Rappel tip - Avoid rope snags

When rappelling, you always have a choice as to which side of the rope to pull. While on many routes it doesn’t matter, on some raps it may be the difference between having a stuck rope and/or a very difficult pull. Look carefully at every rappel you do, and try and identify potential problem points before you set up to rap.

• Generally, try to pull the rope AWAY from any obstacles it may hang up on. For example, when pulling the rope, if you look up and see a tree 20 feet below and slightly to the right of the rap station, pulling on the left strand of the rope will generally cause the rope to fall to the left, away from the potential hang-up point as it falls.
• If you’re on the ground when you pull the rope, you might also get a better angle of pull if you walk off to the side, away from the possible snag point.
• Giving the rope an extra little flip or sharp tug just as it slides through the anchors can cause it to fall farther away from hang-up points.