This article introduces two methods for descending together with the rescuer and the person being rescued. The Assisted Rappel and Counter-Weight Rappel techniques can be used when a climbing partner is injured during a multi-pitch climb and needs to descend, or when guiding a novice down.
Assisted Rappel
The Assisted Rappel is a descent technique where both the rescuer and the person being rescued share the main rope and descender. It is commonly used when the person being rescued is unable to descend due to injury or lack of experience.
First, clip the double rope into the descender and a carabiner. To prevent the rope end from accidentally slipping out of the descender, tie the two rope ends together before starting the descent. To avoid operational inconvenience that may cause an unsmooth descent, use slings of different lengths or a sling (with an overhand knot tied in the middle) clipped into the carabiner on the descender. Next, use carabiners to connect the ends of the sling or sling loop separately to the harnesses of the rescuer and the person being rescued. At this point, the length of the sling connecting the person being rescued to the descender can be adjusted according to the situation. A shorter sling allows the person being rescued to be supported by the rescuer’s legs during the descent. If it is the same length as the rescuer’s sling, it enables the person being rescued and the rescuer to descend side by side. However, this may lead to an unsmooth descent. Generally, when the person being rescued is injured and it is ensured that the rescuer can reach the descender, I prefer using a longer sling to let the person being rescued stay below me. This makes it easier for the rescuer to carry the injured person like a backpack.
Use an Autoblock knot (see diagram) on the main rope below the descender to back up this descent system. Tie the Autoblock knot with a short sling or sling loop and attach it to the leg loop of the rescuer’s harness. Use separate slings connected via a Girth Hitch (see diagram) to each of the rescuer’s and the person being rescued’s harnesses. Connect each sling with a carabiner. These carabiners and slings are used to attach the person being rescued and the rescuer to the anchor during multi-pitch descents. Observe the condition of the person being rescued while descending.
Counter-Weight Rappel
The Counter-Weight Rappel technique involves the rescuer and the person being rescued sharing the main rope for descent, with their weights balancing each other. Essentially, the rescuer and the person being rescued are descending on the same main rope.
For the Counter-Weight Rappel, although all the techniques involved are presented in this article, they must be practiced and mastered proficiently before being used in a rescue. During practice, both the simulated injured person and the rescuer should have safety ropes and belayers to ensure safety without affecting the operation.
Single-Pitch Descent
The procedure for a single-pitch descent is that both the rescuer and the person being rescued are connected to a reliable anchor, with slings tied via a Girth Hitch to their respective harnesses and then connected to the anchor with carabiners. This also requires the climbers to share the main rope and connect the person being rescued to one end of the main rope.
If the person being rescued is injured or for some other reason unable to operate, you might encounter some trouble when untying them from the anchor. In such cases, you can choose to use a Mariner Knot (see diagram) to connect the person being rescued to the anchor. The person being rescued’s weight is placed on the Mariner Knot, with the original sling and carabiner serving as a backup. When using a Mariner Knot to connect the person being rescued to the anchor, if necessary, use two slings connected via a Girth Hitch to ensure sufficient length for tying the knot. If you use a sling loop to connect the person being rescued, the Munter Mule Knot (see diagram) is better than the Mariner Knot. (Translator’s note: I do not recommend using a Mariner Knot tied with two slings connected via a Girth Hitch.)
Note that when the distance to descend exceeds half the length of the rope, it is necessary to connect two ropes together. Descending using two joined ropes requires two additional techniques. First, the rescuer has to pass the knot while descending. Also, during multi-pitch descents, the rescuer needs to untie the person being rescued’s rope to retrieve it.
In a single-pitch Counter-Weight Rappel, the person being rescued remains tied to one end of the main rope, and the rescuer operates to feed the main rope into the descender to complete the descent.
System Setup
1. Tie an overhand knot at the end of the rope to prevent it from accidentally slipping out of the descender. This overhand knot will come in handy sooner or later and almost never comes undone on its own.
2. Use a Girth Hitch to connect two slings to create a chest harness for the person being rescued. Connect it to the main rope on the person being rescued’s side with a carabiner and a prusik cord.
Operating Steps
1. Install the descender on the main rope below the anchor on the rescuer’s side. Extend the descender (usually using a sling), and tie an Autoblock knot on the main rope below it, connecting it to your leg loop as a backup.
2. Tie a Mule Knot with an overhand backup (see diagram) to lock the descender.
3. On the main rope on the person being rescued’s side, about half a meter away from their harness, tie a Prusik Knot (see diagram). If using a chest harness, tie this knot above the prusik cord connected to the main rope and the chest harness.
4. Clip the other end of this prusik cord into the rescuer’s harness.
Note: During descent, this Prusik Knot will tighten. Therefore, when attaching it to the rescuer’s harness, thread it through both the waist belt and the leg loops.
5. Remove the sling and carabiner the person being rescued used to connect to the anchor, and untie the Mariner Knot so that the rescuer’s descender and Mule Knot bear the load.
6. Undo the Mule Knot so that all the weight is on the descender, then finally disconnect the rescuer from the anchor and begin the descent.
Option: The two can descend side by side, or (if the person being rescued is injured) you can carry them piggyback. If using this method to carry the person being rescued, the Prusik Knot connecting the main rope on the person being rescued’s side to your harness should be positioned in front of you. The section of the main rope between the Prusik Knot and the person being rescued’s harness—or the person being rescued themselves—should be positioned behind and above your shoulder.
Multi-Pitch Descent
If you need to pass through several anchors to reach the ground, you will need to establish new anchors at each anchor point and connect both yourself and the person being rescued to them. In addition, you will also need to retrieve the rope and set up a new descent system.
First, use an Autoblock to lock off the main rope and stop the descent. Then tie a figure-eight knot in the section of the main rope below the descender and clip it into your harness as a backup. Next, establish an anchor point for the next descent. If the person being rescued is unable to operate equipment, you can connect them to the anchor using a Mariner knot or Munter Mule knot. At this point, use a sling to tie a Girth Hitch around their harness and then connect it to the anchor via a carabiner.
Use the same method to connect yourself to the anchor, then untie the Autoblock to put the anchor under tension. Carefully check that the person being rescued remains connected to the main rope at all times. (Note: It is recommended to continue the descent afterward using the Assisted method, as it is more efficient.)
1. Remove the main rope from the descender, untie the figure-eight knot at the end used to prevent slippage, and pull the rope.
Note: If you are descending using two joined main ropes, you will need to disconnect the person being rescued from the main rope when retrieving the rope.
2. Tie a figure-eight knot at the end of the rope to prevent accidental slippage. Set up the system for the next descent.
3. Load the main rope into the descender and tie a Mule knot.
4. Continue the descent according to the earlier instructions on Counter-Weight descent.