Ice Tool Umbilicals: Are we doing it wrong?

[RjBlake]

I realize there are arguments both for and against umbilicals. I'm not getting into that. Presupposing you have decided to use an umbilical for whatever reason, wouldn't it make more sense to have it clipped into your lead rope, rather than directly to your belay loop, with some kind of screamer like connection between the umbilical and the belay loop.

In this manner, your top ice tools is always your highest piece of pro, and your tool is loaded dynamically with the stretch of the rope in the system absorbing energy, rather than statically onto a short tether.

Obviously this only matters in the rare case where you've severely screwed up and are taking an ice fall...which you shouldn't do...so I get that this isn't a very big use case, and may not be worth the additional complexity.

I've illustrated what I mean here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1fZdgCsvWbuJ2uX5KyzKSg1wnJ0YZunvsX8BjsDfvLho/edit?usp=sharing

[RjBlake]

You really need to click on the link to see what I mean. It is a google slideshow with diagrams.

[mattdrayer]

Great diagrams! Your argument actually aligns well with the "Ice Climbing == Aid Climbing" perspective (which I do share). Through this lens your ice tool is simply another piece of protection in your system -- a specialized type of mountaineering axe used for self-belay on vertical slopes with minimal snow cover available for purchase by a more traditional axe.

IMHO I have never really understood the point of static (or weak) umbilical connections -- both seem useless and even dangerous in the case of a fall onto static cord/webbing attached directly to the harness. As in your diagrams, either the tool stays in the ice and you receive a nasty yank, or the tool pops out and you get hit in the face while falling onto your topmost screw, which will probably pop out as well but hey at least you didn't lose your tool!!!

So yeah, if you are going to climb with umbilicals (and this is not an argument for NOT doing so), I think you definitely want to consider dynamic load bearing material for the tool connection and I would say a screamer can only help re: fall force reduction.

[mattdrayer]

I also find the suggestion of clipping the umbilical to the ROPE and not the HARNESS to be a good idea as well. In this case you might be able to get away with static material like a Dyneema double-length runner clipped to the tool and the rope like an extended quickdraw, but that's putting a decent amount of faith in your tool placements. Dynamic material would still be ideal in this configuration as well, I think.

You might be able to get away with a short section of a thin (eg 7.8mm) half rope connected to both tools and a single carabiner connected to the lead rope -- in sort of a "V" configuration. With stopper knots tied into the bottoms of the tools you're really only talking about two extra pieces of gear in the system -- only thing to really manage would be twists created by switching hands.

[cwoodall]

I dig this concept and the basic idea.

I do kind of worry about the clutter and how 2 tools might interact in this scenario.

I also would be concerned about getting back on the ice safely after falling like this, with your possibly questionable "thank god" tool above you and limited recourse to action. You could try to lower down to your last screw, but that might be problematic and cause a shifting weight, you could try to get a screw/etc in wherever you are and try to recover the situation from there. If you still have one tool you could use the nifty one axe climbing technique to get back up to your tool. I am generally assuming it is too steep to safely want to go up with no axes and this time possibly fall and yank out your ax.

I like the idea though. Whose going to give it a whirl

[DonGillespie]

I also would be concerned about getting back on the ice safely after falling like this

In that situation if I was thinking straight through the pain of likely my broken ankles I'd be more concerned with getting down. The bigger question is would you lower the ground off the tool or go in direct at the next screw down and sort out your problems from there.

[quaoixanh]

Everyone has their own opinion depending on their point of view, I personally agree.