UKC

In conjunction with the 2016 Arc'teryx Alpine Academy in Chamonix, France, we have a series of articles on some key skills in Alpine climbing.

In this second article, Dave Searle gives his advice on roping-up for glacier travel.

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In the first part of this article, step 4 of how to tie on says - "Tie several (3-4) overhand on the bight knots at every 3-4 metre intervals. These will give you extra friction on the sidewalls of the crevasses should someone fall in."

The video in part 2 demonstrates how to pull someone out of a crevasse if you haven't tied overhand knots into the rope.

So how do you do it if you do have 3 or 4 overhand knots in the rope?


I guess it eliminates the need for a prussic knot because you can just clip a crab into the loop. Then I guess you clip the next loop, take the weight and untie the first knot. It would be good to see that demonstrated.

In reply to webding:

My advice would be try it for yourself passing a few knots see if you can come up with a solution like you said clipping the knots.

In reply to UKC Articles:
This bit, which is fairly standard and makes sense in principle, always puzzles me

"This is virtually the same as an unassisted hoist except the loop of rope which goes to the sliding prusik goes down to the belay loop of the climber who has fallen and is clipped on with a screw gate, preferable with a pulley on it. They then pull down on the appropriate side to assist you bringing them up"

It implies that both climbers have twice the length of rope between them carried in coils, otherwise there won't be enough. With a 50m rope it limits the distance between climbers to 10m, which is too little (actually less because of practicalities). It seems to me the system can only be used when there is a spare rope (or perhaps you "agree" in advance who will fall in and give all the coils to the other person).

In reply to MG:

this used to puzzle me too: Petzl have a solution on their website which proposes the use of two ropes joined together, and thus each climber can retain more rope to use in an assisted hoist. Depending on the total length carried (say two * 60m ropes) you could set up about 23m apart and still have enough rope each. With 2*50m the limit would be under 20m because of the need for knots etc.

In all honesty I have never done this, but it looks theoretically feasible.

Another solution would be to set up an initial belay, transfer the load, then safely approach the fallen climber and re-belay the rope closer to their hole and then release the original belay point and rope - lots of faff but again a possibility depending on the terrain.

My 2c worth is that getting the loop to the fallen climber will be quite difficult anyway, so go for an unassisted z hoist close to you, and travel as 3 or more on wet glaciers whenever you can, then the team acts as the break and the closest safe climber can set up the belay and free up the rest of the rope.

In reply to UKC Articles:
Interesting article on the rope work required, but unless I missed it, if your mate is down a hole with a broken leg, after you've secured them with a belay, phone for a rescue helicopter if it's possible.

In reply to pauls911:



Yes, I agree, the whole setup doesn't sound very practical.


3 or more is obviously the best. I do wonder about the feasibility of even z hoists for two people in any but improbably favourable conditions - if a crevasse is obvious then don't fall in; if it isn't it is likely to involve a combination of soft snow, deeply cut in rope, overhanging lip and small hole.

In reply to MG:


Yep, I'd never be able to pull you out on a simple Z! I'd have to improve it somewhat!

In reply to jon:


Ah yes, fat lump of a partner, I knew there was another complicating factor

In reply to MG:

Big boned...