavy pig. It effectively makes the biner wider, which places more bend on the rope to neck into the ATC device, resulting in more friction.

7mil is bomber, I've been using one for years as a tag-line and 2nd rope for rapping. I've used 6mil too. 5mil gives me pause, plus the small ropes get really tangly.

yeah, use 2 or even 3 biniers. there'll be plenty of friction, especially if you're only rapping 30 feet, or just learn how to downclimb.

Patrick Shyvers wrote: Aside from dropping your rope, which would never happen, I can't think of anything right now.

hehe, that happens more than one might think. Just go to the noob sport wall at a big crag and hang out there for awhile. It's almost worth going to the noob wall just for the movie. Noobs are more fun to watch than pro climbers half the time. I will never forget the time I saw a guy lower off a bolt hanger, in which the sheath failed, and he said "fucking defective shitty rope". I almost passed out laughing.

Rappelling on a very thin rope is obviously not the best technique/idea.

However, if one finds themselves in a true emergency situation, you have to do what you can to get down.

Here are two techniques/systems for rappelling on a very thin rope:

the first one I got from Rgold on one of the internet forums:
- extend your ATC with a sling
- clip a biner to your belay loop
- clip another biner to the rap biner holding your ATC
- connect rope as usual through your ATC for rappelling
- run the rope down to the biner on your belay loop and it back to the biner clipped to your ATC
- rappel as usual

the other idea is from Craig Connoly from his book (Mountaineering)
- extend your ATC with a sling
- clip a biner to your belay loop
- connect rope as usual to your ATC for rappelling
- run rope to biner on your belay loop and put a Munter hitch on the biner
- rappel using your brake hand below Munter hitch

both systems will introduce additional friction into the rappel

Woodchuck ATC wrote:I use 7 or 8mm cord for an emergency chairlift evacuation rap rope.

o_O Are you serious? You actually carry a cord just in case you need to rap off a chairlift?

done it. didn't die.

I use 7mm ProCord often for (double-stranded) rapping when soloing routes in the backcountry or places like the Flatirons. I use a Petzl Reverso and haven't felt like I've needed extra friction with a second biner even for free-hanging raps. I have also rapped on a 6mm aramid line, which is a bit zippy for not having an extra biner/redirect. Elderid makes the Micro Jul belay device (rated down to 6.9mm ropes), but I haven't tried it yet.

Woodchuck ATC wrote:I use 7 or 8mm cord for an emergency chairlift evacuation rap rope. I have no trouble trusting a nice new piece of line that hasn't been dragged as a trail or haul line in any prior use. Clean and new, only saved for that last minute emergency rap off a chair when a breakdown leaves you hung up for an hour in a storm. Quick piece of 1 inch tubular web for a diaper sling, and a rap device of some sort and I'm set. Dont' think the local ski patrol would like me unweighting my chair and leaving on my own though.

One thing if you are a patroller on a lift and in communication with operations, but pretty sketchy if they re-start the lift with you just leaving the chair.

doak wrote:Using 2 biners (side by side) with your ATC instead of 1 will increase the friction, allowing more control of the rappel. I first learned this trick from a fellow bigwaller when rapping with a heavy pig. It effectively makes the biner wider, which places more bend on the rope to neck into the ATC device, resulting in more friction. 7mil is bomber, I've been using one for years as a tag-line and 2nd rope for rapping. I've used 6mil too. 5mil gives me pause, plus the small ropes get really tangly.

+1 also a great trick when rapping with twin/double ropes

Rapping on 7mm static cord is a legit strategy. Agreed with above posters: use multiple biners with your ATC to increase friction and control. Consider gloves, too, especially for steep raps.

I'd be wary of committing myself to a long series of rappels with just static cord, in case a stuck rope, halfway down the wall, forces me to lead back up. For a single rap, though, it's OK.

If you're looking for stronger and lighter, option, find 6mm cord with some type of dyneema/spectra/aramid high-tech kinda fiber. Edelrid makes one:
edelrid.de/en/Edelrid/Sport…

As the OP mentioned earlier, a 10m chunk of extra cord would also be useful for extending rappels. I wrote about a useful setup here (scroll down to "Extendo-Rapping"):
ropeandsummit.wordpress.com…

If done properly, you don't need to pass any knots. You don't even need to weight the extra cord. I've actually used a long chain of stoppers, slings, and cams to eke out a 40m rap with a single 70m rope!

Damn, those rap lines look nice! Hah, a 200m line, you could rap straight through 4-5 pitches in one go. I wonder what it weights per meter.

Peter Jackson wrote: o_O Are you serious? You actually carry a cord just in case you need to rap off a chairlift?

I pretty much always ski with a small backpack anywah now days(used to be a butt bag long ago). Dry clothes, food, water, first aid, misc. cameras, and the least item is the short thin 70-80 ft. of cord with a 'biner, brake device and strand of webbing.
I got stranded for nearly 2 hours in freezing temps, back in 70's, ill dressed for the quickly changing weather that helped to break down the chair. Waited for patrol lowering team all that time, at a midwestern ski resort. Will never travel again without it. Have used it twice, but only when the patrol skied by below telling us of impending rescues and totally broken down chair. Even if it had gone back into motion, I'd be off the rap within seconds and pull the rope off chair before any entanglement. Other times have just used the pack and extra clothes to bundle up and wait out the repair for nearly an hour a few times,,once in Utah at Snowbasin. Won't reveal where I rapped off...probably would get banned from ski area if caught, but both times I skied off on my own.

Patrick Shyvers wrote:I wonder what it weights per meter.

25g/m

I have rapped down a short pitch using 7mm accessory cord using a munter instead of the ATC. It worked like a charm, not that I would recommend this but it works.

I used a 100 meter 6 mm "rope" for rappelling off solo climbs in the Canadian Rockies one year, it was light all right.

Kids don't try this at home...