Little Bear fixed ropes

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screeman57
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Re: Little Bear fixed ropes

Post by screeman57 »

d_baker wrote:
Ropes don't break article.
Very interesting.
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crossfitter
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Re: Little Bear fixed ropes

Post by crossfitter »

d_baker wrote: Ropes don't break article.
Just as a counter point:
There was always severe and detectable damage (such as the tearing of the sheath) before subsequent drops produced complete failure.
Ropes from a couple years ago:

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screeman57
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Re: Little Bear fixed ropes

Post by screeman57 »

crossfitter wrote:
Just as a counter point:
There was always severe and detectable damage (such as the tearing of the sheath) before subsequent drops produced complete failure.
Not a counterpoint--it is the same point the above article makes (that failure occurred only when the rope was already damaged by tearing, chafing, or other damage to the sheath).
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Jim Davies
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Re: Little Bear fixed ropes

Post by Jim Davies »

screeman57 wrote:Just curious: have any of the serious injuries or deaths in the hourglass resulted from a fixed-rope failing? Not the point, I know, but I am curious if there's a cautionary tale out there...
In the past ten years or so, I can recall five fatal accidents on LB. Only one was in the hourglass, due to a fall from iced-up rocks on the side (Kevin8020).
Two separate incidents were falls that occurred while descending the wrong route to Lake Como in storms (the ridge below the hourglass).(Dave Boyd and John Boyles).
One death from an avalanche on the slopes below the hourglass. (Lygon Stevens)
One from a fall on the northwest face route, apparently due to a foothold breaking off. link
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Re: Little Bear fixed ropes

Post by carson_h »

In my opinion, every party attempting Little Bear should carry a rope and know how to use it. A freak hail or ice storm could roll in with limited notice and leave you stranded. I suspect that majority doesn’t follow this guideline, but do the fixed ropes on Little Bear lead to this behavior? For people that have done Little Bear, how did the fixed ropes impact your decision to attempt the route?

For me, the fact that there were fixed ropes (of questionable quality) reinforced my desire to bring a rope of known quality. In other words, if people think that rope is warranted, I want access to a rope with a known history.
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rickinco123
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Re: Little Bear fixed ropes

Post by rickinco123 »

d_baker wrote:Ropes don't break article.
The article says sharp edges and acid exposure cause ropes to fail, anyone ever notice any ants crawling on those ropes? Ants secrete formic acid. :-)
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DeucesWild
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Re: Little Bear fixed ropes

Post by DeucesWild »

rickinco123 wrote:The article says sharp edges and acid exposure cause ropes to fail, anyone ever notice any ants crawling on those ropes? Ants secrete formic acid.
Little Bear is known for its ant and termite infestation. Maybe someone should hose the rope down with Raid.
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Re: Little Bear fixed ropes

Post by DaveSwink »

[color=#FF0080]My rope is DDT-impregnated to protect it from rope-destroying vermin! [/color] :twisted:
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Neil
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Re: Little Bear fixed ropes

Post by Neil »

I fall into, and advocate for, the bring your own rope argument. I would feel awkward even borrowing a rope from someone I know -- there is no way I'm trusting one set my an unknown climber, even after inspection. We are heading up to Little Bear Friday with two 60m ropes. We will tie the ropes together in a way we trust, set an anchor in a way we trust, and use ropes we trust to make a full 60m rappel, thereby allowing us to retrieve our ropes and take them with us. If, for some reason, we feel more comfortable downclimbing, then we got a good workout with the extra weight and were responsible for our own safety and decision making. I don't begrudge anyone their opinion, but I feel strongly about mine in this case.
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rickinco123
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Re: Little Bear fixed ropes

Post by rickinco123 »

DeucesWild wrote:
rickinco123 wrote:The article says sharp edges and acid exposure cause ropes to fail, anyone ever notice any ants crawling on those ropes? Ants secrete formic acid.
Little Bear is known for its ant and termite infestation. Maybe someone should hose the rope down with Raid.
Are you crazy? That stuff might damage your rope.
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Re: Little Bear fixed ropes

Post by blazebo »

Neil wrote:I fall into, and advocate for, the bring your own rope argument. I would feel awkward even borrowing a rope from someone I know -- there is no way I'm trusting one set my an unknown climber, even after inspection. We are heading up to Little Bear Friday with two 60m ropes. We will tie the ropes together in a way we trust, set an anchor in a way we trust, and use ropes we trust to make a full 60m rappel, thereby allowing us to retrieve our ropes and take them with us. If, for some reason, we feel more comfortable downclimbing, then we got a good workout with the extra weight and were responsible for our own safety and decision making. I don't begrudge anyone their opinion, but I feel strongly about mine in this case.
this is exactly why i pack my own chute riggins as well. I want to know that the idiot that does it is doing it right...and then i am the only idiot to blame if it does not open. i left a rope on little bear 2 years ago. it was the purple blue one that many folks on here i am usre used. it was a solid rope that i had retired after taking a 50 foot whipper on it. not that it needed to be retired, but more from a superstition standpoint. personally i think climbing fairly straightforward class 4 should not require a rope, but i brought this one for my wife and left it for good use. that said, i would not have used it even a week later had i been back up there. hail, rain, fat people, marmots goats, pika, texans and especially the SUN all take their toll on nylon and that is not something i would bet my life on! [-X
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Re: Little Bear fixed ropes

Post by rijaca »

blazebo wrote:...but i brought this one for my wife and left it for good use. that said, i would not have used it even a week later had i been back up there. hail, rain, fat people, marmots goats, pika, texans and especially the SUN all take their toll on nylon and that is not something i would bet my life on! [-X
Then why did you leave it?
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