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Anybody else carry a rappel setup just for hiking on rough terrain? The slowest and most dangerous part of any cross-country hike is the descent.
>Last weekend, climbing remote 13er in RMNP
>Thunder descends suddenly while I'm still above treeline, ohshit
>Check out topo map for quickest descent
>Slope to north doesn't seem too bad, start running for it
>Rain starts pouring down everything becomes slippery
>Lightning striking left and right
>Reach treeline thinking I can now descend in safety
>Look down on something similar to pic related, fuck me
>Spend next 2 hours in pouring rain sliding on my ass down scree and slimy granite or chimneying between treetrunks and rock faces. Almost fall several times.
Seems like a canyoneering-type setup would be well worth carrying, not just for emergencies like this but for descending scree fields and couloirs that would otherwise be dangerous. Use either a fiddlestick or ghost knot for rope retrieval. Several companies make 7mm ultralight rope rated for this kind of thing, but let's be honest, cheap 5mm accessory cord would be plenty sufficient if I'm not shockloading it.
Anybody do this?
