I myself hasn't used any self protection but the solo's i have done, have been done well within my ability so anything more up the grade scale i have lead or top/bottom roped.
It is possible to use an ascender i.e. a croll, mini traxion etc...etc... and a weighted rope so it will pull through and use it as a form of self protection whilst on a climb. N.B. on a multi can be a big prob as it requires a rope already set up from above so to take the device of choice.
<legal bit> Take this as an idea not true fact based advice, I don't want to be lible for any come back if you try this and it all goes pear-shaped. as a law suit would really screw my summer up and most likely my whole future carea in the OE industry. So as the usual BMC disclaimer so it is dangerous .... and you do so at your own risk...
<legal bit> Take this as an idea not true fact based advice, I don't want to be lible for any come back if you try this and it all goes pear-shaped. as a law suit would really screw my summer up and most likely my whole future carea in the OE industry. So as the usual BMC disclaimer so it is dangerous .... and you do so at your own risk...
Ditto with me for he above also :)
When I've been climbing without a second or a leader ( I don't call it soloing as I always use protection) I have used two methods
For single pitch stuff, I use a rope anchored at the top of the crag, I weight it at the bottom wih a heavy rucksack and then climb up the route (and hence the rope) using a Shunt ( or similar device or knott ) and a belay device, once the route is completed you can then use both to ab back down.
For multi pitch stuff, on very easy grade scramble routes I have used the cows tail approach. IE you have a cows tail attahced to you harness belay loop, the cows tails are arm lenghted. You place a piece of protection as high above your head as is possible and clip it to the cows tail as you would the rope in the normal situation, you then climbed up to the gear untill it is around your waist, you then repeat the process and clip the second cows tail, once this is clipped you remove the first one and the gear it is attached to, and you move up the route.
In this way I have climbed easy grade scrambles routes as a practice method of installing gear on easy routes (ie routes that you would normaly climb in a harness, with the thought that you may need to protect some situations) , it has a couple of draw backs which I hope are clear:
1) you are effectively only ever attached really on ONE piece of gear and it MUST MUST MUST be good.
2) You ,must carry with you a rope for use in self rescue sitatuions, but there are no gaurentees that you will be in a situation to use it.
3) should you fall, you can potentialy be hanging off one piece of gear, with no way to get back to it or recover yourself if you have fallen off course , ie onto something harder.
4) should you fail to retrieve the bottom piece of gear and climb past it you are stuffed
this method then is really a way to protect scrambles, and practice your placement of gear, it should not be used as protecting a solo as it can cause more problems than it solves. I mention it here really out of completeness.
I don't solo, can't for the life of me see why anyone would, but if you want to climb without a partner on a single pitch route the top method works well, I have used it in nearly all the Lancashire quarries.
The second method helps protect a low leval scramble and practice gear placement. It is also handy if you are on a scramble / steep ground and want to make yourself safe for a while.
Hope that is of some interest, read the disclaimer and if you value your life dont solo :)
i think that potentially being left in a position of no return is a little silly. thus, if im soloing on single pitch i stick to stuff i absolutely know will be no problem, or am there with friends to lower ropes if necessary.
on multipitch, i would and only do really really (really really quite unbelievably) easy stuff where you wouldnt need pro...especially with mp there is a high chance of encountering loose rock and in that situation it just doesnt matter how good you are if a hold rips.
so basically, just be really really careful...if you wanna climb without the faff of belays, but being pretty safe, find a friend and simul-climb (one at either end of the rope, both climbing, gear in between. climb till your rack runs out, then swop leader and second).
mind you, i love soloing more than any other form of climbing...have a load of fun!
andy.
p.s. if youre going to use the cows tails thing, dont ever use slings to attach yourself to the gear. they are static (no stretch) and you will load to gear to a far higher level and your chance of ripping it will be massively increased. use normal lead rope.
