Wednesday, September 2, 2015

When you solo, nobody can tell you you're stupid.

Not tensionless, not a knot.

More carabiners, even though he tied bowlines.

He was using 2 static lines for self belay. The prussik was probably used to go over the edge for rigging, another bad idea making the rounds.

4 comments:

  1. Speaking as someone who often TR solos at CR, this setup is definitely a bit off. I'm curious about your advice against using a prussic to protect at the top though. I do this fairly often (prussic on the tail of an anchor line, with a stopper at the end just in case) and find it to be a convenient and secure method. What is the issue with this approach?

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  2. AMGA is sending people over the edge just to rig a top rope, this is an unnecessary risk. Minimize risk, don't introduce a tool that may or may not work. In 40 years at Carderock I can recall only one fall from the top, the guy thought he was anchored (he recovered). Committing to the rope always has risk, if you have to, OK, but acknowledge the increased risk. I have a ti-bloc handy for emergencies, it rarely slips, and I use a grip grip, so lowering yourself on that is more predictable.

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  3. I was taught to use a prussik on a static line as a tether to go over the edge for rigging the (static line tether is the extra rope in the system after creating the actual anchor). Better practice to use an ATC guide in guide mode?

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  4. Don't go over the edge, it is an unnecessary risk. Risk should always be minimized, sure prussiks usually work, but you don't need to commit your life to the rope just to set up an anchor.

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