Page 71 - Duane Raleigh - Knots Ropes for Climbers

The first thing to get straight is that you should never pitch off the rope without first checking that the
end is tied to the anchors. Sounds basic, but you'd be surprised at how many climbers assume their
partners have secured the ends, when they haven't. Make

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it a point to always check this yourself, even if your partner says he has done so.

After ensuring that the rope is anchored, stack the rope loose on the ground, with the anchor portion
on the bottom and the end on top. Never throw off the entire rope.

Instead, throw the rope down in sections, starting with the tail. A bulky Stopper Knot tied in the end
will help the rope fall straight. When you have two ropes, toss them down one at a time, again making
sure they are tied together and run through the anchor.

The above technique will work in most situations, unless there is high wind. Then, a thrown rope will
likely blow aroundsometimes straight upand snag behind a flake. Avoid this distressing scenario by
loosely tucking the rope, ends first, in a pack. Have the first person down wear the pack, leaving it
open so that the rope can unwind a bit at a time.

Once the first person is down, he should retain the rope ends and hold the rope steady for the second
person.

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7

On Cord

We don't think much about cord, yet use it almost as often as the rope, and like the rope, we depend on
it absolutely.

Cord is the small stuff we thread through nuts and use to fashion Prusiks and

occasionally runners. Useful diameters are 3 to 9 millimeters. Cord, also called perlon, is made the
same as kernmantle lead rope, and in the case of the 8- to 9-millimeter

diameters, it is lead rope wound onto spools. Three- to 5-millimeter cord makes good shoelaces and
keeper cords for nut tools, hammers, drills, and so on. Five- to 7-millimeter cord is ideal Prusik
material, but certain 5.5- and 7-millimeter are designed just for slinging nuts and are braided from

special high-strength and hard-to-cut Spectra or Kevlar yarns. Given a choice between the two, get
Spectra. Kevlar, while bulletproof, weakens with repeated flexing, much like clothes hanger wire.
Spectra holds up better.

Do not use Spectra or Kevlar for Prusiksit is too stiff to grip the rope. Some big-wall climbers use 7-
millimeter cord for haul lines. It's lightweight but painful to grip and gives a fast and hot rappel,
should the need arise.