RG retrieval from ground

[Tom Dunlap]

I found a file that someone sent me illustrating how to retrieve the Rope Guide from the ground.

I don't remember who sent it, sorry.

 

[Treespotter]

It looks like a lot of hassle to me, but i think it's a clever trick to get the gear out without having to catch a projectile.

Wolter

 

[Oskar]

I think it was "Roachy" that came up with the idea,
I made the illustrations from his descriptions.
I agree, it is a lot of hassle, though clever.
There are a few other tricks if you wanna lower the
RG with style...

One is to bring a small bag of throwline up the tree.
After you've installed the RG just tie the throwline to the
ring and toss the bag over a limb.

Perhaps even simpler is just when you start retrieving
the RG, make a toss with your throwline (from the ground)
over a fairly high branch. Let the bag drop close to
the pulling side of your climbing line. Clip a carabiner
to the throwbag and clip it over the climbing line.
Pull the throwline up, pull on the climbing line to get
the RG out and then lower the whole thing with the throwline.
Ok, it sounds more complicated than it is.
A good thing about this method is that you can deploy
it at any time, your splice and retrieval-ball may even
be on its way up to the RG.

/ Oskar

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Thanks for giving me the heritage of the illustration.

Agreed, it is a bit complex. Oskar's solutions are much easier as long as the groundies pay attention to the throwline.

 

[Rupe]

Have you guys seen the new attachment from ART especially for retrieving the RG from the ground with just one line?

You attach the throwilne to the end of your climbing line (splice end) via the special gadget which also contains the retreival ball. Then when at the top the gadget and throwline attach themseves the RG, and the retrieval ball comes out and collects the RG as normal but now its on the end of the line.

A picture paints a thousand words. Maybe someone could help with that!

 

[Ross]

Im sure Nod will post something as he is a supplier for these in the UK.

 

[Treespotter]

Why not use the footlockline when it is in the tree.
Tie the end of the footlockline around the climbing line (prussic side) and pull the knot up to at least half the distance the RG is.
Now pull the climbing line out off the tree. The RG drops down and beond the point where you put the knot. Than you can lower it on the footlockline.

Wolter

 

[Rupe]

I use that method often. You can also clip the footlock strop onto the climbing line (hitch side) then abseil down the footlock line after first unclipping the climbing line. As you go down it goes up and the RG is out of the tree before you are!

Of course this relies on your footlock rope and climbing rope both following the same course out of tree

 

[Nathan]

This thing Rupe?

 

[Rupe]

Thats the thing. Very clever, but I don't think the plastic would live long in a bag full of hardwear.

 

[Jim]

Nathan, is that a homemade rope guide? Looks good. Can you post a better picture of the set up?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[Oskar]

Jim, it's the new version of the Rope-Guide.
From what I understand it's got little plastic thingies
to help retrieve it with throwline and also the retrieval
ball is substituted with some kind of plastic.
To me it seems there are too many parts on this otherwise
excellent tool.

 

[treebing]

One thing that can be done is to set a line as in SRT, locked in place with a reverse bowline (so its wider). then acend the line with the ART pulley attached to the accent line. I spliced some tenex so I could attach it to the line with a kleimhiest hitch. (you need a seperate pulley for this then your normal rope guide. Your work line goes through the pulley like normal but the harp then goes on to a cordlett line attached to the bowline loop. When You come out of the tree, the retreivl ball comes through the pulley, hits the harp and you pull the bowline out over the the pulley. Does that make sense?
the problem is that the pulley has to pass through the crotch, which might not always be feasible.

What I usually do for retrievle because not every tree needs an acent line, and the previous mentioned technique has some issues that might need to be ironed out is simply buck in on a lower branch, high enough so that nothing hits the ground when I pull out the rope guide or friction saver. Then I rapel the rest of the way to the ground. This is good because if anything by chance gets stuck, I'm already in the tree and life isn't so dificult.

kevin