Sneaky rope trick:  Using an existing rope to set up a top rope

Here’s a trick you can use at the rock climbing crag, to use someone else’s rope to set up your toprope.  Scenario: you’re waiting at the base of a popular route at Smith Rock for the previous party to finish their climb.  While you’re keen to try the pitch, it’s rated at the upper end of your comfort level for leading, and you would really prefer to climb it on top rope.  Here’s how you can use the rope from the previous party to set up your own top rope.

Before the previous team has pulled the rope through the anchors, ask them if you can do the following trick.  Simply pull out your roll of athletic tape (which should be in every rock climber’s backpack), and tape one end of your rope directly to one end of the other team’s rope that’s running up and then down through the anchor.  This connects the end of your rope butted up to the other, with no knot that would otherwise get caught in the anchor.  Tape it well and tight, with three or 4 inches of tape on either side where the rope ends butt up against each other.  Now, the previous climbing team can pull their rope through the anchor.  If all goes well, it also pulls your rope up, through the anchor, and down to the ground.  Remove the tape from the two ropes, and you’re all set up to top rope.

Etiquette note:  After the first person on your team gets to the top, it’s best if they make an anchor with their own gear and rerig the rope to run through it.  This way, you’re not toproping directly through the fixed anchors and thus putting unnecessary wear on this gear.