Page 161 - Rappelling
P. 161
The Reepschnur
This technique is the most common rigging
method to block a rappel rope when two ropes are
tied together. The larger rope is threaded through
the anchor and tied to the thinner line with a flat
overhand—or a bulkier knot if needed. Remember,
the knot must be bulky enough to jam into the
rappel rings, chain links, or quick links. Below the
jamming knot, a figure eight loop is tied on the
thinner line and clipped to the rappel strand with
a locking carabiner. This is a critical backup that is
the key to safely rappelling with the Reepschnur
method.
A tragic accident occurred in Yosemite Valley
in May 2011 when Brian Ellis (age 31) and Japhy
Dhungana (age 25) were rappelling down after
completing a multipitch route. They were using two
ropes: a 10.2mm-diameter dynamic lead line and a
6mm tag or haul line. At a two-bolt anchor rigged
with nylon webbing and rappel rings, they rigged
a Reepschnur system. They threaded the 10.2mm
rope through the two rappel rings, joined the 6mm
cord to the 10.2mm rope with a flat overhand (and
backed it up with a second overhand) to form a
block, then Ellis rappelled on the 10.2mm rope
with a Trango Cinch.
Perhaps distracted by wanting to photograph
other climbers who were climbing up the route
they were descending, both Ellis and his partner
failed to tie the backup knot, which proved to
be a fatal mistake when the jamming knot pulled
through the rings. Dhungana tried to grab the 6mm
cord to stop Ellis’s plunge, but the thin rope burned
through his hands. Somehow the cord tangled and
jammed at the rings, but the impact force broke the
cord, and Ellis fell 400 feet to his death.
Canyoneering carabiner block technique Dhungana later commented: “During every
using a clove hitch. The rappel strand in this single rappel that Brian and I had done together with
configuration is the strand on the right. Note this system, we have tied the backup knot. The prin-
how the rope runs inside the locking carabiner cipal overhand knot had never passed through the
to close the system. rings before. However, the one time we forgot to tie
the backup, sadly, was when it was most critical.”
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