Any new climbing leader should learn some amount of self rescue and carry the necessary tools. Here are some of my notes from the self rescue course that I taught with Virginia Tech’s Rock Climbing Club. I’ll be cleaning them up and fleshing them out.
##Scenarios
- Dropped belay device
- belay leader with remaining belay device
- belay follower with munter hitch
- Leader unconscious
- Are they more than half a rope length up?
- Lower them down if possible
- escape belay
- Follower unconscious
- Counter Balance carry
- Rope jammed after pulling on rappel
- Flick your rope next time
- Can you lead up to it?
- Prussic up and hope for the best
- build anchor at bottom of climb w/ upward pull
- attach rope to anchor
- lead up stuck line w/ prussic or grigri placing gear
- Follower can’t finish climb
- 3 to 1 raise
- drop fixed line
- drop loop (crevasse rescue)
- cut in rope while TRing
- Following route and pendulum into space
##Self rescue topics
- escape belay
- load transfer
- passing knots
- rope ascending
- self belay leading
- counter balance carry
- undoing rescued party’s knot
- heavy duty rappel
- raise (3 to 1 / z drag)
- knots
- prussik
- autoblock
- kleimheist
- bachman
- munter hitch
- block with binder
- monster munter
- mule knot
- clove hitch
- taking in coils / mountaineers coils
- bundling cords
- bowline
- double/triple fisherman’s
- mariner’s knot
- garda hitch
- bunny ears 8
- multi pitch
- swinging leads vs block leading
- pancake flip
- multi-pitch rappels
- personal tether
- anchors (sliding x, cordalette, acr)
- clipping the shelf
- small cordalette leg adjustments
- belaying from above
- leg wrap for rappel
- shoulder slings
- cutting webbing with rock
- climbers should bring: harness, belay device, extra locker, shoes
Additional tips
place gear whenever you change direction to protect your follower never have someone hanging off 1 prussik
##Links http://www.chauvinguides.com/selfrescue/selfstart.cfm
http://www.climbing.com/skill/save-yourself-a-guide-to-self-rescue/
http://www.chockstone.org/TechTips/LeaderRescue.htm