[an error occurred while processing this directive]


<table border="0">
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Congratulations on finishing the climb!
        Enjoy the view. Now, you need to get down safely. </td>
        <td><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"
        width="150">
            <tr>
                <td><a
                href="../../media/images/general/full/a%20nice%20view%20on%20the%20top%20of%20a%20climb%201.JPG"><img
                src="../../media/images/general/thumb/a%20nice%20view%20on%20the%20top%20of%20a%20climb%201.JPG"
                alt="The view at the top" border="0" width="150"
                height="100"></a></td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
                <td><font size="2">The view of the ocean from the
                top of a climb.</font></td>
            </tr>
        </table>
        </td>
    </tr>
</table>

<p>There are four steps needed to rappel off a single pitch
route:</p>

<ol>
    <li>Set up the rappel anchor</li>
    <li>Thread the rope through the anchor</li>
    <li>Attach to the rope with a rappel device</li>
    <li>Slide down</li>
</ol>

<h2>Setting up the anchor</h2>

<p>Almost all lead climbs have an anchor at the top. The anchor
could be two or more bolts and hangers, or it could be two or
more bolts with pieces of chain attached, or any combination of
the former and latter.</p>

<p>When the anchor encountered is a bolt and hanger set up,
webbing is usually found tied through the hangers. This webbing
will have a rappel ring attached. A rappel ring is simply a small
metal ring used to thread the rope through.</p>

<p>When the chain is encountered, the rope is threaded through
the chain link to be used much like a rappel ring. The chains can
also be clipped to with locking carabeiners to set up a top rope
anchor.</p>

<h2>Threading the rope through the anchor</h2>

<table border="0">
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Thread half of the rappel rope through
        the rappel ring or chain link. It is best to use both
        rappel rings if there are two, as a backup. Using a chain
        link towards the beginning of the chain is good and bad.
        It reduces the number of links you are dependant on, but
        it can also create friction between the lower links and
        your rope.<p>It is easiest to pull up half of the rope,
        hold it in ones lap while being clipped to the anchor,
        and then thread it through the rappel ring or chain.
        Then, coil the half of the rope you just threaded
        through, and throw it down. Make sure to let your belayer
        know you are throwing the rope down!</p>
        </td>
        <td valign="top"><div align="center"><center><table
        border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100">
            <tr>
                <td><a
                href="../../media/images/general/full/coiling%20the%20rope%20at%20the%20top%20of%20a%20climb%201.JPG"><img
                src="../../media/images/general/thumb/coiling%20the%20rope%20at%20the%20top%20of%20a%20climb%201.JPG"
                alt="Coiling the rope at the top" border="0"
                width="100" height="150"></a></td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
                <td><font size="2">Coiling the rope at the top.</font></td>
            </tr>
        </table>
        </center></div><table border="1" cellpadding="0"
        cellspacing="0">
            <tr>
                <td><a
                href="../../media/images/general/full/andy%20tossing%20the%20rope%20off%20the%20top%20of%205.5%20crack%201.JPG"><img
                src="../../media/images/general/thumb/andy%20tossing%20the%20rope%20off%20the%20top%20of%205.5%20crack%201.JPG"
                alt="Rope!" border="0" width="100" height="150"></a></td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
                <td><font size="2">Rope!</font></td>
            </tr>
        </table>
        </td>
    </tr>
</table>

<h2>Attaching to the rope</h2>

<p>Make sure to read the <a
href="../../equipment/desc/belay.shtml">equipment entry</a> about
belay devices, which are used as rappel devices, before you
continue on here.</p>

<p>The climber then threads first one of the pieces hanging down
through their belay device. Then the other piece that is hanging
down is threaded through the other slot.</p>

<h2>Getting down</h2>

<table border="0">
    <tr>
        <td valign="top">Remember, the purpose of a belay device
        is to create friction. You could try sliding down a rope
        with your bare hands, but it probably wouldn't feel to
        great, or work well either. The rappel system described
        provides plenty of friction. If you want to start sliding
        down the rope, you simply let off of your brake hand
        (which is holding both ropes now!). This reduces
        friction, which in turn lets gravity take over, and you
        slide down the rope. If you want to stop, you simply move
        your brake hand to the brake position while holding both
        ropes. As with belaying, when rappeling, don't let go
        with your brake hand, ever!</td>
        <td valign="top"><table border="1" cellpadding="0"
        cellspacing="0" width="100">
            <tr>
                <td><a
                href="../../media/images/general/full/ben%20rappeling%20off%20a%20just%20finished%20route%201.JPG"><img
                src="../../media/images/general/thumb/ben%20rappeling%20off%20a%20just%20finished%20route%201.JPG"
                alt="Rappeling off" border="0" width="100"
                height="150"></a></td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
                <td><font size="2">Rappeling off the route.</font></td>
            </tr>
        </table>
        </td>
    </tr>
</table>
[an error occurred while processing this directive]