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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Jul 25, 2012 - 12:44pm PT
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It's a bit more than that too, Silver. I would add I have noticed that a certain percentage of climbers kind of get scrambled in the head during rappels.
Even highly competent climbers might leave hardware up at the rappel point, set up above the knot, clip in backwards or forget which rope to pull---- on some major or minor level they are "losing it". Whether it is displaced fear or fatigue or obliviousness to the very thin margin suddenly present in the climbing situation when you commence rappelling--- each situation is different, but if you watch, many climbers just don't quite stay on the ball, at least in comparison to how they might have been while climbing upwards within "the system". I have been watching this for 50 years now.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Jul 25, 2012 - 12:50pm PT
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Somewhere on ST is a thread about silly things you've done while climbing. Perhaps the funniest is the time some poor chap threw his two ropes to rappel, but forgot to first pass them through the anchor. So yeah, Peter, the mind does funny things sometimes.
Other than that, I think rappin' El Cap would be a gas, for some.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
the crowd MUST BE MOCKED...Mocked I tell you.
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Jul 25, 2012 - 01:08pm PT
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one post, and the last name includes mucci?
hrm Chris = Mucci = troll?
nah, we wouldn't fall for that.
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Colombia, South America
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Jul 25, 2012 - 01:21pm PT
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silly things you've done while climbing. Perhaps the funniest is the time some poor chap threw his two ropes to rappel, but forgot to first pass them through the anchor
A few quick stories:
 one time on a belay ledge my partner went to lean back on the anchor, then caught himself just as he realized he wasn't clipped in. I had taken him off belay. Neither of us knew how we'd gotten like that.
once I blindly followed what was indicated as a rap route on a topo map, but it just ended in the middle of a blank face. Ended up doing king-swing type maneuvers to get over to a single bolt on another route, which we followed down to the ground.
story from a friend, rappelled using a nut tool as a hook for his anchor. When he got down, he just flipped the rope a couple times to get the rope and nut tool back.
another story from a friend, who was climbing in an alpine setting when a storm came in, lightening coming down everywhere. His parter was leading, but was out of sight and also couldn't hear. The rope stopped moving at one point, my friend tugged and tugged on it but no reaction. Eventually due to weather he climbed and self belayed up to where his partner was. His parter was dead, had been struck by lightening and was just hanging there. I dont want to mention names, but these things do happen in the mtns.
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Gary
climber
"My god - it's full of stars!"
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Jul 25, 2012 - 01:23pm PT
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I know this for a fact if I ask to see you're doubled back and if there is a knot in the end of the rope when we are rapping and you give me sh#t about it, were done climbing together.
Amazingly, people will get offended if you ask to check their harness and knot. Not me!
With all the checking I've done, I've only caught one harness screw up, but one is more than enough.
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James
climber
My twin brother's laundry room
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Jul 25, 2012 - 01:26pm PT
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I rappelled the Salathe this spring with Mark Postel, a Denali guide from Terrebonne Oregon. "This is some of the scariest sh#t I've done," I screamed. I kicked in to place directionals on the head wall.
"Some of? You've done scarier" Postel looked down past me at the enormous amount of sudden exposure. "what were you in Nam?"
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bergbryce
Mountain climber
South Lake Tahoe, CA
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Jul 25, 2012 - 01:46pm PT
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I think rapping The Nose during high season is a bad idea. Too many teams to pass, too many opportunities for entanglements too many people likely getting pissed off. Is there another route you could do with less traffic?
I take checking my harness and knots as a sign of a good partner. I would never take offense at this, really quite the opposite. I hope to be climbing for a good, long time and double checking each other is a good way to help make that happen.
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Jul 25, 2012 - 02:23pm PT
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Up or down
As relative as snot
The questions begs
Is whether
Or not
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Googlymoogly
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 25, 2012 - 02:26pm PT
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Thanks for all the responses. This would be for both fun and scoping the route for the future. Getting ropes stuck is a concern I already thought about but I have learned how to avoid it pretty well. How many leaver biners would be needed? The anchors don't all have rap rings? I would bring some anyway but carrying 5-10 is much different than 20-25. That is the type of info I am looking for since most topos don’t say leaver biners are needed.
From what I can tell early August isn’t a busy time on El Cap and I wouldn’t go when it was busy. Too bad Tom E isn’t in the valley during August.
It was only a matter of time before comments on the last name (anyone know how to change the display name?)
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cultureshock
Trad climber
Mountain View
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Jul 25, 2012 - 02:56pm PT
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The route has good raps stations from the Great Roof on down. The top section is more of a mixed bag.
The first two anchors below the top (ie the tree) have chains. You will do a short rap sideways to the right and then a pretty long rappel past the bolt ladder. I think you might need to clip some of the bolts as directionals or else you will be hanging in space...
The anchors below that have one quicklink on the hanger which kinda works but will really twist up your rope. It would be good to add at least one quicklink to the three anchors "before" camp VI. (The one atop the Changing corners, the end of the awesome hands pitch and the exposed belay). There is no two bolt belay at the base of the bolt ladder.
Camp VI has good rings, so does the glowering spot and Camp V. The belay below that is kinda funky so it may need a biner and/or a quicklink. From there on it should all be equipped nicely.
So bring a minimum of 5 biners/quicklinks. 8 if you want to be more awesome. If leaving quicklinks please use the beefier 3/8" ones.
Have fun, be safe, and post up about your adventure when you come back. Also make sure to bring a few cams in case your rope does get stuck.
The rappels from Dolt on down are super easy but the belays are often hanging.
Luke
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le_bruce
climber
Oakland, CA
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Jul 25, 2012 - 03:15pm PT
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Story from a friend, rappelled using a nut tool as a hook for his anchor. When he got down, he just flipped the rope a couple times to get the rope and nut tool back.
Can't see this being true.
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Colombia, South America
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Jul 25, 2012 - 03:38pm PT
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Dont know, told by Scott Rietsma, a climber I knew in Boston about 20 years ago. The one about the person dying by lightning is true.
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ElCapPirate
Big Wall climber
California
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Jul 25, 2012 - 03:41pm PT
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I've done it a handful of times rigging for the Huber film. It's not all that bad but does have a couple of tricky sections. I think the main thing you have to look out for is knocking rocks down on people below. Some of it you can't avoid because pulling the ropes trundles rocks onto yourself and possibly others.
I don't recommend it but I really try to avoid rappelling in the first place.
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WBraun
climber
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Jul 25, 2012 - 07:50pm PT
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When you rappel the nose do not go towards El Cap towers go straight down the face until you reach dolt tower.
From reading all this bullsh!t here sounds like only elcap pirate has done it?
The rest are all this way homo doom and gloom bullsh!t.
I can't believe the climbing world these days.
Or is it just this stupid supertopo bullsh!t always?
If I had to listen to all this wanking about the horrors of climbing here I'd never have done anything.
All it takes is a good brain.
Do you have one?
Or do you people always over analyze everything ad nauseum until you puke?
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damo62
Social climber
Brisbane
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Jul 25, 2012 - 08:04pm PT
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Good man Verner, you're in rare form today!
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Jul 25, 2012 - 10:26pm PT
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Is there a good rappell ledge to empty your shorts...?
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Googlymoogly
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 26, 2012 - 09:53pm PT
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Thanks cultureshock! Thats what I need to know. It sounds like next weekend it shouldn't be too busy. If the trip works out I will post the pics for sure! I think I have what I need but any other opinions or advice is welcome
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Kalimon
Trad climber
Ridgway, CO
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Boo Dawg . . . can you elaborate?
Werner . . . are you suggesting that someone can just hike to the top of El Cap, locate the anchors, just head on down the face and simply go straight down to Dolt Tower . . . all with no beta whatsoever? Rescue fodder.
Oh yeah, it is a little unfair to compare the topoids with El Cap Pirate . . . he is in another realm very few attain.
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