Ski Mountaineering Ropes, Everything you need to know!! // DAVE SEARLE

This video covers most of what you need to know about ski mountaineering ropes including how to carry them and what devices work with them!
My Website: www.davesearleguiding.com/
My Instagram: / davejsearle
Some of the Gear in the Video:
Petzl Rad line: www.petzl.com/INT/en/Sport/Ro...
Beal Jammy: shop.epictv.com/en/sewn-sling...
Petzl Micro Traxion: shop.epictv.com/en/belay/petz...
Petzl Tibloc: shop.epictv.com/en/pulleys-an...

[@DaveSearle]

Don't forget to Follow me on instagram so you can see what I'm up to! instagram.com/davejsearle/

[@GREYWOLFbike]

Hi Dave, I found this video really helpful thank you. I also really like the ‘feel’ of the video; it seemed very authentic and a nice reprieve from the American sensationalized approach to KZbin. In fact, it reminded me of JB Mountain Skills. Keep up the good work.

[@DaveSearle]

Thanks very much!

[@nicrepond9350]

Thanks Dave! The stuff sack idea is very nice. Will make one today. And yes, the RAD system is a real game changer for Skimo... been using it for a year now and I take a rope more often and use it more regularly now that I have it. Well worth the purchase.

[@DaveSearle]

Nice one!

[@cypriano8763]

good content. clear and concise

[@freeridethealps8350]

Great vlog Dave. Liked the content

[@DaveSearle]

Thanks mark!

[@jeffspicoli2643]

Very thorough Dave! Thanks!

[@DaveSearle]

Thanks Jeff!

[@nickedwards8418]

Great info Dave. A video of the RAD system sounds like it would help. I have not seen the mini traxion or tibloc before. Thanks.

[@DaveSearle]

Ok thanks! Great suggestion!

[@movieman6588]

Maybe some demonstration videos on how to use ropes would also be useful, there isn't much out there on this topic. Thanks for the post!

[@DaveSearle]

Sure that’s the plan! Just trying to figure out how. I need a cameraman!

[@movieman6588]

@@DaveSearle Yes, I can imagine! I am pretty sure that youtube is contributing to the spread of BC skiing to the East as people begin to see what is possible. Thanks again!

[@DaveSearle]

@@movieman6588 Al long as this is a positive thing!

[@movieman6588]

@@DaveSearle Absolutely! The more people into the sport, the better the equipment and availability becomes.

[@gabrielmarias972]

@@DaveSearle will be great one video of brake cornice, other belaying methods into a couloir to check snow stability, crevasses rescue basics, or traveling around glacier with skis. Good staff for your channel Thx

[@bulbobu]

Any chance you can go over how multiple 30-40m ropes are linked together during a glacier ascent? And how they might be used for a rescue? Excellent perspective from a guide as always. Keep up the good work!

[@DaveSearle]

Good idea for a video!

[@mrschwartzmc]

RAD line is hyperstatic. Not fully static. From Petzl: "Cord elongation of less than 2 % facilitates and improves efficiency of rescue operations, and helps prevent the yo-yo effect during rappels or fall arrest in a crevasse"

[@DaveSearle]

Yes they are now, they changed the material just after this video was published. Or just before and I did it pick up on it. Thanks for some good input! 🙌

[@retired85]

Very informative video. Thank you Dave. Have you ever tried a monster munter (double munter) knot for repelling on the RAD line? The reason I ask is that, although I used to do some serious mountain climbing, now I am too old (82 years old) and slow to go with a group. I am quite satisfied to hike and scramble in our local mountains, the Cascades, in Washington State and explore slot canyons in Utah with my wife, an avid hiker. We occasionally get into situations that could require a rope. I carry either a 30 m RAD line or a shorter length of 6 mm climbing cord for safety. Naturally, i want to keep the weight down to a minimum so would rather not carry a belay device. I have a prusik, a Sterling Hollow Block, and a Tibloc, although the Hollow Block is not rated for 6 mm rope. The advantage of the monster munter on a single 6 mm rope (climbing cord) is the reduction in weight (no belay device) and the minimum twisting of the rope. I have some more tests to do before hiking season begins. Thanks again and good luck in your skiing adventures. Hayes

[@DaveSearle]

Hello, A monster munter and rad line work just fine, just got to make sure the dead rope is coming over the back of the carabiner. Then you only need a harness, rope and appropriate carabiner.

[@thechoucroute]

Like movieman said, some tips and techniques to install a rappel (snow anchor) or ski down a couloir "securely " can be useful. Other question, which book / topo do you recommend for the Chamonix region and / or Valais region to do some steep / couloir section or fun ride like the Pas de Chèvre ? Thanks man!

[@DaveSearle]

Planning to do a “how to plan a day skiing in chamonix” vid soon! Maybe after Christmas!

[@m.k.7199]

Petzl sells the RAD System with the NANO, not the MICRO. You'll want to sell the NANO and get the MICRO. I would also add a standard pulley.

[@GuyMeyers]

Very usefull👍👍👍

[@PhilippKlein]

Very cool and insightful! I’m interested by the throwbag, didn’t really understand the coil that comes out from below. Is there a know inside? Wouldn’t the bag rip if you attached weight there? Can’t wait to see more!

[@DaveSearle]

Perhaps I should have shown more. There is a knot on the bottom of the bag. No it wouldn’t rip if you tied into it. Have a play with a system and I’m sure you’ll figure it out!

[@matskempe72]

I don’t get your loop either. What I came up with was if you make a running bowline inside the sack on the end that pops out at the bottom. That way the loop would be safe to clip into for the one being rescued. Or did you do the knot inside the bag in a smarter way @Dave?

[@MrDadzMad]

Hey Dave, great video - thank you! Given the choice, if you were going in a ski touring/mountaineering group and wanted to pack ropes to suit, what would you take from these: Petzl RAD 30m or 60m lengths; Petzl Volta Guide 40m or 60m lengths. For glacier protection, is 2 x 30m RAD systems better than 1 x 60m RAD line, with the hauling systems (mini Traxion, Tibloc, etc) matched at each end of the rope?

[@DaveSearle]

Good question! I would say one Volta 40 and one rad line 30 is the most versatile system. 2X 30m rads is good for easy skiing on a glacier but on bigger gnarlier glacier longer ropes are better!

[@vidfather]

Hey Dave, I’m going to be arriving in Chamonix in about a week for the winter season (until April). Do you know what the latest is in France/Cham with covid restrictions? I’ve got a touring setup with avalanche equipment, but would not tour unless I’m in a group with experienced skiers. Are there any good options for me to find guides or informal groups to ski with? Also - are there any good practical avalanche training courses still running there? Feel like it’s a good opportunity for me to brush up! Really enjoy the videos you put out - thanks!

[@DaveSearle]

Send me an email or fill out the guiding enquiry form through my website and I can help you out there. It’s possible to get out ski touring but the lifts remain shut. Plenty of guides and groups operating. Dave

[@adamjones3818]

Snowboard ftw!!!! :P

[@MarcoRicciMalerbi]

Question: if a static rope suitable for crevasse rescue but not for falling on it...will it hold a fall in a crevasse? Will I have to retire that rope afterwards?

[@DaveSearle]

Good Question! have a read of this www.petzl.com/GB/en/Sport/Simultaneous-progression-and-fall-arrest-in-a-crevasse-with-the-RAD-SYSTEM?ProductName=RAD-SYSTEM In short yes you can hold a fall but it is much more difficult. This rope is more designed to haul someone out of the crevasse once they have fallen in (unroped). You shouldn't need to retire the rope after holding a crevasse fall but it is worth following the guidelines for checking a ropes integrity after the fall. I hope that helps!

[@timzander2172]

I'm having a hard time understanding the different in the RAD and PUR lines. They seems to have the same stretch, diameter and roughly the same breaking strength yet the PUR seems only recommended for absailing and tag line while the RAD is suggested for crevasse rescue as well as absail and tag. Can you shed some light on why?

[@DaveSearle]

Hi Tim I’ve not seen the PUR system will have to do some investigation!

[@alessandroromelli6172]

Hi Dave, great channel, very useful. Quick question: Petzl RAD line and Beal backup line are rated the same (CE EN 564), so it's possible to use the Beal back up line also for abseiling and glacier travelling just like RAD line? Thanks for your time.

[@DaveSearle]

Yes I guess you can. Worth reading the documentation for that rope and working out what devices it works with. Rad line does work with micro and nano traxions.

[@alessandroromelli6172]

Thanks for the answer, have a great season ⛷️

[@DaveSearle]

You too!

[@MC-tm2uy]

Hi Dave. Nice vid. What type of rope would you recommend if I need to rope in to ski cut or while I investigate cornices? Would that be static rope or dynamic rope? My understanding is for ski mountaineering rappel I would better use with static rope, but while ski cutting or investigation of cornice that might have small fall and not sure if static rope is good with that? Thank you

[@DaveSearle]

Hey. Yeah so a dynamic rope would be better but I often just carry a static rope and use that. Couple of things, you need an appropriately good anchor considering when cutting a slope you shouldn’t be putting a full fall force where you are hanging on the rope. The snow should move away from you and you are left on the harder layer bellow.

[@ski4life9]

Can you do a video on anchors for rappelling into lines?

[@DaveSearle]

Did you see my video on how to abseil into a line?

[@ski4life9]

@@DaveSearle yes but that only showed using a bolt. In North America it’s not very common for there to be bolts at the top of ski lines

[@epidemius5]

When using a 6-7mm rope, do you take an atc, or only figure 8? Cheers

[@DaveSearle]

Hi Oliver, I do often carry both but typically I only take the mini figure of 8. If I need to give a quick belay then i use a munter hitch.

[@markthomasson5077]

Should the end loop be a figure of eight?

[@DaveSearle]

Figure of 8 or over hand. Both are adequate in this situation in my opinion if they are properly dressed and tightened. 8 would be the gold standard I guess!

[@JohnnyTaxonomy]

What size/length is that Beal Jammy??

[@DaveSearle]

This is the 60cm one but I would actually reccomend the 50cm one.

[@cgm_joeboy8557]

✅

[@DaveSearle]

👍

[@markthomasson5077]

What was the last device for? Tibloc?

[@DaveSearle]

It’s a rope clamp for climbing a rope. Works with a carabiner.

[@markthomasson5077]

Got it, love the simplicity of this device.