I am going to the Palisades in CA. I am looking at a lot of hiking. I want to minimize the amount of rope I am carrying. The terrain will be mostly class 4, with a few spots of low grade 5. I was thinking of 2 alternatives, but I have not seen them discussed before. . 2nd person trails a length of utility cord. The cord is used to pull down the rope for person 3. Or 2, person #2 climbs up using a prusik or an ascender.

fernandoe@yahoo.com wrote:I was thinking of 2 alternatives, but I have not seen them discussed before. . 2nd person trails a length of utility cord. The cord is used to pull down the rope for person 3. Or 2, person #2 climbs up using a prusik or an ascender.

Both are terrible ideas. This is what you do: carry one 60 meter, 8 mm half rope (5 1/2 pounds). Double it when you are climbing technical sections; the leader ties into the middle, the followers tie into each strand. The leader climbs using proper half/double rope technique then belays each follower using an auto locking belay device in 'guide mode' like the Petzl Reverso or Black Diamond ATC Guide, or any other brand that manufactures these things. Simple, proven, light, safe.

Good points here but ditch the half rope and use a single 70 meter rope..

1- they are more resistant to being cut.
2- they feel safer.
3- they give you an extra 5 meters.
4- they don't tangle as much.
5- you can use them as a single line

Yank-Tank wrote:Good points here but ditch the half rope and use a single 70 meter rope..

1- they are more resistant to being cut.
2- they feel safer.
3- they give you an extra 5 meters.
4- they don't tangle as much.
5- you can use them as a single line

1. 'Sharp' rated half ropes exist that are more cut resistant than standard single ropes. (Edelweiss Sharp).
2. Single ropes 'feel' safer? Half ropes when used properly are much safer than single ropes.
3. An extra 5 meters is extra weight and extra tangling. They are going mostly scrambling with only occasional bits of fifth class. If anything, I would say go shorter to a 50.
4. Longer ropes tangle more. I have no problem with my double half ropes tangling, it is all about rope management. It takes attention and care.
5. Why would they use it as single line? Besides, the lines between single, half and twin have been blurred. There are thin ropes that are rated twin/double/single, like the Beal Unicore 8.5. I wouldn't buy one, because in order to make it that thin and still pass single rope tests they have to make the sheath very thin which makes the rope very fragile. Steve House and Vince Anderson used a single, 50 meter 8mm half rope and a 55 meter 5.5 mm tag line for climbing and descending their route on the Rupal Face, the largest in the world. I feel good and wholesome using a 50 meter, 8.5 mm Sharp rated half rope as my only rope on moderate alpine climbs up to grade V, 5.10, AI 5. This is not an unusual position: https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Sport/News/ ... aineering-