Toproping El Cap

Discussion Topic

Return to Forum List

This thread has been locked

Messages 1 - 20 of total 54 in this topic

<< First | < Previous | Show All | Next > | Last >>

AAA

Big Wall climber

The great America!

Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 29, 2015 - 01:56am PT

The cavers sometimes come into town and drape their mile-long static ropes down the east side. So if you can rap El Cap in one pitch, why not use the same mile-long ropes to do a TR solo of the Nose in one pitch? I bet Hans could up his record doing it that way, no?

Rock!...oopsie.

Trad climber

the pitch above you

Aug 29, 2015 - 06:35am PT

Because it would not be a meaningful achievement?
Because it would be stupid?
Because it would be in the way of loads of other people?

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Aug 29, 2015 - 06:46am PT

Triple A.....you need to check your batteries.

WBraun

climber

Aug 29, 2015 - 07:29am PT

You've obviously never worked with long ropes.

3000 footers not even 600 footers.

The logistics with the weight of the ropes cause all kinds of unforeseen problems that you can't see right now in your dreaming head.

Long ropes hanging free will blow you off the pitch in high winds.

We've had rescues on EL CAP where the winds were a factor in the rescue operation becoming exceedingly dangerous to the rescuer and patient.

YOSAR used to have 3000 footers but reduced them to 1300 footers due to them being unmanageable and too heavy.

The only way is tie the rope station to station with some slack between and mini-traxion the route.

And that is not possible during the regular climbing season on routes such as the nose.

Go to Bafin and do there ......

Ghost

climber

A long way from where I started

Aug 29, 2015 - 07:40am PT

Go to Bafin and do there ......

Not going to happen while BURT BRONSON still breathes.

Crazy Bat

Sport climber

Birmingham, AL & Seweanee, TN

Aug 29, 2015 - 07:51am PT

The long ropes also weigh so much that they hang away from the face in inconvenient places. Those ropes we use hang 100 to 150 feet from the face in places.

Of course we choose a site with the minimum amount of contact with the face to get a free rappel and climb. Just jugging up the rope causes it to saw on the rock and can cut right through it. A single fall with the rope running across a sharp point could result in total rope failure.

Then there is the stretch in that length of rope. I've seen several people start thei climb. They have to climb 75 to 100 feet of rope before it take their weight. Imagine taking a fall with that much stretch.

BTW I'm scheduled to come with a group next year. I work support for the team.

By the way those ropes YOSAR had were impounded from a group that was running a commercial enterprise, charging people to rappel El Cap. They were not using safe practices. They had two ropes. The wind almost caused the ropes to tangle. I've heard they had one bad near miss with people on rope.

In 2012 I was there with a long rope. During rigging one of our guy's broke a finger and got a pretty good rope burn on his hand. On our team was the best rappeler in the world, IMHO. He had a special rappel rack and was able to evacuate the injured guy by doing a tethered rappel. It made my heart go pitty patter just watching it.

RyanD

climber

Aug 29, 2015 - 08:55am PT

People top rope on el cap all the time in smaller sections before they free climb it.

I think they call it trad climbing or something.

couchmaster

climber

Aug 29, 2015 - 09:12am PT

^^^ Working the route it's called.

Ksolem

Trad climber

Monrovia, California

Aug 29, 2015 - 09:28am PT

Start at the top with two 70's. Rap and then TR each pitch until you are at the bottom. Each time you drop in on a party actually going up, explain to them that yours is the common sense approach and that soon enough everyone will be doing it this way.

skcreidc

Social climber

SD, CA

Aug 29, 2015 - 09:30am PT

Bwaahahahaha, oh that was funny! Good luck taking in slack when the climber yells up rope.

limpingcrab

Trad climber

the middle of CA

Aug 29, 2015 - 09:57am PT

I'd try it

the goat

climber

north central WA

Aug 29, 2015 - 10:33am PT

And equalize the anchor at the top, use 2 locking D's.

GuapoVino

climber

Aug 29, 2015 - 10:34am PT

There's actually a "best rapeller in the world"?

Caveman

climber

Cumberland Plateau

Aug 29, 2015 - 10:45am PT

"On our team was the best rappeler in the world, IMHO"

So I've got to ask, who would this be?

dickcilley

Social climber

Wisteria Ln.

Aug 29, 2015 - 11:59am PT

It's been done.

Crazy Bat

Sport climber

Birmingham, AL & Seweanee, TN

Aug 29, 2015 - 12:13pm PT

Tiny Manke. In my humble opinion. Well he has done things no body else has done.

quartzmonzonite

climber

Aug 29, 2015 - 12:30pm PT

I havent climbed el cap but i would assume a mega toprope would cause some swing potential, also why would anyone take time to haul 3000ft of rope to the top, who knows how much that would weigh, in other words leading is easier than setting up and dealing with a 3000ft tr. Nd it would make u the biggest puss in climbing history.

Spider Savage

Mountain climber

The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles

Aug 29, 2015 - 12:40pm PT

Say, this is turning out to be a great thread.

Seriously though, there may come a time when so many people want to climb that popular vroutes become more and more fixed, like Via Ferrata, making it a virtual TR.