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Topic Date User

Summitting Aoraki/Mount Cook - 9th December 2011 17-Dec-2012 At 1:39:25 PM BBSR

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Great post. Well done on the summit.

With respect to short roping, I understand this practice is fairly contentious. It relies on the guide being able very quickly arrest someone in the even that they fall. It reduces the risk for the client (if they fall they might be caught by the short rope) but adds risk to the guide (the client might pull them off). Guides sometimes feel pressured to use this technique to get their client to the summit.

Recreational (non-guided) mountaineers very rarely use this technique. I would imagine that the places that guides short rope the clients, might be places where recreational mountaineers would choose to solo. Soloing is relatively common for recreational mountaineers on easier terrain, as it is simply quicker than the other options (pitching or simul-climbing). Obviously you only solo on ground you are comfortable on.

Generally speaking you don't want to be roped up steep terrain without gear, or some sort of belay going on, as you add risk to the other party. Glacier travel in steep terrain is always an interesting discussion point. Sometimes people may stay roped up to avoid time spent un-roping and re-roping later, or they might rope up on easier ground, to be prepared later.

Anyway, I'm not really an experienced mountaineer, so take my comments with a pinch of salt.