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I will be doing a 1300' ascend, free hanging vertical, single pitch, in a couple of weeks. What can I do to prepare for it? What kind of safety concerns are there? I ascend on a frog system, sometimes with an additional foot ascender. Is there any additional gear which would make it easier?

practice (train) and for sure use the pantin

bladerunnerevan wrote:Is there any additional gear which would make it easier?

A chest roller, small pulley, and bungie, i.e. convert it to a ropewalker.

I have only ever frogged and frogwalked. But this sounds like a perfect reason to learn how to use a ropewalker if you had access to one, though I probably wouldn't buy a whole outfit just for it. From what I have read about long rappels in the past the main significant thing about above ground versus below ground is wind and the possibility of it blowing the rope around and possibly snagging on something, creating a headache and possibly dangerous situation for the next climber if it is not noticed. I remember the original Mt Thor team built a steel platen with two anchored krabs in parallel to guide the rope and bolted it into the wall of the mountain with four bolts. But I guess with what amount of freefall or distance from the wall you are dealing with that may be unfeasible.

We had the wind whipping the rope below us violently around on a climb of the Elephants Perch in Idaho and that was only @1000ft. If it wasn't such smooth granite I could really see it wrapping itself around a projection.

If you choose frogwalker I recommend bringing and extra biner to clip through the hole next to the cam, keeps it from popping off.

bladerunnerevan wrote:I will be doing a 1300' ascend, free hanging vertical, single pitch, in a couple of weeks. What can I do to prepare for it? What kind of safety concerns are there? I ascend on a frog system, sometimes with an additional foot ascender. Is there any additional gear which would make it easier?

Training, training and more training. We (sc Avalon) practice before our expeditions in a old warehouse

http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/1068395/Movi ... aining.wmv

Dagobert

BTW which pitch are you going to do? A single 1300feet meter vertical pitch (almost 400m) without rebelays?

a clip-on ascender with a strap that has a small board you can sit on when you attach the ascender to the rope.....not taking too many breaks......and do cardiovascular workouts....