SRT base anchors and rescue anchors

[Ewan Murray]

Its pretty rare i actually use a base anchor but when i do this is what i use, to show people who may not have understood, if the second climbing line will be too short doubled it can be used single and a simple ring added in order to take some friction away the same is acheived with a figure 8 or running the rope through a lower d on a harness for example.

[WorcsWuss]

Here's what I use.... Knew I had a photo of this somewhere!

Ignoring the fact that 2 crabs are clipped together (this was only set up for a photo) Snakeanchor round the tree, fig 8 clipped into it and the climbing line soft locked off through it, asymmetric prusik on the tail clipped back to the snake anchor.

Anyone lowering can take the tail with them and clip it to themselves (even just to a loop of cord round their waist if they don't have a harness) and control the descent remotely, and let go of the rope completely if they need to with the hitch as a failsafe.

[Paul Smith]

Here's what I use.... Knew I had a photo of this somewhere!

Ignoring the fact that 2 crabs are clipped together (this was only set up for a photo) Snakeanchor round the tree, fig 8 clipped into it and the climbing line soft locked off through it, asymmetric prusik on the tail clipped back to the snake anchor.

Anyone lowering can take the tail with them and clip it to themselves (even just to a loop of cord round their waist if they don't have a harness) and control the descent remotely, and let go of the rope completely if they need to with the hitch as a failsafe.

 

Do you mean clip the tail to the rescuer? To do that you would have to unclipped the hitch from the snake anchor and clip it to the rescuer.

 

Is this what you mean or am I being thick?

[Paul Smith]

Even if you kept the hitch attached to the snake anchor and pulled the tail above the hitch it would mean you have slack in the system if you were to let go.

[WorcsWuss]

Do you mean clip the tail to the rescuer? To do that you would have to unclipped the hitch from the snake anchor and clip it to the rescuer.

 

Is this what you mean or am I being thick?

 

Yes, the f8 is still controlling friction from a static point, once the 8 is unlocked, lowering can be controlled through the 8 with the back up hitch either still attached to the tree/snakeanchor or clipped to something/someone else and controlled remotely.

 

Even if you kept the hitch attached to the snake anchor and pulled the tail above the hitch it would mean you have slack in the system if you were to let go.

 

No slack, to unlock it you do have to pull enough slack in to unlock the 8, but only a couple of inches, after that it's no different to descending on an 8 backed up with a prusik.

[Adam Bourne]

Once all that is under load from the dead weight of an injured climber there's no way you could pull any slack from the system to unclip anything, also looking at the way the rope is running through the 8 it looks as if that will lock up on its self causing total lock up, or is it just me??

 

 

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[Marc]

I,d have to agree with Adam looks potentially difficult to take out the soft lock on the fig 8 under load. Ah wait just had a second look all you would have to do is pay out a load of slack between the fig 8 and hitch then pop out the soft lock the hitch is there just as a back up in case the rescuer loses control of the line somehow.

 

Still it all looks overly complicated and fussy, I loved shebrookes vid so simple but not ideal as no back up. I'd like to see the simplest set-up possible with minimal gear, so far leaving a midline knot for attaching a second system (back-up climbers kit) is what I'd favour just not sure how practical this is.

[Ewan Murray]

A figure 8 with a footlock Prussic above it is pretty simple as a base anchor

[WorcsWuss]

I,d have to agree with Adam looks potentially difficult to take out the soft lock on the fig 8 under load. Ah wait just had a second look all you would have to do is pay out a load of slack between the fig 8 and hitch then pop out the soft lock the hitch is there just as a back up in case the rescuer loses control of the line somehow.

 

Still it all looks overly complicated and fussy, I loved shebrookes vid so simple but not ideal as no back up. I'd like to see the simplest set-up possible with minimal gear, so far leaving a midline knot for attaching a second system (back-up climbers kit) is what I'd favour just not sure how practical this is.

 

It's a terrible photo, and not set properly through the 8, it was only set up to show the basic arrangement, and the surplus biner and camera angle make it look worse than it is.

 

You've got the idea though, tug a little slack through the prusik (and it does only need to be a couple of inches) and flip it over the 8 (it doesn't lock up too tight) and you're away, just push down on the prusik and it runs through the 8, let go of the prusik and it all stops.

 

It's not TOO gear intensive - snake anchor, 2 biners, fig 8 and a bit of hitch cord - and it suits me, in fact it's basically the same as Adam's second one from the first page - [ATTACH]127189[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]127190[/ATTACH][ATTACH]127191[/ATTACH] - but using a bit less stuff, and I soft lock the 8, which is probably unnecessary. In this one the snake anchor does the job of the anchor rope, bat plate and sling from Adam's.

 

 

Once all that is under load from the dead weight of an injured climber there's no way you could pull any slack from the system to unclip anything, also looking at the way the rope is running through the 8 it looks as if that will lock up on its self causing total lock up, or is it just me??

 

 

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No. It's just you Adam

And my terrible photo and slapdash set up

[Adam Bourne]

It's a terrible photo, and not set properly through the 8, it was only set up to show the basic arrangement, and the surplus biner and camera angle make it look worse than it is.

 

You've got the idea though, tug a little slack through the prusik (and it does only need to be a couple of inches) and flip it over the 8 (it doesn't lock up too tight) and you're away, just push down on the prusik and it runs through the 8, let go of the prusik and it all stops.

 

It's not TOO gear intensive - snake anchor, 2 biners, fig 8 and a bit of hitch cord - and it suits me, in fact it's basically the same as Adam's second one from the first page - [ATTACH]127189[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]127190[/ATTACH][ATTACH]127191[/ATTACH] - but using a bit less stuff, and I soft lock the 8, which is probably unnecessary. In this one the snake anchor does the job of the anchor rope, bat plate and sling from Adam's.

 

 

 

 

No. It's just you Adam

And my terrible photo and slapdash set up

 

So it's not me at all then!!!

 

Ok it's not a dig but if its not setup right then why post it? Ok from an experienced view you can obviously see its not right but what if to the untrained eye someone had copied that thinking its ok to use then suddenly realising after they need rescuing it won't even work? Just an observation and not having ago mate

 

 

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