Break into a tight line - Ninja level #CraftyRopeTrick
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I first saw this on the Instagram of Vladislav Babikov, @babikov_vlad, an Israel based paramedic and rescue expert. Thanks Vlad!
Scenario: someone (or something) is loading a rope that’s fixed on one end. The load is hanging in space and there's no way to create slack.
Your mission: free up the end of the rope so you can make a 3:1 hauling system and pull the load up toward you.
I'll start by saying this is not something that most recreational climbers should ever have to do. In most vertical rescue scenarios, you're better off lowering the load down instead of hauling it up.
This particular technique is more of a rigging, rope access, search and rescue kind of thing, and yes, climbers probably will not carry the gear used here.
Having said that . . . The gear head and mechanical advantage nerd in me LOVES learning and practicing this kind of stuff! It teaches lateral thinking and creative use of gear in unexpected situations, which is always a good thing.
So, even if you're sure you’ll never use something like this, give it a try. It's good for your noggin. =^)
Gear used (you can improvise a bit . . . )
60 cm sling
a second sling, 60 or 120 cm
1 standard carabiner (medium/large)
1 locking carabiner
Petzl Rollclip or similar device (could substitute carabiner & pulley)
Petzl Micro Traxion pulley
Petzl Tibloc (could substitute prusik)
Step by step:
Basket hitch a 60 cm sling through the anchor master point. Clip a locker to the sling.
Install the Traxion pulley on the rope, teeth facing up away from the load.
Clip the sling with locker to the Traxion. Push the Traxion down toward the load as far as it will go.
Clip a carabiner to the rope above the Traxion. The sides of this carabiner should be on the outside plates of the Traxion.
Clip the second sling to this carabiner. This could be any length sling, or an open / untied cordelette.
Put the Tibloc on the rope, top of the Tibloc facing down. Clip the Rollclip to the Tibloc. Pass the end of the sling through the Rollclip.
Start pulling up on the sling, with (I think) a 2:1 mechanical advantage.
Here's where the magic happens: the carabiner clipped above the Traxion pulls the rope down toward the load, which creates slack in the rope between the Traxion and the knot.
This will look like rope sorcery the first few times you try it, it's pretty cool.
Untie the end of the rope from the anchor.
Remove the non-locking carabiner and the second sling. (When you do this, be careful not to let go of the Tibloc, because it'll probably slide down the rope and may go out of reach, whoops!)
Take the end of the rope and pass it through the Rollclip.
Voila, now you have a 3:1 Z pull. Start pulling up to lift your load. Reset the Tibloc / tractor as necessary. If you want to use your body weight to pull down instead of up, you can redirect your pulling strand by clipping it through the anchor, then you're pulling down, with the cost of adding some additional friction.
Finally: Give yourself a high five because you just learned a very cool new #CraftyRopeTrick. =^)
Want to see my video demo how to do this, start to finish?
