Retrievable Rappel Anchor

Introduction

This method is used for clean rappeling anchors and avoids leaving any webbing/slings behind. In some areas, leaving rap anchors is illegal. It is always a good idea to leave as little behind as possible.

This method can be modified for pitons/bolted anchors as well. This is just for fun and clean climbing ethics most of the time. No one has to use the method.

Photo 1

Photo 1: Runner is tied with rap rings and set around anchor. Pull cord is tied to sling.

Close up of Photo 1

Close Up Photo:

Photo 2

Photo 2: Rope threaded through rap rings.

Photo 3

Photo 3: Rappel down.

Photo 4

Photo 4: Pull climbing rope. Notice that the sling and pull cord are not attached to the climbing rope and in no way affect it from the "standard" method of rapping. (Note: In a real-life situation, it is better to have the ringbend/water knot of the sling/runner on the same side as the pull cord. For the photos, I put it on the opposite side so you could see the knots better, and to emphasize that the pull cord in no way affects the climbing rope, or water knot.)

Photo 5

Photo 5: To retrieve sling, simply pull the "pull cord". If it ever did get stuck, the only thing you would lose is the pull cord, never the climbing rope, hence no extra risk.

Photo 6

Photo 6: Sling comes down, ready for the next rap. Using this, no more tying required for the rest of the descent.

Comments

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James_W - Feb 22, 2006 7:21 pm - Hasn't voted

Great Work

I was thinking of adding articles covering basic rope skills, belays, etc...Gotta love the cardboard guy!

dadndave - Feb 24, 2006 3:59 am - Hasn't voted

Nicely Explained

Love the cardboard climber.

markhyams - Feb 24, 2006 9:32 pm - Hasn't voted

damage to rings?

One potential issue I see is that those rap rings bouncing down less than vertical terrain, their structural integrity could be comprimised. I don't know anything about rap rings and their durability, but it might be worthwhile to check out. Also, it is one thing to have a rope hurtling down at you when you pull it, but another to have two metal objects doing the same.

I could see how this technique could be very useful for canyoneering, where there are numerous, short rappels, but I could also see many situations where the sling would get stuck.

IceRavines - Feb 27, 2006 7:02 pm - Voted 9/10

Testing time !

I will give a few trials tomorrow while ice climbing...it does have the feature of leaving no trace ! I also would like to mention that some of the rings & slings found at various sites are in really unsafe conditions. Great artical & usefull !

Finley - Mar 5, 2006 4:50 pm - Hasn't voted

redundancy

Would it make any sense to attach a second retrieval rope, twice as long as the original retrieval rope, to the sling near the end of the sling opposite the point of attachment of the original retrieval rope, that would ascend as the original retrieval rope were pulled and could be used to attempt a pull in the opposite direction should the sling and rings become stuck? I'm not a climber at all, so this could very well be nonsense...

BranchWhitney - Mar 11, 2006 4:41 am - Voted 10/10

Nice Method

Very easy to follow with the photos, but put some clothes on that guy :)

old5ten - Nov 2, 2006 11:16 pm - Hasn't voted

What about the rings?

So i'm thinking about the hypothetical 42 pitch "retrievable" rap and the alu rap rings bouncing down on slab or freefalling and cratering into the wall... seems like alot of wear and tear on the poor rings. I'm also not sold on a single knotted sling (or a single anything) on rap (unless it's an emergency and there is no other way). Just my 2 cents...

Eric Sandbo - Nov 4, 2006 10:55 pm - Voted 10/10

Banged-up rings

I wouldn't worry about the rings getting banged up as they fall. They are hollow and light, and since they're tied into the sling they'll never get a chance to build up any speed. While a solid carabiner can drop like a missile, the sling with a couple of rings will land more gently than an 11mm rope. As long as I'm wearing my helmet, I wouldn't even bother to get out of its way.

old5ten - Nov 9, 2006 11:16 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Banged-up rings

I disagree. The sling ADDS to the weight of the rings at the end of the rope (or cord in this case). Think of pulling a rope on a multipitch climb. It comes flying past you and snaps into the wall like a whip. Now imagine that happening with a couple of alu rap rings. Once again, in an emergency situation (no other choice) do what you have to in order to get down, but for regular use this seems a bit questionable in the least...

Blair - Dec 15, 2006 6:31 am - Voted 10/10

Great Job

The most usefull, easy to understand, and orignal things ive seen here on SP. Thanks for sharing the usefull info.

Brad F - Mar 23, 2010 10:13 am - Voted 10/10

Nice work!

Haha! That's awesome! I love the diagrams. Very original and effective.

Jukka Ahonen - Feb 24, 2012 8:57 am - Voted 10/10

Thanks!

I love the dummy :D

I have done this also with just rope, by only descending 1/3 of the rope length, and tying the long end of the rope to the webbing. When I get down, I first pull down the two ropes I used for descending, and then pull on the third rope to pull it down the the webbing. Of course, there is a slight risk that both your webbing and your rope will get stuck...

Augie Medina - Jul 31, 2013 6:11 pm - Voted 10/10

Sling Knot and Pull Cord

Regarding placement of the pull cord; as Scott said, tie the pull cord on the same side as the water knot in the sling; also, tie the cord on the sling ABOVE the water knot so the knot should be less likely to snag on the way down.

Another point. There are many other retreivable anchor systems out there (Omnisling, Macrame, retrievable autoblock)which you may encounter if you do a lot of canyoneering. However, the set-up Scott has shown has the virtue of being easy to learn and most importantly, easy to remember. I think it's worth being in one's skill set for the right circumstances even if you never have to use it.

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