Hi all,

What size rope do or would you use on class 4 alpine rock if leading some newbies?
I'm leading a group of 3 on a 14k foot peak with a little exposed class 3-4.

One of the three in the group is my regular partner; she and I climb 5.9-10 regularly at crags but very rarely take a rope when climbing class 3-4 peaks. The other two in the group are extremely fit but have never climbed rock or experienced exposure. There are only a few 25-40ft sections that I would potentially have them rope up on, but I may also leave them roped longer using terrain belays if they start freaking out about the exposure or if I need to lower or rap. My current rope selection is as follows:

9.4mm x 70m
10.4mm x 60m
8mm x 30m

I've never tried belaying or short roping two people on one rope and I don't think I want to try with newbies for the first time. Belaying or short roping one at a time seems like a time suck. This leaves me thinking I need two ropes with my partner and I each leading one of the newbies. 70m and 60m seem like way too much rope and the 8mm seems a little thin for alpine rock and terrain belays. I'm feeling like I should chop my 60m or 70m in half, but its so hard for me to cut such expensive ropes.

Any other suggestions? What length and width would you go with?

Thanks!

I'd go with the 8mm/30m rope also. Its 3rd and 4th class terrain so even if you do fal, it won't be a major strain (it will probably be a bouncing/sliding sort of thing) although an 8mm rope would just be fine for a decent fall (ask Dow how much you can trust a rope like that since he took a whipper onto one that no one wants to take and walked away just fine). A 30m length is nice since you'd want to have decent communication with them so you probably don't want to be running it 60 or 70m.

I'd have my local dealer call up Sterling Ropes and see if you can buy two pieces of what they call prime shorts. You can buy 30 meter lengths of their 7.7mm ice thong or even their 9.2 nano ion.

You get one piece, your partner gets one piece. Then each of you can take care of a friend.