BLUE MOUNTAINS – 15 September 2024
I was a little nervous about this multi pitch abseil trip (Malaita Walls). I’d done it twice before (maybe even more times because I don’t always record trips), but this time it was an SRT trip (single rope, not double rope that I’m used to). So, I packed my “Stop” descender which is designed for SRT, and I knew that I could slow myself down with it if need be.
So, what could possibly go wrong?
Walking down to the first pitch, it’s quite exposed!
Nicole about to go over the edge … nasty start. Shiva managing the rope.
Me on the abseil. Yeah, about that Stop (heuristic trap #1) … you hold the “break/stop” mechanism with your left hand and manage the rope with your right hand. I’ve used it many times before but never with a pack on my back. I ended up spending the whole abseil fighting to stay vertical. With my backpack I was top heavy and couldn’t balance myself properly with the left hand on the rope … probably the worst abseil that I’ve ever done! It was so bad by the end that I was horizontal on the rope and ended up flat on my back at the base of the pitch cause I couldn’t right myself to stand up!
Shiva, the last one coming down, you can see how high it is – Shiva always looks so graceful when she abseils!
Vowing to not use the Stop again, I changed over to my trusty Rack, the other abseils weren’t as long (or as exposed), so I was feeling more confident.
Me on the next abseil (probably can’t remember which one it was). It’s pretty cold now so had to rug up.
Jai and Shiva rigging up the next abseil, which was quite a nice one.
Then the last abseil which I said I’d go down first (Heuristic Trap #2), was looking good until I got to the edge to discover that it was a sharp overhang, and here I was with a Rack and single rope (faster than I’d like to go over an overhang). Yep, have done more overhangs than I can count and usually love them, but this one, nope, didn’t like it at all, way too fast going over the edge!
The last person coming down (with double rope), you can see the overhang part of the rock from this angle, no-where to put your feet when you go over the edge, no wonder I had trouble.
So, good lesson for me, never think to yourself “I’ve done it before, shouldn’t be a problem”!
Big thanks to Jai and the crew (Shiva, Dino, Jim, & Nicole), was a great day out despite those first and last abseils! And big thanks to Nicole for all her great photos (I was in survival mode and forget to take photos, I’m just into making sure I don’t hurt myself lol).
Hi M:
A simple way but effective way to avoid flipping upside down or horizontal in your case while abseiling with a heavier back pack is to take a piece of accessory cord knotted into a loop or a sling (a 30 cm climbers sling would work) and thread this through the shoulder straps of your pack. Position this near the sternum strap and add a carabiner. The abseil rope then runs through the carabiner and the abseiler is held upright with zero effort.
Hi Sandy,
Yes, am aware of that (another HTrap), but didn’t think of it before I went down, will def do that when I’m on a caving trap, AND at our next practice day will have everyone practice it LOL. Thanks for your comment.
Regards
M