On Rope Checklist

[Stridergdm]

"I've seen someone 'suicide' rig a harness at a demo we were involved with. Fortunately only one bar popped and he grabbed something solid in time."


How many bars do you use on your harness? Perhaps you are referring to rigging a rack backwards? Not trying to be picky but we might as well understand what we all are talking about. Leo

Yeah, I probably should have said rack there (though was sort of thinking the whole "thing" since we were talking about having people check your netire setup.)

[ek]

What's "On-rope!" really mean there?
Break that down;
Upper ascender correctly attached to rope, cam on rope and catch released: CHECK
Croll on rope, flat against chest, cam on rope and catch released: Check

I figured subter intended this to mean to remember to yell "On Rope!" before getting on rope or (when preparing to ascend) entering the rockfall zone; and that "Off-rope" meant to remember to yell "Off Rope!" after getting off rope and (when one has just descended and if possible) leaving the rockfall zone.

As for the breakdown of what to make sure to do when getting on rope, I would add that the long cowstail or whatever is being used to tether the upper ascender to the harness should be kept untangled with (not twisted around) the rope.

When it comes to the descending category, I would add that one should check one's descender to ensure that it is properly loaded. In particularly, if it is a rack, that it is not loaded backwards (in a suicide rig), and also not upside down (with the braking side of the rope coming out the top--an embarrassment rig).