What is a self belayed rappel?

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How do I "self-belay" my rappels?

In practice, all novice rappels should be belayed from above. There are many reasons why a novice person rappelling can lose control. Read the annual issues of Accidents in North American Mountaineering to find many of them. In my COCC Basic Mountaineering classes, we discussed ten possible rappelling problems and I am sure there are more.

Use of an "upper belay" rope is traditional when a local peak is bagged by a climbing club group. The weight and carry of the second rope is not a problem in this group situation.

A "fireman's belay" from the bottom is a possible alternative. A companion, standing below, adds friction by pulling down on the rappel rope.

Watch out for rocks being kicked off by the person rappelling. A local Cascades Mountaineers Club Member, not wearing a helmet, received a severe and bloody bonk on the head from a small rock dislodged by the nervous rappeller. He was using the fireman's belay at the bottom of the traditional rappel to the north saddle off Oregon's Mt. Washington.

Experienced traditional mountaineers will normally use the simple "self-belay" on long rappels.

Just attach a prussic loop above the rappel device and link it to harness tie-in point with a second locking carabiner. See the illustration below from Climbing Ice, by Duane Raleigh, 1995, Illustration by Mike Clelland.

Slide the prussic knot down the rope with the lower edge of your feeling hand on the rappel rope, being careful to not let the knot tighten up. See below.

Do NOT hold the prussic knot in your hand - you will prevent it from tightening as you slide burning out of control down the rope.

If the knot jammed, you had to climb up a bit and release it. If you were on an overhanging rappel, you had to take a second longer prussic, girthed to a 48" sewn runner, attach it above the jammed self belay prussic, step up into the loop, take the weight off the jammed prussic knot, loosen it and tighten up the rappel slack, remove the step prussic and return it to your pocket and continue to the predetermined end of your rappel.

If you are doing a dulfersitz rappel, self belay with a swami runner or a diaper runner, a locking biner and your self-belay prussic. Have your second prussic and your 48" runner in your pocket to climb back up the rappel rope or to loosen a jammed self belay. (The total weight of this traditional gear is about 6 oz vs. 1 pound 10 oz for your alpine seat harness, rappel device and other techy stuff! )

This technique sounds complicated but these are the skills you can use to climb back up the rope out of a crevasse or to climb back up the rappel rope to a better belay station, using a second prussic loop attached to the rope above the foot loop prussic and to your harness. I will write page on Climbing the Rappel Rope soon.

Here is the rest of the story!

Recently, a better technique has become the standard! I first read about this technique in the free Petzl Catalog two years ago.

First, attach the rappel device locking carabiner to a 24" sewn runner by a slipknot and attach the other end of the runner by a girth hitch to the harness. This technique extends the rappel device up and away from bulky clothing, long hair, etc. where it can be seen and adjusted easily.

This technique makes possible using a prussic loop fixed on the tail of the rappel rope, linked to the leg loop of the harness by a light locking carabiner.

Stated again: With the belay device extended, attach a prussic loop to the tail of the rappel rope and then to your harness leg loop with a locking carabiner.

There is a better solution than the pesky prussic! Use a 24" runner tied in a Franz Bachman friction knot on the extended tail of the rappel rope and secure it to the large leg loop of your harness with a large light locking carabiner.

Mr. Franz Bachman has sent me great illustrations of his Bachman Friction Knot! See below:

Rappel, self belayed with a prussic loop

Mountaineering is about the mitigation of risk with knowledge, great gear and experience.
Read Chapter Eleven on Rappelling in Mountaineering, The Freedom of the Hills, 7th edition.

Copyright© 2000-2007 by Robert Speik. All Rights Reserved.

WARNING - *DISCLAIMER!*
Mountain climbing has inherent dangers that can in part, be mitigated

TECHNICAL MOUNTAINEERING
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REAL SURVIVAL STRATEGIES
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Why are "Snow Caves" dangerous?
Why are "Space Blankets" dangerous?
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Mount Hood - The Episcopal School Tragedy
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Can I avoid avalanche risk with good gear and seminars? pdf file

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Which crampons are the best?
What about Boots and Shoes?

YOUR ESSENTIAL SUMMIT PACK
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What is Light and Fast alpine climbing?
What do you carry in your day pack?    Photos?
What do you carry in your winter day pack?     Photos?
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What should I know about "space blankets"?
Where can I get a personal and a group first aid kit?    Photos?

YOUR LITE AND FAST BACKPACK
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ESSENTIAL PERSONAL GEAR
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ABOUT ALPINE MOUNTAINEERING

The Sport of Alpine Mountaineering
Climbing Together
Following the Leader
The Mountaineers' Rope
Basic Responsibilities
The Ten Essentials
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Read about rappelling in this book!