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Climbing at Serra Range - Dreamtime |
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28-Sep-2014 10:58:03 PM
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Hey guys,
Does anyone know for those super long routes at Serra Range, is there a middle anchor for descending?I've only got a 70m rope, so climbing those 50m routes would be a problem.
Thanks.
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29-Sep-2014 8:02:30 AM
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Do you know the names of these routes or this middle part of the cliff?
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29-Sep-2014 9:48:32 AM
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50m is a super long route? I must have been climbing at the wrong cliffs. But you know, there is always the old fashioned method of walk down. I expect there probably are second anchors though, this cliff is Joe's baby and he's usually pretty generous in the bolting stakes. But also, you could just buy a set of doubles. Or at least one 9mm to drag up for rapping. This won't exactly be the only circumstances in climbing in which you'll need more than 35m of rapping option.
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29-Sep-2014 9:58:25 AM
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On 29/09/2014 Wendy wrote:
>50m is a super long route?
As a single pitch sport route 50m is certainly a long route!
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29-Sep-2014 11:58:47 AM
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On 28/09/2014 Js wrote:
>Does anyone know for those super long routes at Serra Range, is there
>a middle anchor for descending?I've only got a 70m rope, so climbing those
>50m routes would be a problem.
I haven't been there for a year or so, but in general no. You need a second rope to get off things such as Gulgun Manja or The Perfect Extraction.
There may be exceptions at the left end where I recall you can actually get down from the top in one 60m rap (just) but there's an intermediate rap station anyway (the rap lengths in the guide may be overstated).
Likewise the buttress around Short Memory has a rap station at the top of this route which I recall was less than 30m so you can probably get down from the routes above it with one rope.
I don't have a guide with me to check any of this so use the information with caution.
Steve
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29-Sep-2014 12:04:52 PM
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May I ask how rough the road in is? Can you get in with a 2WD? How about a low 2WD like a Commodore?
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29-Sep-2014 6:49:40 PM
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Road is fine for a Commodore. There was a VW Polo there yesterday!
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29-Sep-2014 9:27:44 PM
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On 29/09/2014 JamesMc wrote:
>Road is fine for a Commodore. There was a VW Polo there yesterday!
>
Das auto.
If not, then capable drivers of their own cars or less caring drivers of hire or company cars have no worries.
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30-Sep-2014 12:51:44 AM
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Steve - "You need a second rope to get off things such as Gulgun Manja or The Perfect Extraction"
You mean I need to climb the grade 18 route carrying a rope behind me, then when I'm at the top combine those two ropes together to rappel down?
or
Get a 100m barrel of rope?
Glam buttress have routes under 30m, those are normal. I've got the guidebook but it doesn't say anything about middle anchors for those super long routes. I was hoping someone could help here.
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30-Sep-2014 3:52:49 AM
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Hi,
I got down gulgun m by lowering off a 70 m rope till the knot. I then clipped in hard to nearest bolt and pulled the rope. Then proceeded to down climb. Not hard to be honest. there are no mid point anchors.
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30-Sep-2014 9:08:38 AM
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On 30/09/2014 Js wrote:
>You mean I need to climb the grade 18 route carrying a rope behind me,
>then when I'm at the top combine those two ropes together to rappel down?
Yep that's what I have done and recommend as the best option.
There are no middle anchors on the two routes I mentioned AFAIK.
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30-Sep-2014 11:17:45 AM
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On 30/09/2014 gfdonc wrote:
>On 30/09/2014 Js wrote:
>>You mean I need to climb the grade 18 route carrying a rope behind me,
>>then when I'm at the top combine those two ropes together to rappel down?
>
>Yep that's what I have done and recommend as the best option.
>There are no middle anchors on the two routes I mentioned AFAIK.
>
You're strong.
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30-Sep-2014 2:38:14 PM
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Nah, GFDonc couldn't pull the skin off a custard
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30-Sep-2014 2:55:19 PM
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Thanks JDB, I think you are closer to the mark.
I just have a very light (8.1mm) second rope for these situations. Hence solving the issue by equipment instead of fitness or skill.
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1-Oct-2014 8:16:53 AM
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Doesn't anyone use double rope lead climbing technique anymore?
It certainly covers the situation outlined in this thread and has many other benefits too.
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1-Oct-2014 8:54:15 AM
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Absolutely.
While I've mostly climbed on single ropes for a while, we were climbing last week on my 8.1 and a 9.7. The advantages of keeping a belay on one rope while reefing in rope to clip on the other are very clear. With the advent of light single ropes (9mm or less) I'm thinking two of those would be an ideal combination.
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1-Oct-2014 8:56:58 AM
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On 1/10/2014 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>Doesn't anyone use double rope lead climbing technique anymore?
>It certainly covers the situation outlined in this thread and has many
>other benefits too.
I think this is sport-climbing here M9 - no deviation from the norm allowed. How can people be expected to cope?
There are a few ways to deal with a lower-off longer than half your rope length.
1. Stick with one rope and use KPs suggestion of downclimbing the bottom bit. Obvious downside is that the probabilityof fear, injury or death is greatly increased.
2. Trail a second, light rope. Upside : simple and will work. Downsides : extra weight, doesn't look good in photos, annoying to have flapping around ankles.
3. Actually belay at the anchor and bring your second up with the extra rope. Downsides : pinch-marks from harness in hanging belay, sport-climbers don't know what a "second" is other than a unit of time.
4. Climb with a single rope then pull it through the runners and throw back down for the belayer to tie the other rope on. Downsides : None for the spectators that I can think of. Upside : sporting.
5. Top out and walk down.
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1-Oct-2014 11:12:08 AM
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Are you climbing on two different thickness ropes? I've had a bad experience with that and don't think it's a good idea. The thinner rope is much harder to hold in a fall.
On 1/10/2014 gfdonc wrote:
>Absolutely.
>While I've mostly climbed on single ropes for a while, we were climbing
>last week on my 8.1 and a 9.7. The advantages of keeping a belay on one
>rope while reefing in rope to clip on the other are very clear. With the
>advent of light single ropes (9mm or less) I'm thinking two of those would
>be an ideal combination.
>
>
>
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1-Oct-2014 12:33:56 PM
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On 1/10/2014 kieranl wrote:
>I think this is sport-climbing here M9 - no deviation from the norm allowed. How can people be expected to cope?
>There are a few ways to deal with a lower-off longer than half your rope
>length.
>
>4. Climb with a single rope then pull it through the runners and throw
>back down for the belayer to tie the other rope on. Downsides : None for
>the spectators that I can think of. Upside : sporting.
>
Sorry bro but since you're talking sport an coping, I disagree with this bit, cos I reckon it would be great spectator sport watching a belayer on the ground with two ropes an a spurt climber stranded a pitch up.
I assume you mean throw the rope tail down, but I still think it would please the spectators watching a spurt belayer trying to tie a SAFE rope joining knot, or worse, trying to google it then and there!
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1-Oct-2014 12:50:51 PM
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On 1/10/2014 Duang Daunk wrote:
...
>I assume you mean throw the rope tail down,
I was leaving that for user interpretation :)
>please the spectators watching a spurt belayer trying to tie a SAFE rope
>joining knot, or worse, trying to google it then and there!
I was going to suggest they could try splicing the rope-ends together and then pull it up through the draws but thought there was too much risk that someone would try duct-taping the ends together. Apart from duct-tape being bad for the rope, they would have to remember to knot the ropes once the join reached the lower-off.
On a serious note, I forgot to include the obvious twin ropes option which is a pretty good way to go if you plan on doing some big sport routes..
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