Rope Solo Escape

Top rope soloing allows you to climb without a partner. Doing this requires the use of specialized devices that lock-off on the rope if you fall. But what if the devices are locked-off, and you can no longer climb up to the anchor? How do you descend? This video shows one technique for escaping a rope soloing system where your devices are under load. Equipment used includes a Petzl Connect Adjust, an Edelrid Birdie (a Grigri will also work), and a friction hitch.

[@Johney_Nomadic888]

I've been climbing for the majority of my life, and as an OG veteran, your videos are going to change lives. Unfortunately, the days of mentoring are over (for the most part), so it's important people have the wisdom to teach themselves via YT and other means. This video is perfect for the new rope soloists. Not to mention, our cups are never full in the sport because there are always updates to AMGA safety guidelines, new tech., etc.
Keep these great videos circulating and I guarantee it'll save lives. Even though I'd avoid going metal-to-metal when the friction hitch is set up, it really isn't a big deal. I think it's easier and more efficient to go directly into the cordelette, which the author is kind enough to point out. Overall, this is an awesome tutorial... well done!

[@skillsforclimbing]

Thanks for the positive feedback @Johney_Nomadic888! Greatly appreciated.

[@riccardo1605]

You're the only person I've found who owns both the CAMP Lift and the Kong Duck. Can you give any advice on which is better as a primary for top rope soloing? I'll be using a microtraxion as a backup and everything else about my setup will be the same as your videos on TRS. Thanks for this content btw - it's the best I've found in a month of research.

[@skillsforclimbing]

Thanks so much for your positive comments @riccardo1605! I prefer to have the CAMP Lift on top (the primary). It slides-up the rope well when attached to a chest harness, and has a broad cam surface (the cam is shaped like a long bar instead of an oval). The problem with the Kong Duck is that its cam is oval shaped and it has a very small radius. What this means is that it puts a tremendous amount of force on a small area of the rope, which increases the likelihood of damaging the rope. However, in a top-rope solo set-up the amount of force produced overall is very small, so provided it is set-up properly this shouldn't be much of an issue. But it will wear-out your rope a bit faster.

[@michalmichal7321]

imho better to use that autoblock for leg (with sling) instead of waist. Imagine you are doing it in overhanging terrain - with your method you would need to pull whole of your body on one hand for a moment (to loose autoblock) -not that easy ;)

[@MattClark86]

Any pics/video where you explain your chest harness setup? It looks like you have a Camp Lift attached to the belay loop with a locker, then a QD attached to the chest harness and the locker to keep the Lift upright, is that correct? Is there something keeping the QD carabiner oriented upright when clipped into the locker?

[@Matlalcueitl]

You can also make a foot loop from clove hitch on the line below you to stand up.

[@twoknife]

Wouldn't it be better to put the autoblock below your belay device as a backup when you descend at the end? It is not strictly necessary when using a brake assist device, but it shouldn't really hurt, right?

[@KingHades7]

literally amazing. Thank you for showing me the proper way to do this. I always had trouble before and thought maybe there was an easy way to get back down before reaching the anchor which you showed perfectly.

[@phasespace4700]

Just starting top rope soloing. This is SUCH a great refresher!!! Extremely clear. If you don't have a 'connect adjust' can you get enough leverage just grabbing the carabiner attached to the autoblock and pulling down to unweight the breaking device?

[@kilpatjr]

Awesome video! I wonder if you can do this without the PAS by just running the brake strand coming from your ABD through the carabiner attached to the autoblock and using that for the assisted body hoist (i.e., the "GriGri jumar" method a lot of aid climbers use). Granted it won't work if your primary device requires the line to be slack for removal, but the devices I can think of that I'd want to use for TR solo can be installed to and removed from a taut line.

[@4316rodney]

This is why I use the Taz Lov2, climb and rap with the same device.

[@jansveen]

Pretty much as we do when we work on ropes. Just a bit lighter equipment on you.

[@StevenSugref]

Great video, thanks. If you didn't have the adjustable lanyard, would you just girth hitch a sling to your belay loop and run that up through the autoblock and down to foot loop to stand on?

[@6800891]

I have and love the beal birdie. You mentioned edlrid, who makes the eddy. Thanks for such a clear logical explanation.

[@timv2161]

Thank you for this video. I have seen other videos on this but they were complicated. This seems very simple. Will try it out this week.

[@branchbird7613]

Thanks for making this tutorial brother!

[@NatePoeppel]

Thanks for these solo videos! Super helpful.

[@nikcezar2445]

Peak content

[@skillsforclimbing]

Thanks @nikcezar2445!

[@waltermiller6614]

question about your chest harness set up.... Looks like the biner is cross loaded on the wire gate. Not sure what kind of biner that is, but ive seen that configuration with a max load rating of 2kn.
Realistically that force probably wont be generated from a fall using this system, but still pretty close for comfort in my opinion. Am I looking at this incorrectly? Is this something you overloooked? Is it a calculated risk?
Cheers and great video otherwise

[@skillsforclimbing]

Hey @waltermiller6614! Thanks for watching and taking interest in the set-up. If you look closely you'll see the purpose of the chest harness is only to keep the CAMP lift sliding up the rope- it doesn't hold any human load. The belay loop of the harness is what takes the weight of the climber. Some people choose to construct a chest harness out of bungee or some other cheap material as it isn't essential that the chest harness can handle more than 10 to 15lbs. Also, just an FYI carabiners used for rock climbing have to be tested and rated both along the major axis (the spine of the carabiner) and in a cross-loaded orientation. While cross-loaded, climbing carabiners are rated between 7 to 9kN (1,573lb to 2,023lb). This is printed on the spine of all certified climbing carabiners. Although it can feel scary to be rappelling and see your carabiner is cross-loaded, or see a cross-loaded carabiner in an anchor, it is usually not an immediate safety concern. There are a few carabiner orientations that are an immediate safety concern, such as a nose hooked carabiner or a pinched and levered carabiner. These generally occur at bolted anchors and not in the scenario shown here. Thanks so much for watching, and I hope this was helpful!

[@waltermiller6614]

Strange. I know that the ratings are stamped on the spine, but for some reason I was thinking the cross load was rated way lower. Lol.
Thanks for the reply, and since the cheat harness is not really load bearing it doesnt matter, i suppose

[@ІванШатохін-ю1ь]

Thanks for this tutorial.

[@Codydeanh]

Why not carry a jumar to get you to the anchors or to unweight yourself? Just curious if there's a reason not to use one

[@reinbruynseraede8482]

u could perfectly use the jumar technique as well, but in case u don't have a jumar, u can use this technique with the Petzl connect adjust

[@delmarcarr6498]

Thank you I just had to do this for an overhang I feel off of

[@skillsforclimbing]

Happy it was helpful!

[@austinblum7321]

This is great Glen thank you

[@skillsforclimbing]

Happy it was helpful!