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Russ S.
climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 11, 2009 - 06:48pm PT
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My main partner and I have been climbing together for over twenty years, and we've usually managed to avoid climbing as a threesome on long routes. However, a friend started climbing with us a couple of years ago, but hadn't yet experienced a multi-pitch climb with the delights of exposure, pending thunder storms, alternating hot & cold, and the feeling that any moment might be your last - another words, an ordinary multi-pitch climb. Oh, and we wanted her to enjoy the experience...
We choose an 11 pitch "alpine sport route". Specifically bolted for the moderate leader. One pitch has 13 bolts and a couple others are 10+. To be as efficient as possible this was our plan:
 use half (double) ropes with both followers climbing at the same time belayed with an ATC Guide (we knew the theory, but had never used this method)
lead in blocks of pitches to avoid frequent changes in tie-ins (only my main partner and I would lead, I did the first 5 then he did the last 6)
What we weren't sure of was how best to minimize the rack, and still have the option of clipping all the bolts. We didn't want to clip both ropes through the same biner, thinking if one person fell the rope friction could damage or burn through the other rope.
So what we did was clip one rope (always the blue one) through an extendable quick draw. Then clipped an extra biner to the bottom one and clip the red rope through the extra biner. The first follower was on the red rope and would just unclip at the draw, the second follower would unclip and clean, leaving the extra biner in place for use on the next pitch.
It generally worked pretty well but you had to watch the orientation of the "extra biner" or the ropes could bind - which happened at least once in a bad spot. We thought about just alternating each rope at a clip, but there were several traversing sections, so didn't want to do that.
Is there a better/standard way to do this?
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NikDF
Trad climber
Bay area, CA
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Jun 11, 2009 - 07:02pm PT
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You could just clip them alternately like you normally do with half ropes. Blue in bolt 1 red in bolt 2 etc. You are already using an ATC so this should be no prob.
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Aaron Johnson
climber
Bear Valley, CA
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Jun 11, 2009 - 07:02pm PT
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I have never heard of one rope damaging the other during a double belay situation. I climb often in groups of three and simply clip both ropes into one carabiner. Each rope is rated as a "single" and works best if each rope is 10mm or less to reduce friction in the belay device.
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mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Jun 11, 2009 - 07:05pm PT
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That's exactly what Edelrid used to show in their little rope booklet. But I think the burning risk is minute for, essentially, toprope falls. Alternative is, bring just a few extra draws and clip the stronger (third) climber into the last bolt before any traverse.
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ice cowboy
Trad climber
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Jun 11, 2009 - 07:26pm PT
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Get a pair of Sterling Nano's, clip them together, belay on one only. Works like a charm.
No American rope mfgr is gonna tell you climbing on a single half rope is correct.
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Russ S.
climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 11, 2009 - 08:01pm PT
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I should have said - the ropes were 8mm Mammut Phoenix half ropes. We weren't/aren't sure if there is much danger of rope damage if you person falls, but those skinny ropes don't inspire a lot of confidence...
Double draws on the traverses and otherwise single clipping sounds like a good choice.
Ice Cowboy - I don't really follow all your comment, I guess I could have asked my two friends which one of them didn't want to be belayed - don't think they would have been happy though.
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Russ S.
climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 11, 2009 - 09:23pm PT
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oops, fixed
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ice cowboy
Trad climber
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Jun 12, 2009 - 07:31am PT
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Sorry, should have read like this, leader gets belayed on one, as they are single ropes (half's too actually). When you arrive at the belay, belay both thru your plaquette. Works like a dream. One climber gets a 20' head start, while the anchor gets broken down.
I do think half ropes would do the job, but they stretch like a mofo and don't inspire confidence if there are any sharp edges. Also, the UIAA rope test uses a lighter weight to test half ropes (vs. singles), and I don't know why. Double ropes almost never get loaded together.
Just putting it out there.
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