How to Rappel Down a Mountain
When participating in rock climbing, by far the best part is rappelling back down the rock face. Even better, you can purely go rappelling without even having to climb up the face first. Rappelling is one of the few sports where you can have all the fun without all the work. So why not try taking a trip with the family or with some friends and go rappelling this weekend? Read on to learn how to rappel down a mountain.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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1
Test your anchor. Before you start it's extremely important to test your anchor. If the anchor seems loose or unstable do not try using it. A quick way to test the strength of your anchor is to hang the largest person in your rappelling party from the rope attached to your anchor with the person only dangling 2 or 3 feet above the ground.
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2
Prepare your rope. First be sure to observe your rope for any fraying or weak sections. If your rope has any signs that it may break do not chance it. Take your rope and fasten it to the anchor by using a double figure eight knot through the carabiner.
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3
Link your rappelling equipment to the rope. From this point on your should be securely daisy chained to your anchor. Each rappelling device is used differently with your rope depending on its brand and style. Read the instructions carefully and if you still do not understand how to safely use the rappelling device, talk to your local sporting supply or climbing store and have them demonstrate for you.
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4
Link your rappelling device to your climbing harness. Clip your rappelling device into your harness by using a locking carabiner. Once you are sure that you are securely fastened to the rappelling device and the rappelling device is securely fastened the rope you will then be able to unhook your daisy chain from the anchor.
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5
Lean back. Here comes the fun part. Grab the rope with your right hand, this will be your brake hand. The rappelling device will allow you to use your brake hand to control how much of the rope will pass through your rappel at a time. The more rope that passes through your hands each time, the faster you will go.
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6
Rappel down. Slowly let the rope go through your hand and bounce off the rock face as you go down. Be careful to watch for jagged edges or other obstructions and go around them. Continue this until you reach the bottom of the face.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Do not under estimate safety. Be sure to wear a helmet to protect your head, gloves to protect your hands, be sure your harness fits your correctly, and make sure that all equipment you use is in good condition.
Rappelling incorrectly can be deadly. If you have never gone repelling before consider going with a guide or an expert who can help you learn the ropes before trying to rappel on your own.
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- Photo Credit younglife.org
