Читать книгу Canyoning in the Alps. Graded routes in Northern Italy and Ticino, Austria, Slovenia and the Valais Alps онлайн

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The main disadvantage of single-rope technique is the risk of rope damage. Single ropes stretch and bounce more than double ropes, increasing the sawing action over sharp edges. If sharp edges are anticipated, the options are to:

 run the rope over a tackle-sac secured to the rigging above (a method which is effective only if the rub-point is near the pitch-head)

 pay out/take in rope between abseils to vary the position of the rub-point

 use double-rope technique.

Releasable rigs

Although they are more time-consuming to rig, releasable systems should be used when possible in technical canyons. If a team mate gets strung up mid-rope (for example if hair, a glove or wetsuit gets caught in the descender), they can be quickly lowered out of danger.

Methods include

 an indirect belay (very quick and simple)

 a direct belay (an Italian hitch is often used)

 the figure-of-8 block.

The figure-of-8 block works well (see photos 1 to 6 for how to tie one) and is the technique most commonly used on the continent. With the other two methods, the last person down needs to convert the belay to a non-releasable system.