Best technique for soloing on rope????

What is the best and safest way of soloing on a fixed rope ?

Just recieved the above question via my site, and since Ive never really done it I thought Id throw it open to the group to discuss?

Any ideas?

Rod Crag X

This has been beat to death in the past, so if you want to wade through about 500 posts on the subject, try dejanews... I also believe that the subject is mentioned on tradgirl's (very good) web page...

I use a modified grigri and back up by clipping loops on a seperate line... I also like the rescuescender, though it is not as convienient as the modified grigri... My experience with toothed ascenders (petzl basic et.al.) is that they fuzz the shit out of the rope sheath and can easily tear the sheath if slack is allowed to build up in the system (it inevitably does)... clove hitch is OK, but you have to keep adjusting it, unmodified grigri is OK but you have to feed the rope...

Whatever you use, keep track of how it is attached to your harness, if it's an ascender, either girth hitch it to your harness with a runner or come up with a sneaky way to prevent the carabiner from crossloading (i use tape, others use rubber bands, be creative)... Back up by tying in short, or if that is not possible clip loops on a second line...

Given the nature of the topic, someone will inevitably respond to this, expound upon the evils of the modified grigri, point out that the rescuscender is not recommended for self-belay, and swear that the basic is the best device to use...

Listen to them, listen to me, and figure it out for yourself...

Before you buy.

Excellent summary of a few years worth of posts! BTW, how you healing? Cheers, Christian :?)

Before you buy.

It should be pointed out that if you are not confident with setting your gear up , then you should be very careful.

If you are truly rope soling up from the bottom of the crag, I would humbly suggest that if you have to ask, you shouldn't be doing it.

If you are effectively 'self toproping ' yourself on one pitch routes, then you could try using a shunt. Has the advantage of camming onto the rope with a smooth surface.

As mentioned toothed ascenders can damage the rope. If you do use one, try usign a chest harness or some slings as a chest hraness to pull the ascender up the rope above your waistbelt. This will reduce the drop height before the ascender takes your weight and alo means that it is orientated correctly. Do clip a screwgate krab through the holes at the top of the ascender which help to keep the rop going into the top of the ascender so it goes down into the cam and not in from the side (could be nasty)

Don't forget to double check everything, make the belay equalised and stack in loads of bomber gear. Do becareful doing this kind of thing on crags where people may walk by and fiddel with your belay without you seeing them.

Wear a helmet. If something drops on your head and knocks you out. you will be left swinging in the wind literally until you come round.

Don't be afraid to use another rope in parallel which you tie yourself off to. If you tie yourself off to the rope that your ascender or shunt is on, they will not slide up the rope as well and will not stop you as quickly.

Do use a larger diameter rope, preferably an 11mm

and stick something on the bottom to act as a tensioner, or near the bottom the shunt/prussik/ascender will just pull the rope up rather than slide through, so you keep having to take a hand off to pull the rope through. Just pop a sack on the bottom just off the ground with something suitably heavy in. Don't overdo it, or you won't be able to ab back down (a whole lot easier than prussiking up!).

Peter Clinch writes

Somebody earlier in the thread mentioned that the modified Grigri makes weighting the rope unnecessary. I wonder how that works?

Speaking of which, dont forget your prussik loops/ second ascender/descender etc., so you're not stuck if you can't finish the route.

Sean

Pretty much healed... I feel fine but every once in a while, if I pull on it wrong, the tendon just locks up... The doctor said that this is normal 'cause the tendon has a lot of scar tissue on it, but it sure can hurt like a SOB... Had it happen while trying to place a tricam the other day down at farley ledge... almost cost me a long fall...

thanks...

Before you buy.

Doesn't make it totally unnecessary, but it self-feeds well enough that after 10 feet or so the rope itself provides enough weight to self-feed through the grigri... this has actually become a problem for me when using the modified grigri to self-belay on lead... if you don't watch out it'll drop out a bunch of slack on you....

Before you buy.

Can you still get Gibbs ascenders? Perfect for self-lining/stoproping - no weight needed on the rope so nothihg to jam when you pull it up.

With ALL stoproping devices, if you have a clear run so jamming isnt a problem sto and sit on it every few feet or so to put a thumbknot in hte rope - I've seen folk slide down ropes very fast when their shunts didnt catch........

Thanks to everyone who posted or sent suggestions.

I attach centre of main rope to X2 locking caribiners at top anchor with a figure 8. In effect I now have two ropes on which to climb up.
I use a Shunt on one, and then tie into 2nd one at 1 to 2mtr intervals.
As you climb of course you have to untie one loop and tie into a new one before climbing further up.

Mike