Passing a knot while ascending

[rcwild]

A 2-strand tether can also make passing a knot while ascending much more efficient.

Rig one long strand and one short strand on your harness. Long one should keep upper ascender just within arms reach. Short one should be a bit less than half the length of the long one. See previous post (Passing Knot on Rappel) for description and other options. Daisy chain works well for this technique, too.

Attach one ascender to the rope and clip into it with long tether strand. Attach a second ascender to the rope below the first one. Clip a carabiner to this ascender and attach a footloop to the carabiner. Start ascending. Stop when the upper ascender reaches the knot. Now follow these steps:

(1) With your weight suspended from the upper ascender, remove the footloop ascender and reattach it just above the knot.

(2) Stand up in the footloop and attach your short tether strand carabiner to the footloop carabiner. Let your weight come to rest on the short strand.

(3) Long strand is now unweighted. Remove the long strand ascender from the rope and reattach it above the footloop ascender. You have passed the knot.

(4) Stand up in the footloop and push the long strand ascender up as high as possible on the rope. Let your weight come to rest on the long strand.

(5) Remove the short strand carabiner from the footloop carabiner and resume ascending.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

Have fun. Be safe.

Rich

[Seth]

So, how do we pass the knot then switch to rapel using only one biner and the end of the rope?

[woadams123]

I'm sure you're not carrying a grigri in canyon, but it is very convenient for passing knots both directions. It converts to a descending device immediately once you release your top ascender. To pass the knot again descending, re-attach your top ascender when the grigri is 6" above the knot and descend onto your upper ascender. Replace grigri below the knot then step up in the rope to remove top ascender and weight the grigri. Continue rap.

I'm guessing you might be referring to a blakes hitch (end of the rope) used as one of your ascenders and the biner used as a munter for the other and descender? Or did I misunderstand the question?

[mountain man]

So, how do we pass the knot then switch to rapel using only one biner and the end of the rope?

while it may be possible with only one biner, personally i don't want to limit myself to just one biner. I may try using multiple biners.

not sure of the question. perhaps a blakes hitch and a figure 8 on a bight with a binner as woadams123 pointed. I've seen this ascending method common among tree climbers.

if so, I think you may need some sort of friction hitch or an ascender to place above the knot and transfer the weight before detaching the blakes and moving above the knot. But it's early in the morning :java: and as the day goes on I my realize this doesn't work, so :grenade:

[Seth]

What I'm refering too is a story that Rich told us in a class. That during a guides class he dared the wanna be guides to ascend, pass a knot, keep ascending, then switch to descending, pass the knot and descend down. All while always being safely secured to the rope at atleast one point and the caveat was to do it with the least amount of gear possible. He said one of the guides was able to do it with only his helmet, harness and one biner. I just think that would be fun trick to have in the tool box. You know for when you want to impress the ladies.

[PuraVidaNC]

Here is the handout we provide to our participants on the proper way to pass a knot.

non master ascender- refers to lower ascender
master ascender- refers to lead or upper ascender
primary leg loop- etrier attached to nonmaster ascender
secondary leg loop- etrier attached to master ascender



Steps to Passing knot while ascending<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
1) Ascend to knot point
2) take legs out of primary leg loop Unclip nonmaster ascender
3) Place legs in secondary loop and step up
4) Attach nonmaster ascender above knot
5) Extend nonmaster ascender and weight nonmaster ascender
6) Take legs out off secondary leg loop, place back in primary loop
7) Place master ascender above nonmaster ascender and knot
8) continue ascending

[mountain man]

What I'm refering too is a story that Rich told us in a class. That during a guides class he dared the wanna be guides to ascend, pass a knot, keep ascending, then switch to descending, pass the knot and descend down. All while always being safely secured to the rope at atleast one point and the caveat was to do it with the least amount of gear possible. He said one of the guides was able to do it with only his helmet, harness and one biner. I just think that would be fun trick to have in the tool box. You know for when you want to impress the ladies.

sounds like this thread
http://www.canyoneering.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2723