Descending 3/8" kern SRT?

[Bart_]

Hi Moss,
I remember when you posted about that. Question- you just went for it DRT'd down to the end of the rope DRT not switched to SRT. So the hitch locked hard DRT? And lifting up 2:1 DRT was super tough, was that because the hitch also refused to go back up when you pulled the tail?

I get how SRT hitch lock up can be brutal if your assist device gaffs out a bit like if you don't set your wrench before loading the hitch. (soft tether days).

By the way, I still use a plastic pipe with hitch slingshot anchor per you from back then. Thanks. No wichard, went with archery.

 

[moss]

Hi Moss,
I remember when you posted about that. Question- you just went for it DRT'd down to the end of the rope DRT not switched to SRT. So the hitch locked hard DRT? And lifting up 2:1 DRT was super tough, was that because the hitch also refused to go back up when you pulled the tail?

I get how SRT hitch lock up can be brutal if your assist device gaffs out a bit like if you don't set your wrench before loading the hitch. (soft tether days).

By the way, I still use a plastic pipe with hitch slingshot anchor per you from back then. Thanks. No wichard, went with archery.

Awesome! Yes, told that story long ago. Yes, descended DdRT, theoretically I could’ve switched to SRT and made it to the ground on a Munter/carabiner rappel but that would be too complicated in a situation where I was fading. So the end of the tail was jammed inside the hitch, caught on the tape wrap on the end of my line. No tail to pull on to move the hitch back up.
-AJ

 

[Bart_]

If your hitch was short, (I realize hind sight is unfair especially in a brain fade situation) could you reach up just above the hitch and pull "the tail" to get up and reconfigure enough to regroup for final descent? Or maybe you were running a long bridge putting above the hitch beyond reach. Complicated thought of course escapes a faded brain. But from your story my take away is to realize in a pinch extra descent could come from putting a long lanyard series-ed off the main system. And don't get brain fade. Hope your eye's working out for the better. take care.

 

[moss]

If your hitch was short, (I realize hind sight is unfair especially in a brain fade situation) could you reach up just above the hitch and pull "the tail" to get up and reconfigure enough to regroup for final descent? Or maybe you were running a long bridge putting above the hitch beyond reach. Complicated thought of course escapes a faded brain. But from your story my take away is to realize in a pinch extra descent could come from putting a long lanyard series-ed off the main system. And don't get brain fade. Hope your eye's working out for the better. take care.

The hitch was in reach, I was climbing on my New Tribe Tengu at the time and had a low attachment point to my harness. I was in survival mode beyond brain fade. It took everything I had to lift myself up with arms only and hold myself long enough with one arm to unclip and drop. Anyone out there should try it sometime, harder to get yourself off a carabiner in an open hang (no feet on the tree) than you might think. I've since practiced the maneuver and it's pretty doable once you figure out the most efficient movements involved.

Needless to say I never stay in a tree in warm weather when I run out of water or I have it sent up. I was lucky that I was close enough to the ground to drop off of my system. If not I would've had to figure something else out. It would've been something like attach to my main rope above the hitch with my lanyard or a second hitch or combination of, then unload the stuck hitch, unclip from my primary and go to the ground on my lanyard single rope mode to maximize length.

It's been a year and a couple months since my accident, the eye situation is settled in to no functional vision right eye. My brain has been and is continuing to adjust to no 3-D vision. I've been on full go climbing and working. It's amazing what you can figure out, I can split wood accurately, position my top-handle saw face cuts, catch a challenging frisbee throw (very important, right?), rock hop (a little slower), bushwhack through the worst brush, and pour coffee most of the time without missing the cup ;-) Skills we take for granted but had to be relearned. Thx!
-AJ

 

[Bart_]

More power to you and keep on keeping on. Protect the good one well.