Freeing Hair WAS: Rappel Nightmares

> How the heck do you get out of that situation??? Hair caught in an 8....DON'T say "very carefully".

You need to do one of the following: 1) get your weight off the rope, 2) get lowered (or raised) to a point where you can get your weight off the rope, or 3) cut your hair (last resort for a couple reasons). Look for the simplest solution first.

If you are near a ledge that you can stand on, do it. Maybe a one-armed pull-up? You only need to hold your weight for a couple seconds (but hard to do when you weight 300 pounds). Using a prussik will work, but have you ever tried rigging one correctly while hanging by your hair? Might be better to use a simple ascending device like a Tibloc. Before taking your brake hand off the rope to rig anything, lock off the rope. If you have practiced in advance, you can get a Tibloc and a 'biner on the rope very quickly. Hang a foot loop from the 'biner, stand up in it. Free hair.

If your group set up a contingency anchor, lowering you to a ledge or to the ground will only take a few seconds. If not, you will spend several minutes hanging by your hair while they set up a system. If they are really, really good, might be two or three minutes. Otherwise, might be ten or twenty. They have several options.

They could employ a raising system if you are close to the top or to a ledge. It will require an additional rope (if you have one). Mechanical advantage and counter weight systems multiply the load on the anchor, so it better be a strong one. Someone can rappel down next to you to render assistance (if they know what they are doing, they won't have to cut your hair). Also requires another rope and strong anchor. They could use a system called "cut and lower". Involves a second rope, but can be done very quickly. If you don't have another rope, they can also use the "balancier" method -- if they know how to use a valdotain or french braid.

Regardless of the system they choose, while you are hanging by your hair, in pain, for what will seem like hours, you'll be thinking "I wish we set up a contingency anchor".

Never cut your hair except as an absolute last resort. In the first place, as a guy, I think long hair is purtier and more feminine. It would be a shame to cut it. But more importantly, sharp knives and taut ropes don't mix. Imagine hanging by your hair, in pain, trying to be careful and deliberate cutting your hair with a sharp knife near a taut rope with your non-brake hand !! The couple of times I have seen people hanging by their hair, their face was in a position where they could not even see the rope.

It has been more common to see baggy t-shirts get stuck. Much easier to deal with; no pain, easy to see what you're doing. Cutting the shirt should still be a last resort (that sharp knife, taut rope thing again), but if you have to, it is easier and less hazard prone than cutting hair.

While it is important to know how to deal with a situation like this, it is obviously better to avoid it in the first place. Employ the buddy check system. Check harness buckles, correct rigging of descending device, helmet on securely, and -- long hair tied back and out of the way.

Rich

P.S. I seem to recall seeing a picture of you on Tom's site. You don't look to weigh 300 pounds. 250, 260, maybe; but not 300.

As I remember, I did a one arm pull-up and at the same time ripped my hair out. There was nothing "careful" about it. I ripped, hard and fast. I was in a bit of a panic at the time, because it had never occured to me that my hair could get caught in my 8, and with my head torqued around, I was concerned about having my neck twisted like a chicken. The people I was with didn't really understand what was going on until after we were all down. (By the way, I am not 300 lb Jen).

--- In canyons@y..., "rcwildone" <rcwild@w...> wrote:
How the heck do you get out of that situation??? Hair caught in > an 8....DON'T say "very carefully".
You need to do one of the following: 1) get your weight off the > rope, 2) get lowered (or raised) to a point where you can get your > weight off the rope, or 3) cut your hair (last resort for a couple > reasons). Look for the simplest solution first.
If you are near a ledge that you can stand on, do it. Maybe a > one-armed pull-up? You only need to hold your weight for a > couple seconds (but hard to do when you weight 300 pounds). > Using a prussik will work, but have you ever tried rigging one > correctly while hanging by your hair? Might be better to use a > simple ascending device like a Tibloc. Before taking your brake > hand off the rope to rig anything, lock off the rope. If you have > practiced in advance, you can get a Tibloc and a 'biner on the > rope very quickly. Hang a foot loop from the 'biner, stand up in it. > Free hair.
If your group set up a contingency anchor, lowering you to a > ledge or to the ground will only take a few seconds. If not, you will > spend several minutes hanging by your hair while they set up a > system. If they are really, really good, might be two or three > minutes. Otherwise, might be ten or twenty. They have several > options.
They could employ a raising system if you are close to the top or > to a ledge. It will require an additional rope (if you have one). > Mechanical advantage and counter weight systems multiply the > load on the anchor, so it better be a strong one. Someone can > rappel down next to you to render assistance (if they know what > they are doing, they won't have to cut your hair). Also requires > another rope and strong anchor. They could use a system called > "cut and lower". Involves a second rope, but can be done very > quickly. If you don't have another rope, they can also use the > "balancier" method -- if they know how to use a valdotain or > french braid.
Regardless of the system they choose, while you are hanging by > your hair, in pain, for what will seem like hours, you'll be thinking > "I wish we set up a contingency anchor".
Never cut your hair except as an absolute last resort. In the first > place, as a guy, I think long hair is purtier and more feminine. It > would be a shame to cut it. But more importantly, sharp knives > and taut ropes don't mix. Imagine hanging by your hair, in pain, > trying to be careful and deliberate cutting your hair with a sharp > knife near a taut rope with your non-brake hand !! The couple of > times I have seen people hanging by their hair, their face was in > a position where they could not even see the rope.
It has been more common to see baggy t-shirts get stuck. Much > easier to deal with; no pain, easy to see what you're doing. > Cutting the shirt should still be a last resort (that sharp knife, taut > rope thing again), but if you have to, it is easier and less hazard > prone than cutting hair.
While it is important to know how to deal with a situation like this, > it is obviously better to avoid it in the first place. Employ the buddy > check system. Check harness buckles, correct rigging of > descending device, helmet on securely, and -- long hair tied > back and out of the way.
Rich
P.S. I seem to recall seeing a picture of you on Tom's site. You > don't look to weigh 300 pounds. 250, 260, maybe; but not 300.

Deb,

I was replying to Jen's post #6731.

I'm sure she's the only 300-pound female on this group. In fact, she's probably the only 300-pound female canyoneer in the world.

Rich

She's kinda muscular, hides the weight well.

T

--- In canyons@y..., "rcwildone" <rcwild@w...> wrote: > Deb,
I was replying to Jen's post #6731.
I'm sure she's the only 300-pound female on this group. In fact, > she's probably the only 300-pound female canyoneer in the > world.
Rich

I too had someone going down a cave in Wyoming who caught their hair in their 8. We were forced to send someone down on a second rope and cut her hair. It was the last resort in the situation. Not very fun! Jumar --- In canyons@y..., "rcwildone" <rcwild@w...> wrote:
How the heck do you get out of that situation??? Hair caught in > an 8....DON'T say "very carefully".
You need to do one of the following: 1) get your weight off the > rope, 2) get lowered (or raised) to a point where you can get your > weight off the rope, or 3) cut your hair (last resort for a couple > reasons). Look for the simplest solution first.
If you are near a ledge that you can stand on, do it. Maybe a > one-armed pull-up? You only need to hold your weight for a > couple seconds (but hard to do when you weight 300 pounds). > Using a prussik will work, but have you ever tried rigging one > correctly while hanging by your hair? Might be better to use a > simple ascending device like a Tibloc. Before taking your brake > hand off the rope to rig anything, lock off the rope. If you have > practiced in advance, you can get a Tibloc and a 'biner on the > rope very quickly. Hang a foot loop from the 'biner, stand up in it. > Free hair.
If your group set up a contingency anchor, lowering you to a > ledge or to the ground will only take a few seconds. If not, you will > spend several minutes hanging by your hair while they set up a > system. If they are really, really good, might be two or three > minutes. Otherwise, might be ten or twenty. They have several > options.
They could employ a raising system if you are close to the top or > to a ledge. It will require an additional rope (if you have one). > Mechanical advantage and counter weight systems multiply the > load on the anchor, so it better be a strong one. Someone can > rappel down next to you to render assistance (if they know what > they are doing, they won't have to cut your hair). Also requires > another rope and strong anchor. They could use a system called > "cut and lower". Involves a second rope, but can be done very > quickly. If you don't have another rope, they can also use the > "balancier" method -- if they know how to use a valdotain or > french braid.
Regardless of the system they choose, while you are hanging by > your hair, in pain, for what will seem like hours, you'll be thinking > "I wish we set up a contingency anchor".
Never cut your hair except as an absolute last resort. In the first > place, as a guy, I think long hair is purtier and more feminine. It > would be a shame to cut it. But more importantly, sharp knives > and taut ropes don't mix. Imagine hanging by your hair, in pain, > trying to be careful and deliberate cutting your hair with a sharp > knife near a taut rope with your non-brake hand !! The couple of > times I have seen people hanging by their hair, their face was in > a position where they could not even see the rope.
It has been more common to see baggy t-shirts get stuck. Much > easier to deal with; no pain, easy to see what you're doing. > Cutting the shirt should still be a last resort (that sharp knife, taut > rope thing again), but if you have to, it is easier and less hazard > prone than cutting hair.
While it is important to know how to deal with a situation like this, > it is obviously better to avoid it in the first place. Employ the buddy > check system. Check harness buckles, correct rigging of > descending device, helmet on securely, and -- long hair tied > back and out of the way.
Rich
P.S. I seem to recall seeing a picture of you on Tom's site. You > don't look to weigh 300 pounds. 250, 260, maybe; but not 300.

For anyone with long hair who's really worried about it, you might try a new device called The Rocker. I've been using it for a self-belay on topropes, but it can be used as an asceneder that converts easily to rappel, and as a rappel backup. Unlike a prussik it can be applied with one hand while on rappel, or you can set it before the rappel and control it easily using a loop threaded through the device's release eye. If you lose control (or get something caught in your rappel device), you just let go with both hands, fix the situation, pull down on the release eye, and resume rappeling.

There are several devices on the market that can do the same thing. I like the rocker because it's lightweight, has no teeth, and no springs. It uses a pinch-rocker that I've fall-tested on wet, frozen, and crusted ropes with no failures on 8, 9, & 11mm. It can also be used as a leader belay device.

I've had one since October, testing it for a manufacturer, and so far I only know of one company that sells it here in the U.S. I won't give out that name on the group, but if you contact me personally I'll tell you who it is (I don't want to be accused of mercenary advertising).

The only problem I see with it is that it really pinches hard on 8mm & thinner, plus it's a bit pricey (around $80, I think).



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