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rappelling

 
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vance432





Joined: 07 Sep 2006
Posts: 7
Location: phoenix

PostPosted: 10/7/2006, 5:49 pm    Post subject: rappelling Reply to topic Reply with quote

I want to learn how to rappel. Are there any schools for teaching this activity or better yet anyone willing to teach?
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Sparrish





Joined: 04 Jul 2004
Posts: 239
Location: Phleeenix

PostPosted: 10/7/2006, 8:30 pm    Post subject: Re: rappelling Reply to topic Reply with quote

vance432 wrote:
I want to learn how to rappel. Are there any schools for teaching this activity or better yet anyone willing to teach?


The Arizona Mountaineering Club provides instructon in anchors and rope-work, follow this link:
http://www.azmountaineeringclub.org/
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 10/8/2006, 5:35 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

This (azmountaineering club) would probably be a good choice. Just learning to rappel is a piece of cake, your grandma could do it, but learning to safely set up the anchors, etc., takes time. For most serious rock climbers, rappelling is considered a very small part of the sport. For technical rescue, which I have more experience with than I do with rock climbing, setting up the anchors, learning to rappel while attending to a victim, is certainly a very interesting pursuit as well.

I don't recommend learning to rappel in a rock gym, not unless they take you outside to a real cliff, and show you the anchor systems, knots, etc.
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Sparrish





Joined: 04 Jul 2004
Posts: 239
Location: Phleeenix

PostPosted: 10/8/2006, 6:38 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Of course, azbackpackr is quite correct and just to expand on her point a little bit. I understand that a lot of climbing accidents occur after the climb, where a rap has not been set up properly. The whole thing is best viewed as a complete system from anchor, to rope, to harness, to climber (or rapeller) and any error (including pilot, as I describe below) in this system could prove injurious or fatal. AMC will instill an atmosphere of "safety first" and this is drilled into you from the beginning.

I can speak from experience on this subject as I was distracted for a second (partner called for me to toss down some slings) while preparing to rap down a cliff-face. I failed to thread the rope into the parabiner on my belt and I kicked off on the rap. The rope slipped out and the only thing that saved me was the fact that I was able to reach out and grab the anchor sling as I was falling. I one-handed it until I could get a secondary sling attached to the anchor and into my belt. I hung out and completed a proper set-up and finished the rap, then cleaned out my drawers at the bottom of the cliff. After this episode, I always secure a secondary sling from anchor to belt when I prepare to rap, and I release it when I'm 100% certain that I've set it up properly. I check it at least three times before I release the anchor.
I cannot stress this point enough: get some professional training, pay the fees for the classes; they are well worth the money when one considers how vitally important it is to be safe when pursuing vertical adventure.
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lzyboy





Joined: 21 Nov 2004
Posts: 201
Location: Mesa

PostPosted: 10/8/2006, 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

azbackpackr wrote:
Just learning to rappel is a piece of cake, your grandma could do it
Anchors and knots aside, this is one of the reasons it is one of the most dangerous aspects of vertical rope work. Yeah, the basic mechanics are easy, but not knowing how to protect yourself from all the possibilities while on rappel or how to manage problems that arise can be very costly. The most bombproof anchor in the world won't help if you've place yourself in a position for a slight pendulum across a sharp edge and slice your rope, or if you dislodge a rock from above that lands on your unprotected noggin and you haven't set up a backup belay, or set it up properly, and deck. Then what do you do when you accidentally get gear hung up in your belay device?? Ask the girl that got her hair caught and hung from that for several hours on the side of Camelback! Most of the serious climbers I know take the rappel off a climb every bit as serious and important as any other part of climbing, and most try to find ways that avoid it because of the dangers. The forums at Rockclimbing.com are a great source for information, particulary about local groups, but all kinds of info on training and safety, too. Stay safe... and have fun...
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RedRoxx44
Queen of the Walkabout




Joined: 15 Jan 2004
Posts: 1167

PostPosted: 10/8/2006, 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I agree with all said above. I never thought I'd be on rope, and am glad I have had good instruction. I thank the caving grotto I'm in, and the SAR folks who take time out to give us newbys' careful guidance. I still am learning, it is important to learn in a safe environment, not 50 feet off the deck.

Re: rappelling or ascending--out of an old NSS compilation of Caving accidents.
On rope-

Caver backs off edge, slips, falls face first into rock fracturing jaw and requiring significant dental work. (Caver needed better instruction on proper stance for rappel)
Caver ascending a 765 foot pit in Mexico, struck on rope by rockfall. By the time able to get off rope, caver had died. ( Rock gardening needed at rappel launch point)
Caver falls over 45 feet, and lives, when rappel rack apparently cantilevered and broke the gate on the locking biner, then parted from harness. ( Different orientation of gate of biner to device, or set second biner opposite to first, or use a screw link).
Caver ascending runs into some sort of problem, then has a problem making a changeover to rappel and is stranded on rope. Second caver goes to help, they both get in trouble, finally second caver executes a pick off and rappels both down, where they sort thru their gear, reset, and are able to climb out without problems. (Better training of on rope scenarios and practice for changeovers). In quotations from accident reviewers with NSS.

SAR stories--- Helicopter rappel--- problem with controlling a figure 8 device and loss of control-- rope burn down to bone exposure in brake hand.
One that makes me wince, a large breasted woman having her nipple pulled off after clothing is caught and fed into rappel device.

My personal situations--getting a glove stuck in a biner while traversing a pit, getting rope jammed in the rappel device after locking off for a moment, gear tangles.

I lump ascending in there because it is something I think most people ought to have some ability to do in case you ever have to reverse a route.

Gee, just reread the above, pretty grim!!! But nothing like horror stories to make people go out and get instruction they need!!
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Nighthiker





Joined: 05 Jan 2003
Posts: 1714

PostPosted: 10/8/2006, 5:07 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Hair also seems to get caught, been on a few folks who got partialy scalped. Last time I rappelled that also invoved technical climbing, two folks in other groups received a broken arm and another a broken leg.
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Shawn
I'll sell you map to Lost Dutchman mine!




Joined: 03 Jan 2003
Posts: 2592
Location: Ahwatukee, AZ

PostPosted: 10/8/2006, 6:50 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

All that's enough to re-convince me to keep both #13's firmly planted on terra firma.
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 10/8/2006, 6:58 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

You are so wise! Maybe it's because you are a year older than I am? Will I be wise when I'm 54, too? Wink

I like doing most of that stuff (rappelling, pick-offs--hate using ascenders but have done it), , but I'm not too good at all of it, and I go with some people I trust from SAR.
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