Cliff rappelling is a special type of descent technique used on cliffs. It’s achieved by sliding down on a fixed climbing rope. Normally, the rope is attached to the cliff by cams and bolts that act as anchors, and sometimes natural anchors are applicable. Furthermore, the rope is doubled at the middle or attached to another climbing rope passed through a rappel device. This device controls the rope movement and the descent.
Cliff rappelling, therefore, involves a rope attached to an anchor on the cliff, harnesses that fit around your waist, and a rappel device.
When getting down, the harness is your seat, and the rappel device connects to it to ensure you are connected to the rope.
What is Cliff Rappelling and Why Would You Do It?
In general, rappelling down a cliff is to descend from the top of a cliff using a rope attached by bolts to anchors at the top of the clip, harnesses, and a rappel device that controls the ropes.
Climbers, therefore, descend by sliding down on a rope.
Usually, once you get to the top of a climb, there are three moves on the chessboard: rappelling down, getting lower, or walking off. Since a walk-off is not ideal, it’s either you rappel or get lowered.
You will have to consider rappelling if you are on a multi-pitch cliff. There may be fixed rappel stations in such incidents, or you may need to attach your own by using rappelling gear and anchor knots.
The other activity wherein rappelling comes in handy is canyoning and biner block rappelling. It is one way that exposes you to steep climbs that cannot be walked through.
You need to rappel through this hard point to get to the bottom of the cliff. Apart from the rough terrain, waterfalls, and rapids, rappelling down a waterfall is not far different from rappelling off a cliff.
How to Pick the Right Location for Your First Rappel?
As easy as it may seem, rappelling is a hard skill to master. Weeks and weeks of practice should be in order.
Again, if it’s going to be your first, you have to choose less steep paths. Ensure you know how the path is set out. The bolts, the rappelling ropes, and even the real height.
Your climbing gym’s outdoor climbing wall will be perfect for a start. For caution, ensure crash pads are fitted on the route’s surface. One of the best places for cliff rappelling in the USA is cliff rappelling on Hocking Hills.
How to Put Your Rappelling Gear on Correctly?
When rappelling, there are different sets of gear to be used. First, there is a choice of helmets. They come in handy when falling objects frequent your path.
- Fit: The Meka helmet fits head sizes from 20” to 24”
- Suspension: The Helmet comes with 4 webbing suspension straps that keep your head away from the helmet shell in case of impact
- Padding: Our helmet comes with forehead padding, rear padding, and padding for the top of the cranium.
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Now, we understand that’s too much of different types of helmets to choose from. Before you buy a climbing helmet, read our guides on how to choose a climbing helmet, and how to attach a climbing helmet to a backpack so you don’t lose it.
When putting it on the line, make sure the climbing helmet fits snugly but not too tightly. Secondly, your hands will be in contact with the rope.
Therefore, friction can be avoided by wearing rappelling gloves. They should be snug-fitting and also allow you to fold your hands freely.
- UNCOMPROMISED DURABILITY: Sometimes ‘durable’ gloves are bulky, stiff, and uncomfortable. With the Petzl CORDEX PLUS gloves, you don’t have to compromise. The CORDEX PLUS features more leather in than our CORDEX glove, especially in the back of the glove and the palm. Soft, premium leather requires no break in period — striking a perfect balance between dexterity and durability.
- PROTECTION WHERE YOU NEED IT MOST: A double layer of leather provides enhanced protection in high-traffic areas (fingertips, between thumb and forefinger) help prolong the CORDEX PLUS’s lifespan. Extra padding in the palm of the glove helps prevent protect against heat generated during multiple rappels.
- EASE OF USE: Simple, yet durable velcrohook-and-loop closure. Carabiner hole for easy storage and/or racking. No break-in period. Easy on and off.
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Lastly, you have to wear proper climbing shoes. If you are a beginner, buy neutral climbing shoes. When donned correctly, the shoe should tightly fit without hurting your feet. Again, it should also curl the toe region slightly but not too tightly to hurt your toe.
- Please refer to the Sizing Chart for Recommended Size
- Padded Collar and Heel for Comfort
- Visit https://climbx;us/ for More Details
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Not to forget, you need to tie knots in the rope. These are then attached to the rappelling harness, worn on your waist to function as a seat. You can read our article on the potential differences between rappelling vs climbing harnesses.
The climbing harness needs to be comfortable around the waist region. If you are a beginner, learn how to put on a climbing harness.
- UNRESTRICTED MOVEMENT: Designed for sport climbing, the SELENA harness is comfortable for both indoor and outdoor climbing. Elasticized leg loops remain snug without user intervention, and the waistbelt is flexible and slimmer in front to give excellent freedom of movement
- WOMEN-SPECIFIC FIT: Tailored with a fit many women prefer; compared to the SAMA, the SELENA is designed with a longer rise to sit higher on the waist, smaller waist-to-leg ratio, and a specifically angled waist belt that favors curved hips
- FLEXIBLE AND CUSHIONED: For all-day comfort, ENDOFRAME structure uses lightweight, variable-width webbing to diffuse pressure across the entire width of the waist belt and leg loops, reducing pressure points without adding thick foam
- Pre-threaded Speed Adjust waistbelt buckle
- Bullhorn-shaped waistbelt built using Dual Core Construction
- trakFIT adjustment for easy leg loop customization
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Safety Precautions You Need to Take for Cliff Rappelling
Cliff rappel safety precautions: what not to do while rappelling off a cliff and how not to die while doing cliff rappels.
The safety precautions for cliff rappels determine the kind of outcome you will get.
Knowing what not to do while rappelling off a cliff and knowing the right gear and how to use it properly is not to be taken lightly.
- The rope you will use must always get to the anchors and lower to the rappelling device at the bottom of the route.
- Secondly, your clothing should not be too loose. Avoid wearing long-sleeved shirts and necklaces.
- On the other hand, your helmet should be fastened. Besides, make sure you tie your hair as it may get stuck in the rappelling device. Your harness should fit correctly and double back.
- Examine the surroundings for excessive wind, heat stress, weather hazards, or other climbers.
- Inspect all of the carabiners and other attachments to verify they’re latched, not cross-loaded, and not in danger of malfunctioning.
- Examine and double-check that all knots are properly tied.
- Take a rappelling course.
Step by Step Guide to How to Rappel Down a Cliff
Rappelling off a cliff involves subsequent phases that determine the next stage. For instance, there are six phases, which you can follow to learn how to rappel down a cliff.
Phase 1
Insert the end of the rappelling rope through the rappelling anchor, couple it to the remaining, then draw all the ends through till the rope reaches the midway mark. Launch the rope over the cliff after tying the ends with a rappelling knot.
Phase 2
Don the harnesses by slipping into the foot loops, drawing the belt through the clip, and folding the web backward. Constantly fold back your web through your waist belt since failing to do so may cause the harnesses to fail when weighted.
Phase 3
By following the tour rappel device instructions, thread a rope bight into it. It should be done near a climbing anchor. Using a tube device, send the beam through the tube. With the 8-figure knot, push the bight over the large opening and loop it over the small opening. Ensure the side of the rope on the cliff is in line with your powerful hand.
- High-friction mode offers 3 times greater hold and stopping power than regular friction mode
- Machined windows through device for weight savings
- Durable cable holds its shape and resists getting caught up between ropes
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Phase 4
You will tie the eight system opening, or rope’s bight, to the locking carabiner by clipping your locking carabiner to the harness’s belay loop. The gate should be tightened and locked.
- Hot-forged construction; I -beam spine transitions into a rounded, large ropebearing surface
- Intuitive and easy-to-use design; Screwgate sleeve
- Isolates belay loop to eliminate cross-loading
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Phase 5
As you hold the rope against your leg near your hip, grasp it with your powerful hand on the downhill side of the rappelling device. Place the other hand above the rappelling device and read how a belay device is made.
Phase 6
Let the rope flow easily through the rappelling device mechanism as you lay back against the rope. In order to control the speed with the brake hand, hold it close to you for lower speeds and far from you for higher speeds. The brake hand should never be released while rappelling. If you slide down the rope, do not jump on it as it will exert more pressure on the anchors.
How to Scramble Back Up the Cliffs If You Get Too Far Down the Mountain
Getting far down the mountain is normal, and so is the failure of tracing your way back. Of course, if you can figure out how you got down, you can retrace your way up.
If not, you need not panic. You have to see if there is a way for you to make a full descent, then find the proper route to get to the top by making observations from the base.
Still, you can take your time without making descent and moving on the path while inspecting the possibilities of a way up.
If you are far above and the route to the top requires risky maneuverability that you are in no shape to give, try finding other routes or descent and recalculate your steps.