So:rry, guys --I the know I'm hea~ Texas Caver But ... look on the Vol. 28, NO.3,1983 bright side: if I roa.k, you'll alre aefy have the pollbeareJ CONTENTS / picked out ~~ i A Few Words About the Inchworm •••• 43 A Few Comments on the Prusik Knot.44 Modified Mitchell System ••••.••••• 47 The Galveston Vertical Rig •••••••• 51 Knot The Best Way •• Or Is It? ••••• 52 Cable Ladders ..................... 58 One Piece Chicken Loop •••••••••••• 59 Ki ck Back ••••••••••••••••••••••••• 60 Trip Reports ...........•....••.... 63 COVER PHOTO: i Looking down a wet 325 meter drop in The Fishure of Sotano de San Agus­ tin. Photo submitted by Bill Stone. Editor: James Jasek Typing and Proofreading: Mimi Jasek Illustrations: Jay Jorden Layout: James Jasek Printing: The SpeJeo Press (Terry and Susie Raines) Distribution: James Jasek The TEXAS CAVER is a bi-monthly publication of the Texas Speleological Association (TSA), an internal organization of the National Speleological Society (NSS), and is published in February April, June, August, October and December. Deadline for submission of material is one month before publication date. SUBSCRIPTIONS are $5 year. Persons subscribing after the first of the year will receive all back issues for that year. Single and back issues are available for one dollar each postpaid. The TEXAS CAVER openly invites all cavers to submit articles, news events, cartoons, cave maps, photographs (any size black & white or color print), caving techniques, and any other cave related material for publication in the TEXAS CAVER. Address all SUBSCRIPTIONS and EDITORIAL material to the Editor: James Jasek, 1019 Melrose, Waco, Texas 76710. Evening phone is (817) 776-1727. When sending in a change of address, please irrclude you old address. Persons interested in EXCHANGES and FOREIGN SUbscription should direct correspondence to the editor. A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE ,I Dale Pate My first lessons on Single Rope Tech­ nique (SRT) were in 1 Sl70 on some cliffs along the Blanco River a few miles north of San Marcos, Texas. At that time, most of the active cavers in the SWTG were avid Mexican cavers and they used the Inch-worm method fo r ascending pits. This system was ideal for many of the deep Mexican pits that were discovered in the late 1960 's and the early 1970's. First intro­ duced by Charles Townsend at the 1966 HS S Convention and though it is not widely used today by vertical enthusiasts, it is still an efficient means for climbing a rope . Ko bert Thrun described the Inch-worm system in his book entitled PRUSIKING: "Mechanical ascenders must be used with the inch-worm method. 'l'he feet rest on a cross bar that is c lamped to an ascender between the feet, and s ome sort of lashings are used to Keep the ascender attached to the feet. The upper ascender is tied between a seat sling and a chest sling. The motions are simple and require no sKill, as they merely involve standing up and s itting down. When you stand up, the top asce nder is pulled up by the che st sling . ~ hen you sit down, you trans­ fer your weight to your seat sling and lift up your legs, lifting the ascen­ der with them." Ideall y , the Inch-worm system is best Front View Mhen used on free drops. Walls and es pe­ ~ ia l1 Y sloping ledges can sometimes be a ~roblem , but with practice most of these problems can be overcome. Mud can also be ~ major problem, since Jumars are the type pf ascende rs that are used. Heavy mud fl ogging the Jumars' carns can cause them ~ o s lip. One of the keys to a climber's ~ki ll is in the amount of experience he or s he has had. Anyone choosing the Inch­ ~ orm sys t ern to climb rope should spend as that matter should refer to the source wuch time as possible on practicing climb­ books listed below. ~ n g skills. Efficiency and safety are a Mont gomery, Neil J{. 1977. SINGLE ROPE cli mber's main concerns when actually on a TECH NI QU ES. Sydney Speleological Society r o pe and the Inch-worm system can be a de­ ucc asional Paper No.7. Lakes Printers, pe nda ble, safe way of ascending many types \~ yo ng, Australia. 123 pages. of dr ops. Any o ne who is interes ted in Thrun, Robert. 1971. PRUSIKING. NSS lea rning mo re about the Inch-worm me thod publication. The Speleo Press., Austin, of climbing a rope or any other system for Te xas. 75 pages. 43 A FEW COMMENTS ON THE PRUSIK KNOT Marion O. Smith Although I've climbed many underground in trouble on a very wet drop in an Alaba­ miles with prusik knots, it is with a ma cave in 1977 with a box and jumar sys­ great deal of reservation that I yield to tem because it lacked this element. I've the request to put my observations, ex­ tried that rig only about three times periences and opinions on paper. Until since and still consider the three knot now I've refused all pleas for "tech­ method a more comfortable way to climb, at niques articles, including a recent one least for me. from the editor of Nylon Highway, because One might say that all the mechanical the truth is I'm one of the most untech­ rope climbing rigs are those with "auto­ nical and unmechanical persons around. matic transmissions." If so, prusik knots Prusiks were "invented," I believe, in must be the "stick shift" or "standard France, but were considered too cumbersome transmission. " It is my belief that no for any climb over forty feet. This was matter what rig a climber is eventually because there were quite a number of wraps going to adopt he or she should be trained around the main rope and a climber would in the fundamentals of prusik climbing. soon become fatigued. During the early The length of prusik knots is impor­ 1950' s America's Bill Cuddington modified tant. One leg knot should be longer th ~ the prusik to only two wraps and caused the other. The "rule" that I use is to quite a stir by doing numerous hundred stand in both leg knots at once while t h~ foot plus pi ts wi th them. They" caught" are unat tached to a climbing rope. The on within organized caver ranks and soon leg knot that is to be raised first, in ~ there existed a cadre of expert prusik­ case the right, should reach the waist. kers. The other knot should be two or th r~ When I was introduced to prusiks in inches shorter. This is to insure t hat 1966 the standard equipment was three when you're on rope and standing in the knots and a horse girth for a chest har­ stirrups that your feet are at the sa me ness. At least one group that I know of elevation. However, if this isn't done actually climbed a 156 foot freefall pit you can still level your feet while on in Alabama without a chest harness by rope by adjusting the leg knots up or d o~ standing up in two prusik leg knots and as needed. The length of the ches t knot balancing themselves next to the rope with should not exceed the comfortable reach i~ their arms! There was little understand­ distance of the arm. Many people try to ing among my fellow vertical cavers what get fancy wi th their knots by tying t heo the "proper" length of '1e va _ _ous knots to foot loops made from webbing. Less should be, and many of c' _mbed uncom­ "sling" material is needed this way, but fortably for years. since to me the whole point is to have Seventeen years have passed since my simple gear, all I do is to tie a fe~ first pit and I still climb the three knot overhand knots and pres to, I have a new style, even though I must confess that for prusik knot! Some people have flat feet the most part I have substituted jumars and it bothers them to stand in stirr ups for prusiks. Many good mechanical climb­ of sling material but not webbing. S in~ ing systems have been developed during I have high in-steps on my feet this has those years, particularly the box and never been a problem for me. I do put u Jumars, Gibbs, and French "Frog" rigs. extra overhand knot in my right sling so Generally I have ignored most of these that when I pull it from my cave pack I rigs, because ~ll I was really interested instantly know in what order on the rope in wa< getting into and out of caves, and it goes. Regardless of whe ther a person prusikb always ~ot me out, sometimes just is right or left legged, the longes tIe! as fas t as tho: fancy rigs. Therefore, I knot goes on the rope above the shorter became "set in my ways. The one feature leg knot. I became used to with prusiks was a har­ For additional safety it is desirable to ness around my chest, so when I relaxed on have a sufficiently long "tail" on a pru' rope my trunk was instantly held. I got sik knot so it can be attached to the seat 44 harness when climbing. I must confess stop to catch one's breath--well, not too that I don't like to have any seat harness much.