Basal Anchor for MRS pulley climbing

[Winchman]

Since the friction knot is the sticking point in my setup, I'll just replace it with this rated auto-locking decender device.

I bought it and used it some before I got the ZZ, so I know it works, and now I've got a good use for it.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

For Tom: I'm not getting notifications when new posts are made to threads I'm following. Can you fix that, please?

I too have been missing my email notifications, I haven’t seen a single one in several days.

I sent a note to our Tech folks. This afternoon I got a notice about some issues that they found. They are working on what they found.

 

[laddo]

Trunk wrap belay brake.

In use I tie a slipped and locked half hitch below the friction hitch. There is always plenty of friction from the trunk wrap.

Simple and no cost. Everyone has an extra HMS biner and some cordage to make the sling.







View attachment 73981

Are there any guidelines on how long to make the sling/hitch? Like, how tight or loose it should be? If that makes sense


• Aim High, Climb Trees •

 

[Tom Dunlap]

I think that mine is about 20" or so after tying the hitch. Nothing exact. In use you want the belayer to be able to adjust without the sling being wrapped all around the trunk out of reach.

 

[Winchman]

I have two slings with thimbles fitted in permanent figure eights on a bight on one end. One is long enough for two wraps around the largest tree I regularly climb (3'+dbh), and the other about ten feet long for two wraps on smaller trees. I put the sling around the tree twice, and run the end through the thimble, and tie another 8 to have it ready when I've hauled up the other stuff. I'm going to try doing without the friction hitch now that I've brought the decender into the picture. I'll see how that goes the next time I climb.

Thanks, Tom. I've started getting notifications again.

 

[Winchman]

The decender device was easy enough to use in place of the friction knot in my basal anchor setup. It took a little longer the first time, but that'll be temporary. Here's what it looks like. The decender gets more vertical and the back-up has less slack when my weight is on the rope.

You'll be happy to see I've got a big-ass steel auto-locking carabiner in place of one of the screw-lock Oxans. It came with my Camp harness, but I replaced it right away with a Petzl aluminum OK triact.

 

[Butch La Roue]

Descenders are nice, though maybe using the gear Laddo already has, he could use the figure-8 in the traditional sense and then tie a hard lock (around the 8 itself and finished with two half hitches). Back up the system with both a stopper knot below it (like an alpine butterfly) and a friction hitch above it.

I've used a system just like this. It looks a little busy, but with a basic understanding from your groundies, its a very safe emergency lowering system. Just a matter of untying the butterfly, removing the hard lock, and using both hands, lower rope through the 8 and manage the friction hitch until the climber is home safe.

A few of my groundies have a rock climbing/canyoneering background and they are familiar with the friction added to a figure-8 or ATC.

 

[MSmith]

Running bowline yosemite with an alpine butterfly at 6' for a rescue situation

 

[ghostice]

Running bowline yosemite with an alpine butterfly at 6' for a rescue situation

Just a comment, on a lot of what I'm stuck dealing with day to day, I wouldn't want a knot going up somewhere on the lowering line - often the rope winds it's way thru branches and whorles before reaching the TIP - so a lowerable system with a knot has a chance to get snagged or foul up the lowering job. If you've got a straight shot to your TIP, peachy, but if not, I know in my heart of hearts that as soon as the situation goes up on the "dire need index" then that situation also goes up on the "probably something is going to screw up index" as well. My 2 centz for this AM.