Rope Soloing Ice

Never really seen this one brought up before.
Please link it if there is another thread about this.
I feel like a standard rock TR setup would work pretty well (you always have the backup knots if the main device fails.)
However, most people just seem to free solo instead of rigging ropes.
Who's done it?
Seems like to Silent Partner would be the most iced up rope proof(ish.)

I've seen it done in the ouray ice park but didn't look closely enough to see their specific setup.

If you actually fall on a solo belaying system on ice you'll really be wishing for a partner to get your broken body to the hospital. good luck self rescuing with two broken ankles. If you're gonna solo do it on something well within your abilities and enjoy moving without the bother of a rope.

Roped solo TR is no big deal using any of the usual setups. Just keep the device dry (i.e. no slush on the rope). If you periodically clip into a second rope as a backup, this can result in a bight of rope below your feet, which Murphy's Law says WILL snag on an icicle at the worst possible moment. BTDT.

Keenan Waeschle wrote:If you actually fall on a solo belaying system on ice you'll really be wishing for a partner to get your broken body to the hospital.

The OP is referring to solo TRing, are you referring to a fall on a lead solo system? The reason I ask is because I've taken dozens of "falls" on my solo TR setup with absolutely no problems. I've logged over a few hundred pitches on my TR setup with no worries, great way to get pumped and run laps without having to bring a partner along.

The rope soloing is pretty straight forward. Fix a line and use an ushba or a gri. I've used both for years without problem.

I was kind of leaving it open to see how or if people do either TR or leading.
For my uses I am looking to TR.

Good advice Mike, didn't think about the loops snagging. Might be best to go Petzl style and use two devices instead of knots.

"I've logged over a few hundred pitches on my TR setup with no worries, great way to get pumped and run laps without having to bring a partner along."
What's you setup Bud? Any tips?

I've done it on the soloist, easy setup and great to get in a bunch of routes quickly...same as for rock obviously

logan johnson wrote:What's you setup Bud? Any tips?

Single line hanging with some weight on the end. Single minitraxion on belay loop with shock cord girth hitched around the device and looped over my neck. The shock cord is not load bearing at all, it simply keeps the device up (around my belly button) so that the fall is shorter.

I don't use backups and just use a single device. Some folks at the crag tell me I'm going to die. Like I said, I have a good amount of mileage on this system with not a single problem. I've used a minitrax on pretty iced up lines and it worked great.

The silent partner is not recommended for use in freezing conditions or with icy ropes. Frozen water inside the clutch can prevent it from locking and ice on the rope can interfere with the clove hitch cinching down properly.

I was referring to roped solo leading. Yeah, TR soloing on ice is super chill, I'll shut up now.

I favor toothed devices over camming devices for icy ropes, but I am just speculating.

I've used a petzl ascension countless times in easy routes. Just backed it up with another petzl traxion. Never has let me down thus far. But I've never fallen because I only use it up to wi4.

Good info everyone. Very good point about the SP clutch freezing.
I'm thinking Minitrax backed up with a GriGri.
I have never been a fan of rope soloing with toothed devices, but with ice I don't plan on taking multiple (if any) falls.
As far as just using one device with no backup, that is a no-go in my book. I know a lot of people are cool with it but backup knots have saved my ass twice.

I use a micro traxion off my belay loop and girth hitch a 12" sling through my harness with a tibloc on the end to trail behind. I would use something else to back it up if I had it. I typically coil the rope so that it is hanging just off the ground, but I see some folks put an ice screw in at the bottom and clip to it. I just rap with a gri gri and get pitches in until my rope ices up.

mini traction,spinner leashes,substitute backup knots for freedom to climb.

Ive done it with 2 lines. 1 with knots clipped into harness as backup and 1 with a jumar and weight at the bottom. when the rope ices up this setup becomes kinda scary.

It's a great way to log a lot of vertical mileage without freezing or boring your partner. No better way for training, IMO. (I refer to TR solo, not lead solo)

I anchor the rope in the middle, and drop both sides of the rope. Clip a mini-traxion to one strand and an ascender to the other strand. Has worked great for me, runs smoothly.

I just got a petzl shunt, which I plan to use instead of the ascender.

Tom Howes wrote:I use a micro traxion off my belay loop and girth hitch a 12" sling through my harness with a tibloc on the end to trail behind.

Well that's a good way to either destroy your rope or yourself with that tibloc. You'd be better off with just clipping knots for backups. You might want to read the instructions on that tibloc a time or two more.

Bud Martin wrote: Single line hanging with some weight on the end. Single minitraxion on belay loop with shock cord girth hitched around the device and looped over my neck. The shock cord is not load bearing at all, it simply keeps the device up (around my belly button) so that the fall is shorter. I don't use backups and just use a single device. Some folks at the crag tell me I'm going to die. Like I said, I have a good amount of mileage on this system with not a single problem. I've used a minitrax on pretty iced up lines and it worked great.

Mine is similar set up,
-Fixed a line on an anchor with a fig 8 to opposed lokers. Anchor is useall a tree or the chain atop G1 , Rap off the single line.
-Bundle the remaining rope a foot of the ground (acts as the weight)
-locking biner on one micro traxion (they feed much smoohter than the mini)to belay loop and climb.
rap off (use atc), lather, rinse and repete till pumped out.
-head home knowing that you did more laps than if you were changing belays

I use the same system I use for autobelaying on rock: fix both strands to a top-rope anchor (e.g. using a fig 8 on a bight), clip an USHBA to my belay loop on one strand, and clip a Petzl Microcender to the second strand, as a backup (per Petzl's recommendation "Installation on the harness with two ascenders" at petzl.com/en/outdoor/self-b… ). I weight the ropes with my pack and am ready to climb.

I was fortunate to find one of the last available USHBA devices before they were discontinued; it supposedly works well on muddy and even icy ropes, and I like using ascending devices without teeth.

It does take a minute to switch to an ATC Guide for rappelling; also I carry a foot Prusik cord in case I get stuck half way up (which happened on Monday when the ice I was hoping to climb was already full, so I tried a challenging mixed route nearby -- damn, you can get pumped out fast when drytooling!).