SimulRapping

[RussWalling (has/been/hxm/Scots-Anglx)]

Just landing this here

Ryan Tilley
Redmond, WA
In 2017 a friend and I climbed Time Wave. We used a safer simul rapping technique by clipping to each other and did not simul rap traversing pitches. On the way down we timed our rappels when simul rapping. During other multipitch climbs we timed our rappels when not simul rapping. We found that simul rapping was on about 35 seconds faster per pitch. In other words, we discovered that simul rapping saved very little time for a competent party (we work as rock guides) and the risk is significantly higher. As a result both of us have given-up simul rapping. It didn’t seem worth saving a few minutes overall on a long day. Just some food for thought given the many simul rapping accidents on routes in EPC, and the loss of some wonderful people in our community. Enjoy the rocks!

[overwatch]

But what about looking cool and having a sense of superiority, did they factor that in to their timings? Huh? I didn't think so.

[T Hock]

Tried it once BITD with a partner I trusted,
 found it way too sketchy and never did it again.   

[RonAnderson]

  This simu- rapp crap was unheard of around my group.  Never even considered it.     Rapping was shytty enough as it was lol!   Hated to do that- Is as soon do a 2 mile descent than rap..  

[Big Kahuna]

Rapping used to be one of my favorite parts of climbing until I started climbing in the Valley.  TBT it has scared the living shit out of me rapping off of bolts that I don't know if Warn Harding himself placed them or not.     Fucking sketchy shit to say the least.

[ontheedgeandscaredtodeath]

On the enormocast they were estimating that the only time savings is the time it takes to actually descend the rope.  All the other stuff you have to do whether you are simuling or not (threading, pulling, throwing).  Aside from some unique scenarios I've never come across it seems stupid to me.

[RussWalling (has/been/hxm/Scots-Anglx)]

Seeing a lot of the last few weeks... makes no sense.  Guys are doing all over the place here in Potrero.  Must be in fashion even with all those heads popping off over the years.

[Scole]

Simul rapping is stupid

[cottonside]

I was nearly a simul rap casualty in the Potrero a decade ago.

Was practicing with my partner on an easy route we were descending. Neither of us had done it before, but we wanted to do Timewave so it seemed like it might be a good skill.

Got to an anchor, partner got there first. We were talking our way through it, I told my partner to clip in but not to unweight his Grigri. Well, he clips in and automatically hits his grigri handle, so I got to experience a moment of weightlessness before he released it. Seriously thought I was
Going to die for a Second.


Not worth it.

[T Hock]

Yikes!
+1 for climbing content.

[billcoe]

I've only simulrapped with experienced folks...that is, someone with 20 plus years (or more) of climbing. That said, it's no more or less dangerous than rappelling in my view. The added time savings are minimal however, and the perceived risk is higher, so why bother. We once rappelled with 4 people off the Oasis down Coonyard late evening (2 parties of 2 so you don't have to trail a line). Lots of double rope rappels: 45 min to the ground which we touched just as the sun set. THAT was damned dangerous as we were hustling so fast.

[Frostback]

i'm with you -simul rapping by and large seems like a stupid pet trick