UKC

Hi, going on a trip to portland will a 50m rope be cutting it a bit fine as a quick look on top 50 on rockfax shows routes up to 28m. So +rope stretch and a tied end should this be fine?
Thanks

In reply to Climbpenguin:

You would be fine on almost all routes, be sure to tie a knot in the dead end though.
The only route I can think off hand that would cause an issue is Ausfahrt (6b+) which wanders a fair bit so needs a 70m to lower straight off.

The majority of the island is bolted with glue-in staples so you can lower off from further down a route if you are really stuck.

In reply to Climbpenguin:
Competing factors:
Your '50m' rope is likely to be more than 50m, possibly 5/6m more. But it might not be!
A standard rethreaded Fig 8 uses at least 2m of rope.
Get it wrong and the entire cliff explodes (that isn't true) but do tie a knot in the end.

Plenty of shorter routes available... in fact there are plenty where you can do two routes at a time with a 50m!

Do you know what to do it you do end up 4/5m off the ground with no rope left?

In reply to Dandan:

he'd struggle around portland heights, pregnant pause, last rose of summer area (blacknor central?)

In reply to andrewmcleod:
Thanks. No I wouldnt know what to do, could you give a quick get out of jail free card explanation of what to do please, thanks

In reply to Climbpenguin:

If it was me...: Check the nearest bolt is 100%, clip in direct, put a maillon or shit biner on the staple, thread the rope through whatever, pass it back down to the belayer, get put back on belay, get lowered off. Doubtless someone who has had to do it alot more than me will offer some words of wisdom

In reply to jsmcfarland:

I'd say basically this but don't bother with the mallion as it will be more irritating for other climbers when it becomes a rusted lump of uselessness hanging from the bolt (about 36 minutes on Portlands coastline) Most of the routes are staples so just lower direct off the staple.

The Cuttings, Cheyne Weares, Blacknor North should all be fine on a 50m, or just, you know, use your eyes and don't climb anything too tall!

In reply to jsmcfarland:

Would strongly echo Dandan's comments about maillons. Nearly always, people will be lowering from staples, so maillons are unnecessary. Maillons will rust very quickly indeed. They become a really horrible eyesore and a nuisance for anyone else wanting to lower off the same staple.

Please don't use maillons on Portland!

Mick

In reply to Climbpenguin:


One way if you don't end up right next to a convenient staple is to get your belayer to climb up to the first (or second) bolt, and clip in with a cow's tail (the knot will stop the rope going through the belay device and leave him or her hands free) you can then untie and your belayer can pull the rope down and thread the staple they are attached to and be lowered. If they climb the route afterwards, down-climb or drop from the lower off and thread the penultimate staple. For extra security use a Prusik from the harness to the belayer's side of the rope (tied upside down) that way in the highly unlikely event the single staple were to fail as the second is stripping the route they would be caught on the next quickdraw down.