titan on ladders

Cave_Troll · Sep 16, 2005

Talking to Henry in the pub last night.
can we get enough ladders to do Titan full drop on ladder?
anyone got any sensible suggestions for a method of belaying given the problems of rope stretch over that distance.

Johnny · Sep 16, 2005

What on earth do you want to do that for?
Ya loon!

Got about four 25 footers a 10m & a 5m :wink:

Brains · Sep 16, 2005

Hmm, Titan on ladders eh? If Jim Eyre can do GG main shaft carrying his lifeline, decades ago, then surely you could do it without one at all, after all cavers are sooooo much fitter nowadays

Think your biggest problems will be getting enough ladder together, and then getting them up the hill! But dont be discouraged, after all I know some people who mistook Diccan for Dollytubs. They only realised when their ladder and line ended no where near the floor! Yes, one of them had gone down to the end for a look!!!

JB · Sep 16, 2005

I can contribute two 10m ladders to the effort. I reckon your main belaying problem would be the sheer weight of rope the belayer has to pull up as the climber's on the way up. Probably best to belay with a pulley-jammer thingy. Wouldn't worry too much about rope stretch; just don't fall off near the ground.

cap n chris · Sep 16, 2005

First of all: why?
Secondly, if you're going to use a jammer as a lifelining device, why not just use SRT and get rid of the ladders?
Thirdly, if it's all about making life difficult for yourself, why not just use a knotted rope and climb up it, hand over hand?
Fourth, if ladders MUST be involved, why not just make life easy and use normal fixed ladders?
Fifth, if doing things with old and inefficient technology is your cup of tea, why not make your way to the cave using a horse and cart to deliver the ton of tackle you're going to be using?
Sixth, are there enough ladders in existence?

JB · Sep 16, 2005

cap 'n chris said:
First of all: why?

It would be good practice at managing ladders and not getting them tangled up at pitchheads. I could probably fill the titan shaft with tangled ladder given enough time and an awkward pitchhead.

Secondly, if you're going to use a jammer as a lifelining device, why not just use SRT and get rid of the ladders?

Italian Hitch then?

Fourth, if ladders MUST be involved, why not just make life easy and use normal fixed ladders?

Yes, this 100m wooden ladder that I've been using to clean my windows will get us nicely to the Event Horizon and my neighbours 60m one will see us to the floor.

Fifth, if doing things with old and inefficient technology is your cup of tea, why not make your way to the cave using a horse and cart to deliver the ton of tackle you're going to be using?

We're not Amish.

Sixth, are there enough ladders in existence?

Possibly not

Andy Sparrow · Sep 16, 2005

JB said:
I reckon your main belaying problem would be the sheer weight of rope the belayer has to pull up as the climber's on the way up. Probably best to belay with a pulley-jammer thingy.

If you use a pulley-jammer with a counterweight such as a ballasted tackle bag you wont have to pull up any rope - it would be virtually automatic. But you need to know how to release and reverse the PJ for down-climbing or lowering if necessary. Radio communication would be very useful. And, BTW, the longest Mendip Pitch, High Atlas (58 metres) is still to be done on ladders, should you ant some practice.

Cumbrian Neil · Sep 17, 2005

Cave_Troll said:
Talking to Henry in the pub last night.
can we get enough ladders to do Titan full drop on ladder?
anyone got any sensible suggestions for a method of belaying given the problems of rope stretch over that distance.

You are absolutely off your rocker... but... if you are going to do it... you must haul it all up there on the back of an old BSA motorbike!! I hadn't been on ladders for years until this summer... and that was only because Henslers is so f**king cramped and not quite as pleasant as it looks in Descent!!

CN.

PS. How many beers had you consumed at this point??

Deep-Penetration · Sep 17, 2005

Firstly... again... Why?

Secondly.. I'd drop a fixed rope down, and self life-line on a shunt.. (but the chances of getting twisted on such a length are extremely high)

Thirdly... If you're still serious when you've sobered up a bit.. :wink:

I have 14 ladders available!

Tim

RM · Sep 17, 2005

Hey troll

Sounds like a laf count me in. Got 1 ladder to the cause.
I think we shud race?

Mark · Sep 18, 2005

Ladders is for puffs, what tha needs is stemples

axbridgecaver · Sep 18, 2005

This would almost get you half way down -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6-SIX-Caving-ladders-belays-Get-out-of-jail-free_W0QQitemZ7183733145QQcategoryZ50814QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

If you are not too worried about the statement -

"1 of the ladders has a few obvious frayed strands, but is of heavier construction than the others, and probably has a few more years in it. "

SamT · Sep 18, 2005

We're not Amish.

I geddit
you guys are getting some serious practice in for the ladder climb at hidden earth.

Aready fit enough for the 30m SRT race - you thought you'd concentrate on your weak points eh! :wink:

Pitlamp · Sep 18, 2005

You think Jim Eyres doing GG on ladder is reasonably impressive? Nah - loads of people have done it many times each. If ever you're in a boozer with Jim, just buy him a pint and ask him about doing Provatina and the Epos Chasm on ladders. Now THAT is a story!

Jim is currently 79 and you know what? I bet if he did Titan on ladders he'd still show you lads a clean pair of heels!

Respect . . . . .

Brains · Sep 19, 2005

Sorry Pitlamp, didnt realise carrying your own lifeline down GG was so common! You are right about the other big trips on ladders - much respect - it is certainly beyond me! And I will certainly buy JE a pint or two as and when I meet him in a pub. As for Titan on ladders, I think it would be quicker for me to use Colostomy Crawl to get out

Brendan · Sep 19, 2005

Here's a plan Brains - we take in the ladders and ladder Titan, and then you take them out via Colostomy..............

Don't pretend you aren't tempted

Brains · Sep 20, 2005

hehehe - could rig Block Hall and Ventilator on the way past as well, and as we are up there anyway have a go at Moosetrap! But perhaps coming out of JH would be better?

hrock · Sep 20, 2005

there you go some sense i bet bitch pich would be beter on laders than rope. but i dont whant to cary them through the cart gate level

we will see but i think there is a good chance titan will happen one day.

Dave H · Sep 28, 2005

Sad, but true :- I've done GG main shaft a couple of times on ladders (late 1980's) The lifeline communication is dire, even with a whistle!

Descent 297 - Out Now!

Lots of variety including 'Attaining Unobtainium', 'Mermaids and Angels' and Benarat, Mulu 2024....

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