How to Use a Rappelling Line as a Safety Rope
Rappelling lines, or ropes, are typically static and have few tendencies to stretch when placed under a weight load. This type of rope makes for a perfect safety line because the safety line tends to be fixed in position and is often placed under heavy stress. Setting the safety line off a rappelling line is no different than setting a climbing rope on a fixed anchor.
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Things You'll Need
- 2-inch tubular webbing
- Locking carabiners
- Carabiners
- Anti-slip tension device such as an ATC
- 8.5mm to 12mm rappelling/static line rope
Instructions
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Pick out your anchor point to fix the rappelling line. Your anchor can be two to three trees, rocks or even a singular rock or large tree.
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Set the tubular webbing around the anchor point and close the wrap with a locking carabiner -- a metal D-clip designed to withstand falls and lock ropes into position. The average weight a carabiner can withstand during a fall is around 7 kilo-Newtons (kNs), or roughly 1,600 pounds. Turn the carabiner gate to the right to close it, then turn it back to the left by one-quarter of a turn.
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Clip the ATC device -- a friction device used to stop falls from a fixed rope during belays or rappels -- into the carabiner and thread the rappelling line/safety through the ATC. Follow the ATC maker's instructions as they vary from model to model.
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Thread the safety line through any fixed anchor points on the rock face or crag. Tie into the safety line through your chest or seat harness using a double figure-eight knot tied off to a locking carabiner at the harness attachment point.
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Tips & Warnings
Mountaineering, caving and climbing are inherently dangerous activities and should not be attempted without proper training and understanding of the principles of the gear.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit rock climbing image by cherie from Fotolia.com
