soup-n-sandwich
Slacker
Hi Guys,
I use a HitchHiker 2 with Sterling HTP 11mm. I'm new to climbing and have learned the hard way that a lower-able basal anchor is a good idea. I didn't think I'd be using it so quickly. Nearly all of the tree I climb for work is the White Pine. After descending from about 80 feet the HH got stuck at about the 40ft mark. Collapsing the hitch did nothing, the hitch just collapsed with no tension what so ever on it. Tugging on the lower tail of the hitch cord, while collapsing the hitch dropped me about 3 inches at a time. I was a bit worried, thinking I would drop without the consistent friction. I expected pitch to be sticky but instead it's actually hard and crusty forming a glaze of the rope.
A few questions about pitch:
I use a HitchHiker 2 with Sterling HTP 11mm. I'm new to climbing and have learned the hard way that a lower-able basal anchor is a good idea. I didn't think I'd be using it so quickly. Nearly all of the tree I climb for work is the White Pine. After descending from about 80 feet the HH got stuck at about the 40ft mark. Collapsing the hitch did nothing, the hitch just collapsed with no tension what so ever on it. Tugging on the lower tail of the hitch cord, while collapsing the hitch dropped me about 3 inches at a time. I was a bit worried, thinking I would drop without the consistent friction. I expected pitch to be sticky but instead it's actually hard and crusty forming a glaze of the rope.
A few questions about pitch:
- Is any one type of rope more susceptible (or less) to pine pitch than others?
- Is the HitchHiker the only hybrid or mechanical device that suffers from pitch in the way I've experienced?
- Is there a safe way to remove pitch from the rope once it's on there?
- Is there a method to protect the rope from pitch before it goes up?
I was thinking, (after checking with the rope manufacturer) maybe there's a solvent I could use on the rope to remove the pitch from it?
Any thoughts on these questions guys?
Soup