Rappeling on a very thin rope

Source:"The Mountaineering Handbook" Craig Connally

Contributed by: Marty Comiskey ( martycomiskey@yahoo.com)
  

Best useful for:   Top rope     Trad  x       Mountaineering   x
                            Sport           Ice   x        Other (list)

Description: This is a special case for rappeling on a very thin
rope.

Craig Connally in his book, briefly mentions this tip for rappeling on a very thin rope.
Perhaps you decide to bail on a route because of weather/injury and you want to rappel
on one of your thin alpine ropes fixed on the anchor (i.e. single rope rappel on a
7ish mm rope).

Or perhaps, you and your partner are climbing with a "normal" sized rope (9-10ish mm)
and a very thin tag line (6 or 7 mm) for double length rappels. Your partner forgets
to run the rope through the rap anchors and tosses it, or just drops it while setting
up the rappel. In either case, you are stranded leaving you with only the very thin tag

line. The thin tag line is certainly strong enough for a rappel but managing the friction

through your rappel plate (ATC or equivalent) will be difficult.

Craig's tip is as follows: extend your ATC from your belay loop with a sling.
Thread the rope for a rappel as usual using the ATC. Place another locking carabiner
on your belay loop and thread the rope from the ATC to this biner using a Munter hitch.

This gives you two devices absorbing the friction allowing you better control of the
rappel. If you need additional control, the Munter hitch can be easily converted to
a Double Munter (or Monster Munter) for even more control.