Had a climbing line snap on a 60-foot white oak last Tuesday

I was up about 50 feet on a removal job in Portland when my main climbing line just let go. I had inspected it that morning and didn't see any fraying, but there must have been a hidden weak spot. Luckily I had my lanyard set and it caught me before I fell more than a couple feet. I swapped to my backup rope and finished the job after that. Has anyone else dealt with a sudden rope failure like this and what did you change in your gear checks?

3 comments

3 Comments

rubys8010d ago

Lanyard saved your ass. Time to retire ropes way more often than you think you need to.

williamm829d ago

Three years on my toughest rope before it finally let go, just different storage luck I guess.

abbyg6010d ago

Hey, you really think working a rope more often would've made a difference there? I gotta say @rubys80, I've seen ropes fail at different ages depending on the brand and how they're stored. Mine was only 8 months old when it snapped, but it got stored wet in a truck bed during a rainy spell. Now I keep all my lines in a dry bag and retire anything over a year old, even if it looks fine. That lanyard buyback was clutch though, glad you had it.