THE KLIEMHIEST
This rope grabbing wrap/carabiner combination can be used in place of the upper point carabiner in a Z drag. It is less likely to slip through the upper point carabiner or a non-prusik minding pulley than is a simple prusik
THE KLIEMHIEST
This is a rope grabbing wrap that will function like a prusik. It is worth knowing because it can be performed with webbing as well as with cord. Be careful to experiment in order to determine how many wraps are needed to grab the rope securely. The number of wraps needed will vary depending on the rope and the webbing used. NOTE: More wraps are usually required.
A SIMPLE LOWER
Sometimes it is necessary to lower a participant or an injured climber down a long distance. Lowering a participant can be much faster than setting up and belaying a rappel. Speed can be important in the event of a thunderstorm or other environmental threat. It is possible to lower on a munter as is recommended for the rappel rescue, but it is hard on the rope. If you intend to lower someone a significant distance, use the set up below with a slot device or figure eight descender. The belay is extended down from the anchor with a short sling and then bent up and through a highercarabiner
in the anchor in order to maximize the breaking power. This is important with either a slot device or figure eight descender. If the anchor is created with a cordelette, the upper carabiner can be a clipped into the "shelf" . -The belayer is providing an active belay, but he is backed up with a prusik that is clipped into his harness. This back up should not be omitted. Illustration on following page.
KNOT PASSES
Knowing how to pass a knot is essential in many situations: when lowering over a distance of more than a rope length, when the rope has been cut by rock fall and retied, when dealing with a many rescue situations where joined ropes are necessary, etc.
The knot pass can be confusing. The load should never be held by a prusik without a backup of a real belay or a figure eight on a bight clipped into an anchor.
THE KNOT PASS SEQUENCE:
The knot pass must be performed according to a simple sequence. It is important to know other techniques such as haul systems to resolve the complications which can arise if the knot pass is performed incorrectly. Note: Both the secondary belay and the backup can be attached to the primary anchor. There is no need for three separate anchors.
STEP ONE: A secondary belay must be prepared and attached to the load line with a prusik or kliemhiest. In the illustration on the previous page, the secondary belay is a munter and the primary belay is a figure eight descender set up to lower as is described in the section on lowering. The secondary belay can be set up with the opposite end of the rope, a doubled cordellete or an entirely separate length of rope. The secondary belay must be of the same strength as the primary belay. If you are lowering a multi person rescue load with a rescue belay system, the secondary belay must have a large load capacity as well. Using a mariners hitch in place of the secondary belay would be totally inappropriate. It is usually impossible to remove all the slack after passing the knot. Releasing a mariners hitch with slack in the line will result in dangerous shock loading.
STEP TWO: Before the knot which must be passed reaches the primary belay/lower setup, the load must be taken onto the secondary belay with the prusik. The secondary belay should be locked off with a load releasing hitch. In the illustration on the previous page, the munter is backed up with a mule hitch. It is important to back up the load releasing hitch on the secondary belay, but the crucial back up is the figure eight on a bight on the primary belay.
STEP THREE: Before abandoning the primary belay, a back up figure eight on a bight must be tied in the rope, behind the knot (as in the illustration), and clipped into the anchor. This back up is essential, because the secondary belay is only holding the load with a prusik, which might slip. Make sure to leave enough slack between the knot to be passed and the backup to allow the rope below the knot to be put into the primary belay/lower.
STEP FOUR: Take the rope out of the primary belay, move the knot to be passed down below the primary belay and then put the rope back into the primary belay/lower setup.
Take as much slack out of the primary load line as possible. Hold the belay or secure it with a back up load releasing hitch.
STEP FIVE: Release the load releasing hitch on the secondary belay and lower the load back onto the primary belay. The load may need to be lowered a significant distance before it comes onto the primary belay. Be sure that the secondary belay was set up with enough line.
STEP SIX: Remove the prusik and secondary belay. Remove the back up figure eight on a bight from the main line and, continue with the belay/lower.
THE CORDELLETE
A cordellete is an extremely useful tool for the climbing instructor. It's use can simplify many tasks. A cordellete is simply a fourteen to twenty four foot section of good seven or eight millimeter cord. (I prefer a pre-knotted length of twenty feet.) Choosing length and diameter is a question of trade offs: A longer cordellete is useful when making anchors that are composed of pieces spread out over a wide distance, improvising a personal tether, as an etrier for a participant, etc. The draw back of the longer cordellete is its bulk and reduced convenience of use — it is harder to keep untangled. The advantage of greater diameter is a stronger cord which is more reliable for anchors, hauling, lowering loads if used as the secondary belay in a knot pass, etc. Two draw backs of the larger diameter cord are bulk and increased difficulty when using the cordellete as a rope grabbing wrap such as a prusik or kliemhiest.
The cordellete can be used to quickly make S.R.E.N.E. anchors out of two, three or four pieces of protection as illustrated below. To make an anchor, start by clipping all of the pieces of protection into
the cordellete and bringing the cord down from each carabiner as shown. and tie them into a big overhand on a bight. Don't waste time trying to neaten this big knot. NOTE: Be careful using when using the cordellete as an anchor. The cord is relatively slender and it would be better to use something else for all day sling shot anchors. A long piece of webbing or sturdy static rope can be tied in the same mannerfor such anchors.
Illustration below:
UNBELAYED RAPPELLING - not for students
While a participant should always be belayed on a rappel, it is frequently impractical to belay instructors. As an instructor, you have a responsibility to keep yourself safe. You should always back up yourself up on rappel in the manner illustrated.
Comments on the rappel with prussik back-up. The descender is attached to the harness with a short sling. This sling can be girth hitched , tied or clipped into the harness as is shown. The higher position of the descender helps to keep it clear of clothing, but more importantly allows for a rope grabbing wrap back-up to be placed below the descender on the breaking side of the rope. The descender should not be so high as to be out of comfortable reach. Your break hand should be kept above the rope grabbing wrap, keeping it from grabbing the rope unless you loose control. A prusik is used in the illustration. My preference for this purpose is a bachman: the prusik cord can be left girthed through the leg loop and wrapped into and out of the bachman without being removed from the harness.
This back up system will work with either a single or double rope rappel. When rappelling on small diameter rope, make sure that your rope grabbing wrap has enough wraps to grab the rope and hold your weight before you start
This backup method is superior to a prusik above the descender. The rope is grabbed in the breaking position and it is easier to unload the rope grabbing wrap after it has been weighted
