Putting Together a Double Bungee Ropewalker

[NickfromWI]

Hi everyone. I am looking to set up a Double Bungee Ropewalker system as described in On Rope on page 149, with additional illustrations on page 173. I will be using this system to climb redwoods, sequoias, and other tall trees.

I've made a diagram of all the things I think I need. I'm going to try to post that here. I have only seen the system used once a couple years ago and have basically no other experience with it.

Do you see any glaring mistakes?



love
nick the tree climber

[NickfromWI]

Okay, that method didn't work...lemme try this...

[fuzzy-hair-man]

How tall are these trees?

In my experience and from what I read ropewalkers are more useful on very long pitches ~40m or longer, I think a lot of tree climbers are now going for a frog system (and Pantin) as a light weight and more versatile system. If you need to go a long way there are ways to convert a frog to a ropewalker system.

Apart form that I'm not sure what a 3/8" Yalex Sling is but it sounds like it is static (little or no stretch) I'd be attaching your ascenders with some dynamic rope either 10mm or 9mm as this will absorb energy if you take fall on your ascenders. I can't see any benefit from having static cord / sling in there so it may as well be dynamic rope.

[johnlhickman]

Nick,

I think you pretty much have it covered. You will also need a descender to get down. You may be familiar with a figure 8, but most cavers use a rappel rack. There are several different kinds but the key features allow you to attach/remove it to the rope without unattaching (and dropping) it from you harness, you can lock it off to hang hands free, and you can vary the amount of friction. These are all features the figure 8 doesn't have.

Make sure the tether going to your handled ascender is the correct length. It shouldn't be too short to impede your climbing but having a length too long can cause it to be out of reach if you hang from it.

You probably have heard this, but you are encouraged to practice close to the ground before scaling up into the canopy.

Good luck.

John Hickman
Nashville, TN

[NickfromWI]

My intent is to use this on trees that are approaching 300' tall. This system would be to get me that first 200' up the tree, then I would switch over to a traditional double rope tree climber's setup.

John- I hear you about the rack. That is one of the things I've got on my list. Honestly, though- I don't need a descending device at all. Tree climbers descend on a friction hitch (a prusik, for example).

I occasionally use an 8 (either the Cardiac Arrestor or the Pirahna) and they are okay, but it's twist and shout down below!

Fuzzy hair man, the Yalex is a single braid industrial rope. On the static/dynamic scale, it would be considered VERY static. However, I don't think it matters in this scenario. If I am ascending 200' on a static line, there will still be 400' of rope out in the system. A static line will have a lot of give over 400'. Even if the ascender tether was steel cable, I would get the energy absorption from the ascent line itself.....I think.

love
nick

[NickfromWI]

Oh, another question- If there's but one upper ascender, and both lower ascender are "self operating", what does the other hand do while ascending?

love
nick

[fuzzy-hair-man]

Fuzzy hair man, the Yalex is a single braid industrial rope. On the static/dynamic scale, it would be considered VERY static. However, I don't think it matters in this scenario. If I am ascending 200' on a static line, there will still be 400' of rope out in the system. A static line will have a lot of give over 400'. Even if the ascender tether was steel cable, I would get the energy absorption from the ascent line itself.....I think.

Not when you are approaching your anchor(s), this is the danger period, not when you have a a heap of rope above you. <EDIT> unless your anchoring a pulley up in the tree and running the rope back down to an anchor on the ground then you'll have at least 200ft to catch your fall. I'd still make it dynamic rope anyway there's no reason not to.

Teethed ascenders have relatively low impact forces before they cut the sheath (Fall factor 1 80kg load according to Petzl) so IMO it is best to give them all the dynamic protection you realisticly can.

[fuzzy-hair-man]

Oh, another question- If there's but one upper ascender, and both lower ascender are "self operating", what does the other hand do while ascending?

Whatever it likes, hold on the rope generally to keep your body more upright(chest box does this anyway) and/or take some strain of your legs.

[NickfromWI]

[quote="fuzzy-hair-man"I'd still make it dynamic rope anyway there's no reason not to.[/quote]

I do have 1 tiny reason that I want to stay with Yalex. Yalex rope is spliceable. My termination will be knot-free and very uncluttered. This is a MUST for me. I cluttered ropes drives me and makes me want to (okay, enough with the smilies). And not only that, I have a little rope splicing business...so I have to display my wares wherever possible.

There are 3 other options I can come up with. The first is just switching ropes. I could use something like http://www.yalecordage.com/html/pdf/ind ... w/Pg14.pdf. This rope is has high energy absorption qualities and is spliceable. I could incorporate a screamer into the system, but I like that about as much as I like the idea of having knotted terminations. The other option is a rubber insert (shaped like a pencil) that can be installed INSIDE the rope and when you fall, the rope fibers compress the rubber. This is your shock absorber.

But the overall setup looks sound?

love
nick

[ljthawk]

When already spending the money, splurge for the double roller, it will allow you to try other system variants.

Also, if you ever plan on climbing on top in tandem you may want consider lengthening the “foot stirrup to ascender” leash. That said, for some reason I find the kroll on my On Rope 1 system likes to twist and sometimes doesn’t feed right. Again my system has the extended “foot stirrup to ascender leash”. I plan on trying to swap the foot stirrup to the left leg using the Basic and the knee ascender to the right leg using the Kroll. If using a single bungee set up I don’t have this problem when the kroll is attached to my foot like the Pantine, but then I can’t climb tandem on top without my foot hurting.

L.J.