Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Trust your clove hitch? Well, no.

Another gym victim. Two unnecessary points of failure and an unstable clove hitch. A bowline is every bit as adjustable, and safer.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

More 8 mil.

8mm slung around a loose block, with 2 cams, non-locking carabiners and the skinniest runners made. Also, don't leave your stuff at the top of a climb at Carderock, it can disappear. There is a rope bag/tarp (not at the bottom where it could be used), another cam, and the overpriced $40 guidebook.

What is the yellow thing with the rings? No clue. They still didn't quite get over the edge.

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Yes, that is the climbing rope.

One piece of webbing, one carabiner, the climbing rope is running over a nylon pack, so it can abrade it. When they lowered a climber it ran so fast it could melt the pack.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Can you tie a knot without a carabiner?

Archimedes may be dead but he is still right. This school rigs its rappels way up in the tree, stressing the tree. Check out the one on the right.

Unnecessary links with the webbing and the carabiner. The anchor should be at the base of the tree.

Was it supposed to be a bowline?

When in doubt, make it a big knot.

A little blurry because he is being lowered. Single carabiners connecting to a single 1/4" sling.

Friday, November 18, 2016

Dog bones and flying anchors

The gigantic tree wasn't good enough so he used a dog bone, AKA sport draw, to connect to the sling around a rock.
Give the tree roots a break! The flying anchor looks like it is attached with a prusik to keep the anchor from sliding. The slings and carabiners are unnecessary and increase risk.

Sunday, November 13, 2016

If it isn't quite a bowline, what is it?

One big loop clipped to another.

Love the flying horizontal carabiner.

Single strand webbing.

Uh, not sure about this.

Not quite...

Saturday, November 12, 2016

Friday, November 11, 2016

If you can't tie a knot...


They had at least 50 feet of rope left over, but they went with this. Note the brand new PMI rope.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Overkill

Rescue rope at least 1/2" and big steel carabiner. All this work and introduce risk by using the carabiner.

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Where is all the 8mm rope coming from?

The epidemic of 8mm continues with some slings for good measure.

If you only have some rope, use it on sections crossing rock edges, not like here.

Using skinny webbing instead of the ample supply of rope is inexcusable.

Same thing here, with the sketchy clove hitch. Note that the end of the rope is clipped in because the climber doesn't really trust the clove hitch. This was tied by an instructor.

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Tie off to the big tree?

Nah, sling the two loose rocks...

and side load the carabiners.

Two daisy chains connected by a quick link.