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wandering_dusk
Dec 1, 2003, 3:37 AM
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Registered: Aug 18, 2003
Posts: 83
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I am using dry-ropes to climb with, and of the three ropes I tried this weekend all of them iced up so bad while ice-climbing, that by the end of the day they would not fit through an atc. Does anyone have any suggestions to dealing with this... Possibly a better belay device for winter climbing, or some other sort of suggestion?
Thanks,
Ryan
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fear
Dec 1, 2003, 4:36 AM
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Registered: Jun 16, 2003
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Rule #1: All ropes will ice into a nightmare of cables if the conditions are bad. Running water up high on a real cold day will ice your ropes in no time.
Rule #2: On a long alpine/ice route conditions will be bad at least a few of the days.
Dry ropes last a little longer before wetting out and the ice tends to flake/sublimate off a little easier. Some brands are better than others but not by much. The newer the dry rope the better since the sheath hasn't fuzzed out.
A good thin double, like the Beal 8.1's will still belay through an ATC/Jaws device with a little coaxing. Keep a tight belay hand on thin frozen ropes which can be almost impossible work with.
Figure 8's always work but are heavy.
Just the way it is..... Welcome to ice.
-Fear
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wandering_dusk
Dec 1, 2003, 9:27 PM
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Registered: Aug 18, 2003
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My buddy belayed me up with heavily iced ropes that day using a reverso in the autolock configuration... with the biner hooked to his harness to keep the device in a sideways orientation... this allowed him to pull the rope through with both hands, pretty clever. Anyone else ever used this solution? Any down sides to it?
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e_wire
Dec 1, 2003, 9:50 PM
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Registered: Apr 28, 2003
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I agree with FEAR, not much to do but be aware that ice will eventually stick to your rope. Friction between you belay device and the rope (especially when lowering) will warm up the rope and melt snow/ice to your rope. This will enventually freeze and become a nightmare...
What to do? Sorry to say I do not have the magic solution...
I use an ATC-XP on skinny ropes. I find it works best... better then the Reverso, with Petzel doesn't recommend with skinny and wet ropes.
e_wire
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scubasnyder
Dec 1, 2003, 10:19 PM
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Registered: Oct 3, 2003
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maybe some mink oil on the rope will rappel it a little more, but it makes the rope slippery, u cant win them all though
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