Descending with a Grigri
If you have a Grigri or similar auto locking belay device, you can still get down a route. But, you need a few alternative techniques, because your device only works on a single strand of rope. Knowing some of these techniques can be great for descending multi pitch routes where your partner has a standard tube device and you have a Grigri. Use one of these techniques, and have the Grigri person go first.
What are some situations where you might want to rappel with a Grigri?
Reduced risk on multipitch - an increasingly popular option for multi pitch climbs is for one partner to carry a Grigri and the other to carry a plaquette device. The leader is always belayed on the Grigri, and the second is always belayed on the plaquette. The devices get treated off between partners depending on who is leading. This can reduce risk going up, because it's generally easier to catch a lead fall on a Grigri. When it's time to come down, you can use the techniques described below.
Exploratory rappels - If you're doing multi pitch rappels on an unfamiliar route, consider sending the first person down with a Grigri (or similar assisted braking device) on a single fixed rope strand.
Because the Grigri lets you go hands-free at any time, you can more easily:
Decluster rope tangles
Pendulum if needed
Place gear and clip the rope to it if overhanging and/or traversing
Reascend the rope easily if needed
Yes, the Grigri is not technically completely hands-free. But if you need to stop, simply tie a bight knot in the rope below your GriGri as a fail safe / back up.
If you have any question as to whether or not your rope is long enough to get to the next anchor, one option would be to rig a Munter Mule Overhand (MMO) on the anchor. This gives you an option to easily lower your first person a bit if it turns out they need to go farther. Of course that also means that your rope is going to be too short to do a standard rappel for the last person, but there's a solution to that as well - the extended rappel. (Yo, read the guidebook next time and bring a longer rope, OK?)
Here are a few ways to rappel with a Grigri.
Fix one strand
Self lower
Knot or carabiner block
1 - Fix one strand
This is typically done by putting a bight knot (overhand, figure 8, clove or butterfly) in one rope strand, clipping that knot to the anchor, attach your Grigri to the fixed strand, and rapping on that strand. This of course works for the first person down, but not the second. Typically in a two person team, you would have one person with a Grigri and one person with a tube style device. The person with the tube always goes second. See photos below for some setups.
There are lots of ways to rig this. If you have a single master point. 1) Rig the middle of the rope through the master point, as for a normal rappel. 2) Clip a locking carabiner to the master point. 3) Tie a butterfly (in either strand, here the left) and clip it to the carabiner. First person down can now rap on a Grigri on the strand that’s “fixed” with the butterfly. Last person to rappel removes the carabiner, unties the butterfly, and raps on two strands.
Here’s a similar technique, useful if you have twin chain anchors. 1) Rig the middle of the rope through the master point, as for a normal rappel. 2) Add a locking carabiner to the right bolt and clove hitch the rope to it. 3) First person down can now rap on a Grigri on the left strand that’s “fixed”. Last person removes carabiner and rappels on both strands with a tube device.
Note: 99.99% of the time it's also going to be fine to rappel on the right strand. However, in the extremely unlikely event that the right bolt failed, then there’s nothing holding the rope to anchor. So, while it might appear that you should descend on the right strand, because that's what goes to the blue carabiner, it's marginally safer to rappel on the left strand.
Here's another crafty way to secure the rope strands - a stacked rappel (aka pre-rigged) with an autoblock. The second person rigs an extended rappel with autoblock, and puts both rope strands through a standard tube device.
Now the first person can rappel with Grigri on a single strand. The rappel device and autoblock from their partner above fixes the rope.
Note, many people think that the rappel device alone is enough to secure the rope, but that's not necessarily true. If the rope is new, thin, slippery sheath, etc. the weight of the first person can creep the rope through the top device. The auto block is important, it prevents rope creep.
Finally, an elegant way to fix both rope strands is with a Stone hitch. This is common in canyoneering, but not so much in rock climbing. It's basically a double strand slipknot, with a carabiner that prevents it from coming undone. Fast to tie and very easy to break down when the second is ready to go. Here's a whole article on the Stone hitch if you want to learn more.
2 - Self lower
With the rope through the anchor, tie in to one end of the rope, attach to the other side of the rope with your Grigri, and lower yourself. This technique is a bit less common, and it has a few pros and cons, see below. There may be times when going more slowly and having increased friction is a good thing.
For a self lower, be absolutely 137% sure the rope is going through some kind of METAL connection (carabiner, quicklink, chain, rap ring, etc) at the anchor point, never webbing!
This option might be better if you have a skinnier rope and/or a newer sheath, because the friction of the rope passing through the master point will slow you down a bit and possibly give you better control.
You’re descending at half speed compared to a standard rappel, which can help with rope control, again good if you have a skinny rope. Or, it could be a bummer if you have a long way to go.
Tie a knot in the end of the rope, or maybe better yet clip the other end of the rope to your belay loop with a locking carabiner to close the rope system, so there is no chance you can rap off of the end. Having both rope ends attached to you means you can’t rap off the rope end, and minimizes problems caused by difficult terrain.
PRO - A self lower can be a good choice if you only have a short distance to descend, because you don't need to flake the entire rope, feed half of the rope through the anchor, etc.
PRO - This could also be a good choice if the rappel has some challenges - blocky terrain, places for the rope to get hung up, high winds, etc. (If this is the case, storing the rope in a rope bag, backpack or saddlebags or something similar can help it feed out smoothly.)
CON - This works best with a single master point; doing it with two anchors, especially if they’re separated, can twist your rope.
CON - Doing this can put excessive wear on fixed hardware. Probably okay if it's an easily replaceable quick link in a popular area, maybe not okay if it's difficult-to-replace hardware in a more remote area.
CON - If your rope is running over any sort of a sharp edge, this may not be a good method.
CON - The rappeller must deal with all the extra rope, as opposed to your partner lowering you, where the extra rope stays at the upper anchor. If you can get a good rope toss to make sure it gets down the cliff without tangling, good for you. If not, having the rope in a bag or backpack can make life a lot easier.
See this diagram from Petzl. It pretty much sums up how to rig a self-lower.
image: https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Sport/Self-lowering
and, you can self-lower with any kind of rappel device, not just a Grigri. (Diagram from Petzl)
3 - Rope block (knot or carabiner)
This lets you retrieve the rope. This an advanced technique! There are lots of ways you can screw this up and die! Practice with a qualified instructor before you try this in real life! See video at the bottom for an example. I'm not going to get into the details here, because there are many important factors to consider and it's beyond the scope of this article. Here's a much more detailed article about rope blocks.
Adding more friction
In many situations, like heavy load, wet rope, new slick rope, whatever, you may want some additional friction in your rappel. Here are a couple of ways to do that. Examples here are for belaying, but they also work for rappelling.
Photos from IFMGA certified guide Karsten Delap.
PHOTO: INSTAGRAM.COM/KARSTENDELAP/
PHOTO: INSTAGRAM.COM/KARSTENDELAP/
Another option is the Petzl Freino carabiner. This is designed specifically to add additional friction if needed to a rappel or lower. You clip the tail of the rope through the little spur on the right hand side. (I do not yet own one of these so I don't have an action photo.)
Finally here’s a nice short video from IFMGA Certified Guide Karsten Delap showing a self lower and a knot block.
