Abseiling

Rappelling is the descent of a person from a mountain, rock or another hill with a rope. A distinction is made between Selbstabseilen and Fremdabseilen, the latter is, however, usually referred to as draining. Abseiling is in sport climbing, canyoning and caving, required for certain professions (for example, for assembly work on poles or rescue and recovery ) or even the military.

Over the decades, various rappelling techniques have been developed for mountaineering and climbing. First, the rope in various forms was placed around the body, since the 1970s, specially developed equipment and carabiner were increasingly used. All methods but have in common that they exploit for braking the friction effect, which is caused by a single or multiple turns of rope.

In the English- speaking world abseiling has become widely accepted as Germanism.

Technology

Fixed points

For roping a fixed point is necessary, which must be absolutely reliable. Are therefore frequently several fixed points, for example, uses two hooks. Will abseil down Abseilösen, ring hooks or carabiners. Cords or tape loops found in the alpine and ice climbing ( Eissanduhren ) use, as so no carabiners must be left behind. However, this is only possible with the active abseiling, since the rope does not move here at a fixed point. With passive deflation is caused by the friction of the rope on the fixed point heat that can pass through melt combustion to crack the accessory cord and therefore to the loss.

Descenders

The most common climbing rappelling technique uses the figure of eight. To integrate both ropes are placed through the larger opening of the descender and then behind the smaller opening when using the rope in the double strand.

The Munter hitch backup was made ​​known by the Swiss Werner Munter. The friction of the rope through a carabiner is used for braking. If no descender is available, can be lowered with the HMS. The strong twists and kinking of the rope is, however, represents a problem

Since the 1990s, more technical descending and braking devices have been developed, most of which were optimized for specific applications. Examples are the Tre Sirius, the Petzl Grigri, the Petzl Reverso, the Petzl ID or the Black Diamond ATC. These devices have the classic figure of eight now largely superseded, as they are sometimes also better suited for securing your partner.

Implementation

Standard features include here in addition to the figure eight descender or another a climbing rope, a harness and hook with safety lock. When the rope is Selbstabseilen normally mounted at a fixed point in the double strand. It is important to make sure that both ends of rope down to the ground or to the next stand. With a rope of 50 meters in length may be lowered as a double strand ie a maximum of 25 meters. Before ejecting the rope, the rope ends should be abgeknotet with a Endacht to prevent accidents by abseiling over the cable end out. Alternatively, you can also abseil on single rope, this is fixed by means of this node and carbines to ring or eyelet or natural protection points. However, the cable can not be removed after abseiling down here, abseiling on single rope is therefore only possible if even after rappelling someone can solve the fixed point the rope again.

The rope is placed in a double or single strand in the descender. This is then combined with a carbine, best a carabiner (HMS = half hitch backup, see below), attached to a harness. In any case, a further assurance should be used in the form of a Prusikschlinge or an FB - band terminal node; these are placed below the descender to the double strand of the rope and secured with a carbine in the leg loop of the hip belt. This Prusikschlinge or band clamp node should not be too long, otherwise there is a danger that they will be drawn into the descender. (Only ) canyoning is not roped or behind secures with Prusik.

Historical development

The first mountaineers roped off by taking up the friction of the rope on the body. First define the so-called climbing circuit was used.

" Leads to the rope on the inside of a Kniees, then at the calf, in the outside along the ankle and the leg Fußspanne thereof; the foot bends to be strongly upward. Then you step with the other foot at the point where it passes over the Fußspanne, it. The patch must walk the rope as possible after the span of the other foot down press (of whose toes away). " (Rudolf Fehrmanns, The climber in Saxon Switzerland, Dresden 1908)

A further development was the Dülfersitz, in which the cable passes around one thigh and over his shoulder. Since the invention of the Abseilachters these methods are no longer in use.

The carbine seat - although rare - still used in contrast to Dülfersitz today if no descender or another is for rappelling suitable backup device. Dülfersitz and carbines seat are methods that were used before the advent of seat or full body.