Cascading Rappel Technique??

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PAUL SOUZA

Trad climber
Central Valley, CA
Topic Author's Original Post - May 10, 2013 - 03:11pm PT
Last Saturday we climbed the Royal Arches and it was a clusterf@#% of people. Anyways, we pass a party at P13 that were waiting for the other 2 groups that we passed. The guy said that they were waiting so the 3 groups, which all had 2 ropes, could do a "cascading rappel," which was apparently the idea of of the other leaders that we passed. He didn't even understand it and I wasn't going to wait around to witness what I figured would be a colossal clusterf@#% on the rapps.

So, has anyone ever heard of this technique? I tried googling, but all I found was rapping waterfalls.
PAUL SOUZA

Trad climber
Central Valley, CA
Topic Author's Reply - May 10, 2013 - 03:35pm PT
LOL. I'll buy that.
Ghost

climber
A long way from where I started
May 10, 2013 - 04:14pm PT
Hmmm. Never heard of it, but if I had to guess...

All six climbers gather at the top rappel station and set up a two-rope rappel. First guy down takes the other four ropes with him, and begins setting up rappel number two as soon as he gets to the end of rappel number one.

As climber number two starts down rap #1, Climber #1 sets off down rap #2, carrying the remaining two ropes. As soon as he gets to the bottom of rap #2 he sets up rap #3.

Climber #1 now starts rap #3, climber #2 sets off down rap#2, and climber #3 starts down rap #1.

This carries on until climber number six gets to the bottom of rap #1. He pulls the ropes, goes down rap #2, pulls those ropes, then sets off down rap #3 to join his five colleagues.

They then do the whole thing over again on raps #4, 5, and 6. Then 7, 8,and 9. etc etc etc.

Doesn't make any sense, but it was the only thing I could think of to meet the description "cascading rappels"

I'm sure some of you can come up with even goofier scenarios.
Don Paul

Big Wall climber
Colombia, South America
May 10, 2013 - 04:22pm PT
I would have untied and started soloing off on the slabs to get away from them. Maybe not literally, but that would be my first instinct.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
May 10, 2013 - 04:42pm PT
Ghost, your 'explanation' gave me a headache. Thanks!
Rhodo-Router

Gym climber
sawatch choss
May 10, 2013 - 04:57pm PT
"I think we climbed something today, but all I remember are the rappels."
cintune

climber
The Utility Muffin Research Kitchen
May 10, 2013 - 05:05pm PT
Sounds like a super-efficient-large-group-rope-strategy... as long as everyone is totally dialed-in, no ropes get stuck and nothing else goes wrong. Then it could become a super-entertaining-large-group-rope-spectacle.
mucci

Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
May 10, 2013 - 06:31pm PT
Ghost has it right.

Do it all the time with teams of 3 when you have a bunch of spaghetti.

Basically, there is no down time at rappel stations.

#1 climber raps a single line, all the time.
sempervirens

climber
May 10, 2013 - 07:02pm PT
But in ghost's explanation climber #1 is rapping double lines, otherwise the rappels would have to be slightly re-rigged by climber #2, right?

Also the last climber is carrying 4 or 5 ropes, right?
This is a bit of a puzzle.
TGT

Social climber
So Cal
May 10, 2013 - 07:09pm PT
Setting up all single rope raps, except for the first one with the last guy clearing them works great as long as the last guy doesn't get the first pair stuck.

(didn't move the knot past the lip of the ledge)

Someone did that to me once on Central Pillar of Frenzy and I got to rap, drive back to camp, get the jumars and jug the whole thing again to clear the jam.


The worst part was they drank all the beer while watching the show.
PAUL SOUZA

Trad climber
Central Valley, CA
Topic Author's Reply - May 10, 2013 - 07:09pm PT
Ghost, thanks for clarifying that. But at some point, there will be 7 climbers on 1 rap station in this scenario from last Saturday. Imagine 7 people hanging on 1 rap station!
Ghost

climber
A long way from where I started
May 10, 2013 - 09:12pm PT
Ghost has it right.

Ghost, thanks for clarifying that

But in ghost's explanation climber #1 is...

Didn't you guys read what I said? I have no f*#king clue what a "cascading rappel" is. I just made all that sh#t up based on total guesswork. I'm under crazy deadline pressure and needed a five-minute break from work to keep myself from going totally mad, and picked "cascading rappel" as the straw to clutch.

If I got it right, well, that just proves that the entire universe is nothing more than a bunch of totally random coincidences.


WBraun

climber
May 10, 2013 - 09:34pm PT
Last person raps with two ropes.

The rest who go ahead all rap single line anchored.

Keep passing down the single line as the last person catches up.

If you've never done it nor heard about doing it you're a n00b .....
Ghost

climber
A long way from where I started
May 10, 2013 - 09:41pm PT
Last person raps with two ropes. The rest who go ahead all rap single line anchored.

See? Someone here actually knows what it is.

If you've never done it nor heard about doing it you're a n00b .....

On the other hand, those of us who have never done it nor heard about it may be climbers who actually climb in places other than the overcrowded outdoor gym that is Yosemite Valley. You know, places where "cascading rappels" aren't necessary because six-person clusterf*#ks don't happen when you and your partner are the only two people on the route. Or within a hundred miles.
WBraun

climber
May 10, 2013 - 09:44pm PT
Not unless one is in charge of bring down the rest of the party/parties of the injured person who was just heli evaced.

It's not about climbing in a high use area.

It's about efficiency when needed .......
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
May 10, 2013 - 09:47pm PT
I did those raps with Gary and his son Tom, party of three, we took 4 ropes.
Basically continuously rapping with no waiting.

I would only caution that rushing can get you in trouble. Make sure everyone's clipped in, etc. etc...
easy to get caught up in the speed thing.

Messages 1 - 16 of total 16 in this topic
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