Basejumper.com - archive

Hey everyone,

I'm looking to find people with experience in technical alpine climbs to terminal jumps. Recognizing the logistical difficulties involved in climbing with jumping gear, and jumping with climbing gear, its understandable that this experience is hard to come by. That being said, I'd really appreciate anyone who has, or knows someone, with an alpine rock climbing slider up background. Specific questions I have are:

1. Rig - To what extent have you gone to minimize weight? Fixed size leg loops? Thinner webbing for your harness? Lightweight container fabric? Do you know of any riggers that specialize in extra light gear? Higher wingloading? Did you adjust the size of your rig to accommodate gear between you and the rig?

2. Jumping Configuration - What is your preferred method for jumping rope, rack, axes, crampons? What best methods have you developed for staying light and jumping gear with tracking suit and/or wingsuit? Did you get a wingsuit with extra room for gear underneath it? What were your considerations in sizing?

3. Objectives - What are the best objectives for a team comfortable free climbing up to 5.10 and requiring somewhat forgiving exits? What exits lend themselves climbing technical routes? What do you consider the alpine base classics?

Our system currently has been to jump the rack (heavy on tricams) with a wingsuiter, and the rope in the pants of a tracking suit (girth hitch the middle of the rope to the belay loop/waist on a harness and then tape the coils to the legs.) Rigs have gone up in a lightweight packs with back padding removed so it can be worn under a rig. Water in bags and light on food. We did our climbing at night for an early morning load.

Our primary experience has been on dry rock routes in the Dolomites, but we are wondering whether alpine ice routes would be better for ditching a heavy rack for a couple screws, although the best way to jump technical axes and crampons down is elusive...

Any advice or suggestions on best practices would be great.

Thanks,

Jeff

contact the baffin crew..

http://www.baffinbase.com/

Apex makes a rig specifically for such missions, the DPX, or I should say they used to, probably still can, just not popular, contact Todd in Perris. The rig has an expandable section between the parachute compartment and the back, collapses for normal use, expands for up to ~2000 or 4000cc of space depending on the size. I have the smaller rig and love it. I use it for alpine and most of my desert climbing and jumping, whether with gear stowed or not. Its kind of a beast with heavy cordura since it takes serious abuse. Todd can make it custom with much lighter material etc. I recommend it, a very good system.

modern technical axes and crampons, after wrapping and protection can fit in the smaller DPX with a 60m 9mm rope and light rack. Not longer mtn glacier axes. These can be strappend and taped to your lower leg with the axe head parallel to your boot (tip toward the toes). functional but awkward, bulky, and kinda scary.

My familiarity with this has typically been sub terminal, or only tracking, not WS. The DPX rides high off the back so interferes tremendously with airflow. but I'm sure still workable for WS, just practice in a comfortable familiar jump/environment and don't expect high performance.

We did lots of ghetto tricks back in the day for gear. Packs under the rig (reaching BOC is difficult) or on front/belly (interferes with tracking). Best is to have a non-jumping climbing partner to schlep the gear back down, but thats not as clean and elegant as the entire crew climbing and jumping everything.

lots has been done with fabric, metal, and other to just reduce the weight of "normal rigs".

Old school climbing pitching of gear in haul bags or whatever can work well too, but again often sub-optimal unless you land near the base of the wall.

all for now......