Rappel Extensions

Rappel extensions started becoming in vogue around 2006 after a climbing accident in Wyoming where a friction hitch backup was likely tended or pushed down by the device causing the climber to lose control and eventually rappel off the end of the rope. The rappel extension helps eliminate this issue and sets us up for success in many other situations.

The rappel extension has morphed over the years as technology has improved. We now can consider using a dynamic extension like the Petzl Connect Adjust to extend our rappels and prevent high force shock loading when clipped to an anchor.

Petzl’s Connect Adjust

The double shoulder length sling is still a great option for extending a rappel and using nylon can allow for a larger margin of error. Most climbers now only carry UHMWPE (Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) so basketing the sling is a good option and we should stay away from girth hitches with this material. Here are a few configurations with the sling.

double shoulder length sling rappel extension

I do still use a locker draw for extensions at times. Here is a video that I made about the locker draw and some of its uses in 2012.

Mentoring in Guiding

Mentoring has always been needed in the mountains whether recreational climbing or guiding; however the latter requires way more to really perfect the craft. Many times young instructors do not fully understand how mentoring works or how it is accessible to them. The American Mountain Guides Association has made great strides to offer the best mentoring resources in the country. The AMGA members mentoring Facebook page has now given a forum to folks looking for mentoring as well as a place mentors can inform members about opportunities. However many opportunities are gained more by the individuals drive to seek them out.

Many Accredited companies offer personalized training in house to their instructors. At Fox Mountain Guides we regularly have trainings whether is be on an individual basis or a full team training. We also have teamed up with other local constituents in the industry to provide mentoring days to AMGA members as a way to share information.

Fox Mountain Guides allows individuals to shadow days so that they can benefit from seeing professionals work in the field. Here is a little excerpt from a student about this mentoring particular days:

When asked, “How did you get into climbing?” most of us probably think of a person or a group of people rather than a book or a class. Not all recreational climbing mentors are good ones, but they’re still the ones that got us outside and gave us our first real climbing experiences. Mentor-ship is key when you are transitioning into any new activity or field, and that is definitely the case when it comes to transitioning from a recreational climber to a professional instructor or guide.

Last year, I took my first step into the realm of professional guiding by signing up for an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor course with Fox Mountain Guides. Having years of rock climbing experience on more than just single pitch terrain, I didn’t know how much more there could be to learn in that setting. Apparently a lot, and the learning certainly didn’t stop at the end of that course. Armed with a brand new SPI manual and a lot of new tricks to work on, I left the course planning to practice until I mastered all of it. It became clear very quickly that learning and growing at these skills on my own was going to be much harder than just memorizing a book, and I struggled to find people to work with on my areas of weakness. If you only climb with people at your level of knowledge of lower, you’re not getting the feedback you need and you can’t reach for a higher standard if you don’t even know what that looks like.

This May, Fox Mountain Guides provided me with a key mentor-ship opportunity and I was able to shadow Karsten (FMG owner and guide) and Doug (FMG Rock Instructor) while they guided a group at the Red River Gorge in Kentucky for a few days. This experience was pivotal for me, and I was finally able to see what a professionally guided day looked like and what my role could look like as an instructor. Interacting with real clients and seeing them progress over the course of a short trip was rewarding and really brought everything I’d been learning together in a meaningful way. Observing and participating in the high standard that Fox Mountain Guides practices gave me valuable insight into my own strengths and weaknesses, and the experience motivated me to continue my education and transition from recreational climber to professional climbing guide. Mentor-ship can spark positive growth in a way that no amount of reading or practicing can, and I’m excited to continue down this path after having such positive learning experiences with FMG.

–Peggy

Ways to find mentor-ship:

-Take internships with AMGA accredited companies

-Get on the AMGA professional members forum and mentor-ship forum on Facebook

-Go to the AMGA conference

-hire a guide or instructor and create a mutually beneficial relationship

Remember when searching for mentor-ship be thinking about what you can do for your mentor. Can you provide them with a service like photos or some volunteer time. Help them with some office duties where you might even learn more about that side of the business. When the relationship becomes mutually beneficial both parties win and our profession grows stronger!

Start Hard, Finish Easy...Dressing the figure eight knot.

Here is a quick video about dressing the figure 8 knot:

Lowering with a Plaquette

It is easy to reverse the direction of the plaquette by using the LSD or Load Strand Direct lower. Here is a quick video:

Opposable Thumbs

I am in the middle of my New Hampshire ice climbing stint and the conditions have been amazing. There was a rain event that happened a week before I got up here and then it froze again. This made many of the climbs super fat!

I was psyched when I got up here with all the fat ice but at the end of day one of guiding I was behind my van and slipped in the parking lot on the ice sheet that covered everything. After a second of airtime I hit really hard; laid there for a second, then noticed a weird feeling in my thumb. As I looked at it I knew it was not gonna just take a band aide. I was holding crampons and one of the points had sliced through down to the bone.

I was able to get it stitched up and it was not to bad to climb with but manipulating carabiners and gear was hard with my right hand. So I tried to keep most of that work to my left hand. It is interesting the things you notice with a bad thumb. The climb Repentance is mostly left handed placements and there is one hand jam that also happens to be a left hand.

Photos by Austin Schmitz

I ended up only ripping out 2 of the stitches over the last 7 days. So it is healing fairly well all things considered.

 …Through all this I have learned opposable thumbs are pretty key to our climbing ability!

Van Life

#vanlife …

So I have done it. I bought a van. Built it out. and now have to post about it. That is what you do right?

I purchased the van in mid September off the lot. Sold my Fourwheel Camper, and had to build it out as fast as I possibly could since I stay in it for my job quite often. So here are some photos of the process.

I bought it from a Freightliner dealer in South Carolina. It is a 144 wheelbase with high roof and 4×4.

The first trip I did in it was to the New River Craggin Classic and I had just gotten it so I used NRS straps and put my grandfathers old recliner with a small table and a crash pad to sleep on. It worked, but I was psyched to get back and start doing the mod.

And so the process begins:

For insulation I used rattle trap on as much of the paneling as i could and then used reflectix and then thinsulate. 

Cutting a hole in the top of a brand new van is a big gripping. I went with the Max fan due to its ability to be opened in the rain. I used plywood for the interior build out. I stained it with a poly stain that keeps most of the original color. The walls are 1/4 inch with everything else being 3/4 inch.

I put in butcher board for the counter top and went with a hand pump for water and sink. I also insulated this well so that it will be less likely to freeze while I am shredding the nar. The vehicle came with an auxilary battery but I went ahead and put another under the drivers seat. I also added one 80w solar panel to the top from RB Components. I then had Jason over at OGRE (a local shop) make rock sliders, a rear bumper, and install a front bumper from Backwoods Adventure Mods. He also put all the rescue and led lights on!

And for the finished interior look:

2012 Fourwheel Camper For Sale (SOLD)

2012 Eagle Fourwheel Camper For Sale

$10,400

!!!!!SOLD!!!!

I am selling my camper that fits on a mid sized truck. Please contact me at karstendelap@yahoo.com.

This is a shell model that was customized. I have used it to hang out in the mountains for weeks to ski and climb.

Mechanical Camper Jacks (4 corner)

Upgrade to Aluminum Jack Brackets

Furnace w/ propane tanks & cabinet

Power Roof Vent (Fantastic Fan)

Screen Door

8′ Side Awning

Side Awning Light

Rear Awning

Yakima Roof Racks (Track System) Standard 5 foot Length w/ locks

Rear Wall Steps

Rear Wall Bike Rack

Solar Panel Wiring

Solar Panel

LED Interior Light Upgrade

Rear Flood Lights (LED)

LED Exterior Lighting Package

Arctic Pack (for cold weather)

Aux. Battery System

Hawk or Eagle Roll Over Couch/Bed

12V Accessory Outlet Plugs

Privacy Curtains

Gas Strut Roof List Assists

Drill Bit Adapter for Mechanical Camper Jacks

Fox Mountain Guides Summer Camp

I have been working with the Fox Mountain Guides Rock Climbing Summer Camp in some capacity for the last 9 years. It has been ever evolving into a very high end teen climbing camp where teenagers come to experience climbing for the first time and after a few years leave having lead multi-pitch climbs and learned technical rescue skills that most adults would be envious of. Some of these campers have gone on into the world to pursue guiding, as well as a couple students are even professional climbing athletes and now pushing the leading edge of climbing today.

Here is a little preview of what we do:

Rescue in Michigan

The Michigan Ice fest had another awesome year and the turnout was amazing! Ice climbing in the U.P. has really grown just like it has around the rest or the U.S. This of course means folk trying things that maybe push their abilities a little over the edge and they can wind up in some trouble. Here is the incident report I put together for ANAC:

Rescue Report February 17, 2017

Rescuers:

Jeff Whit

Sam Magro

Carlos Beuler

Karsten Delap

The call from the 911 center to Bill Thompson happened about 6:45 PM. The call came through that there was a climber that had taken a fall on Strawberry Daze and had possible leg or pelvic fracture. Bill Scrambled to find a few athletes and guides to help with the situation. After raiding the Petzl booth of various tools for the rescue the four headed off to the trail head. At the trail head the Sherriff and Park Ranger were asked to describe the situation and stated that they really were not sure due to the inability to access the patient. It was stated that the Coast Guard had made an attempt but was unable to get to the patient as well.

One of the photos of the climb from earlier that day.

The 4 rescuers were taken in via a tracked UTV for four miles and then transferred to Snowmobiles for another half mile. From there the top of the site was another third of a mile. Karsten set up a quick anchor and rappelled in 160’ to get an idea of the patient status. There were three climbers there all standing behind the ice pillar. The injured climber was complaining of back and butt pain. She stated she fell when transitioning from her ascenders back to a rappel. She was doing this because she had decided it would be easier to climb out than ascend out.

Sam came down next and started getting a screw anchor ready to take the injured patient to down to the shore. He noticed the anchor that was in place was in sunbaked ice and decided to make a more substantial anchor on the other side of the pillar with a directional around it. Sam did a quick refresher for the to other climbers on ascending and we used the gear taken from Petzl to outfit them properly.

Jeff had rappelled half way down the fixed line and set an intermediate anchor to redirect the lower portion away from some hanging daggers and dripping water and would remain there to help with communication and transferring ropes at that station. Carlos would remain at the top and belay a dynamic line strait through to the top that would keep everyone safe.

Karsten rappelled down to check out the shore before taking the patient. He found a 15 meter 45 degree slope to a 12 meter vertical wet dagger with a ledge at the water. Sam and Karsten decided a belayed, tandem rappel would be appropriate for extracting the patient and after getting her to the ledge and secured the ropes would have to be pulled back up until the helicopter had left.

They proceeded to do this, and the Coast Guard came in and made a few passes to burn fuel and then put a swimmer in the water. The patient was lifted into the aircraft via a basket.

Once the Coast Guard left Sam had to rappel the 45 degree slope to throw the ropes back to Karsten. Karsten proceeded to ascend the ropes while Sam gave him a belay.

Once back to the base of the climb proper Karsten continued on up first as he was very wet from the choppers rotor wash on the lake. All rescuers were back up on flat ground around 3:00 a.m. and back at the trail head around 3:45 a.m.

Many thanks to the local authorities for their support during this mission!

Photo from a climb earlier that day

Bad Decisions and the EDK

It is incredible that we are still referring to the Flat Overhand as the “EDK” let alone having Rock and Ice magazine tell people it is unsafe, should be thought of “like the 13th floor”, and not use it.

Rock and Ice Article

I just went to some continuing education at the American Mountain Guides Association’s annual conference where I sat in on a great talk by Silas Rossi on how as humans we just make bad decisions. This clinic was held at the Petzl institute about a half hour after some of the worlds most experienced guides tested the flat overhand for the millionth time. Now Silas, as any good educator would, had tons of data to back up his belief that we make bad decisions. He also took us to real world experiences like this one:

Everyone knows that there are bad drivers in the world. Most people feel they are a decent driver. Everyone knows that texting while driving is a bad idea and that many people die from this. He then asked us to raise our hands if we had never texted while driving. Of course everyone has done this. It is a bad decision, but we still do it.

If we look at the Flat Overhand, that is well tied and used in proper situations like rappelling, it is a good decision. It is a bad decision to write for one of the leading magazines on rock climbing in the US and tell people it is bad luck. The statement “Since there are not any surviving whitnesses” is just false. Folks rappel on this knot all the time. Just like the news though, nothings reported if nothing happens.

I do hope this article was written in satire but even if it was you are confusing the climber that is looking to you for advice. This should be written in an opinions section and not in a how to section on your website or magazine.

Maybe in the end all of this is ok though. Rock and Ice will loose subscribers’ trust in the information that they put out there. Folks will turn to certified guides to get real data on the tools and techniques of climbing. Problem solved.

Now if we could only make better decisions…

Here is an article I wrote about the Flat Overhand