Author |
Getting off the top of Mr Big |
|
|
11-Mar-2017 10:26:53 PM
|
The guidebook entry for Mr Big (Megalong Valley) says "If doing pitch 3 take two ropes, either leave one tied into the belay at the top of pitch 2 or abseil 50m to top of pitch 1".
How does the "leave one tied into the belay at the top of pitch 2" option work?
AFAIU the problem is the abseil from the top of pitch 3 leaves the climber dangling out in space to the left of the top of pitch 2 so they need to pull themselves over and in, but to do it requires the abseiler to have the other end of the rope tied to those anchors. If they have that, they could have just done the double rope abseil from the top, so I wonder if there is more to it.
Thanks
|
11-Mar-2017 11:46:09 PM
|
G'day,
The guidebook means that you can rap with 1 rope from the top of P3 (crux) back to the top of P2, at which point you 2-rope abseil down. Hence, rather than carrying 2 ropes through the crux, you leave the 2nd rope waiting for you at the top of P2, and collect it after rapping back down P3 (with 1 x 60m rope), and switch to 2-rope abseiling.
Regards,
- Paul Thomson
|
12-Mar-2017 9:13:07 AM
|
Thanks!
|
12-Mar-2017 2:16:46 PM
|
Tip: warm up on Honey Rider, familiarize yourself with that abseil. The top f pitch 3 is underneath 3 of Mr Bigg(it's on the same ledge as Mr Bigg P2 anchors)
Then you can easily abseil down to Honey Rider anchors with one rope and get down.
Honey rider P1&3 are more fun than MrBigg 1&2. The final pitch of MrBigg is like a warm up to the famous undies traverse on Hotel Cal.
|
13-Mar-2017 8:11:34 PM
|
Thanks Martym,
We did the climb on Saturday, before I'd posted. I didn't think of going to the Honey Rider anchors, I can't remember even looking that way! Will check it out next time. I'll be surprised if I ever get near Hotel California.
Just as an aside, on Mr Big we both led p3 and lowered ("trammed") back to belay to avoid dangling seconder hassles.
|