IN THIS MODULE
24 Rope 101
Ropes are one of the biggest pieces of group gear you will carry, so there is always a balance between redundancy and weight. This module covers the planning framework I use: how much rope to bring, common lengths and diameters, static versus dynamic rope, pull-cords, and basic care.
HOW MUCH ROPE?
A conservative planning heuristic I sometimes use is carrying roughly three times the tallest rappel when weight and logistics allow. Treat this as my planning rule, not an ACA standard. Some specific retrievable systems can truly require about 3× the rappel length in rope/pull cord, but that does not make 3× a universal canyon rule.
At a minimum, I want enough redundancy that a single stuck, damaged, or dropped rope does not strand the group. If the tallest rappel is 80 feet, bringing only one 100-foot rope gives you very few options when something goes wrong.
MY OPINION: Two full-strength ropes that each cover the longest rappel, plus an appropriate retrieval cord, can give the group more options. A skinny pull-cord is not a substitute for a spare rappel or rescue rope; plan usable lengths and retrieval after a rope is lost.
COMMON ROPE LENGTHS
COMMON LENGTHS
• 60 ft — useful for short rappels
• 120 ft — versatile shorter rope
• 200 ft — common all-around length
• 310 ft — for bigger rappels / routes that require it
BEGINNER BUYING IDEA
• Two 200-ft ropes, OR
• One 120-ft rope + one 200-ft rope
• Then add a pull-cord as your system and experience grow
If the tallest rappel is 30 feet, I am not carrying a 200-foot rope if I have a lighter option that still gives the group appropriate redundancy.
DIAMETER
I strongly recommend beginning with a 9 mm static rope and treating the smaller 8 mm ropes as a skinnier option but one that demands more friction awareness and better rappel-device setup. Body weight, rope diameter, device choice, and rappel length all change how much friction you need. People have died because of loss of friction control!
THINNER ≠ AUTOMATICALLY BETTER: Lighter ropes save weight, but the tradeoff is friction management and handling. Learn your rope and descender together before using that combination in a real canyon.
PULL-CORD
My example is a 6 mm, 200-foot static pull-cord carried in a rope bag. Suitable diameter and construction depend on the retrieval system and manufacturer instructions. It is for retrieval, not rappelling.
STATIC VS. DYNAMIC
DYNAMIC ROPE
• Designed to stretch and absorb energy in a fall.
• Commonly associated with rock climbing.
• That stretch can work against you when trying to retrieve a stuck rappel rope with a pull-cord.
STATIC ROPE
• Low stretch and commonly used for canyoneering rappels.
• More efficient for rappelling and rope retrieval in the systems described in this book.
• Skinnier static ropes still require more friction awareness.
I learned the pull-cord lesson the hard way on a rappel around 220 feet: a dynamic pullcord stretched significantly while we pulled and it just absorbed our effort. We eventually had to hike back to the top to retrieve the rope.
BRETT'S LESSON LEARNED: For retrieval, I want a low-stretch line. Dynamic stretch can make a stuck pull harder to free.
ROPE MAINTENANCE
Canyons are hard on ropes. Sand, water, sharp rock, abrasion, heat, and repeated loading all add up. You do not need to wash a rope after every rappel, but you do need to pay attention to what the canyon has done to it.
AFTER / DURING THE TRIP
• If the rope is packed with sand, rinse it when practical.
• Sand embedded in the rope increases abrasion on rope and hardware.
• If the rope is wet, let it air dry before long-term storage.
• Keep it out of direct sunlight while drying / storing.
BEFORE THE NEXT TRIP
• Run the rope through your hands and look for deep cuts or core shots.
• Notice hard spots, unusual flattening, or sections that feel different.
• Light fuzzing may occur with normal use, but serious sheath or core damage needs attention.
• Measure and record the rope's current usable length. Use and wetting can shrink a rope even when no damaged section has been cut off; a purchase label is not a length check.
ONE LAST HABIT: Inspect the rope before the trip—not for the first time while your group is standing at the top of the rappel.
BUTTERFLY COIL WITH FARMER'S TIE-OFF
A rope bag is still my preferred way to manage a working rope inside a technical canyon. It keeps the rope contained, makes deployment cleaner, and helps control all those loose loops in a dirty, wet, snaggy environment. But there are times when you simply need to move a rope — across an approach, up an exit, between widely spaced rappels, or strapped outside a pack. That is where the butterfly coil earns its place.
WHAT IT IS: The butterfly coil is a fast way to organize a rope into large, even bights. The Farmer’s tie-off turns that finished coil into a backpack-style carry. U.S. Army mountaineering teaches the butterfly coil specifically as a rope-carry method; Petzl also identifies it as an easy-to-learn coil that helps reduce twists.
For canyoneering, think of this as a logistic skill — not a rappel or rigging technique. The rope is organized for carrying. Before it becomes the rappel rope again, it still needs to be deployed, inspected, and rigged normally.
WHERE IT FITS IN A CANYON
GOOD USE
Approaches and exits, short transfers, carrying a spare rope, moving a rope that will not be deployed immediately, or securing a finished coil outside a pack.
ROPE BAG IS BETTER
Repeated rappels, wet canyon travel, swimming, tight slots, brushy terrain, or anywhere exposed loops are likely to snag or where rapid controlled deployment matters.
SNAG WARNING: Petzl specifically notes that butterfly-coil loops can snag on branches. In canyon country, add rock horns, roots, brush, narrow slots, and loose gear to that list. Once the terrain gets technical, contain the rope rather than walking around with large exposed loops.
PHOTO SEQUENCE
I left the following photo positions as a shot list. Take the sequence with your own canyon rope and pack, then the photos can drop directly into these spaces without redesigning the module.
HOW TO MAKE THE BUTTERFLY COIL — STEPS 1–3
PHOTO 1
Show both rope ends together in one hand and the center bight identified in the other.
STEP 01
Double the Rope and Find the Middle
Bring both rope ends together, then back-feed the doubled rope until you reach the center bight. Starting from the middle makes a double butterfly coil and keeps both rope ends available together at the finish.
PHOTO 2
Front/side view showing the center bight and the first arm-length doubled loop.
STEP 02
Set Your Coil Length
Drape the center bight over your neck/shoulder, or use the hand method. Make the first doubled bight roughly one arm-length long. The exact size is less important than keeping the bights consistent and comfortable to carry.
PHOTO 3
Show several even doubled bights hanging from the shoulders or gathered in one hand.
STEP 03
Build Even Bights
Continue collecting doubled bights, alternating them left-to-right while keeping the loops uniform. Avoid twisting the doubled strands as you work. Stop with enough tail remaining to wrap and finish the coil — roughly a couple arm-lengths is a useful target.
KEEP IT BORING: Uniform loops are the goal. A pretty coil is nice, but the practical reason is better control: fewer random loops, fewer twists, and an easier bundle to secure and later uncoil.
HOW TO MAKE THE BUTTERFLY COIL — STEPS 4–5
PHOTO 4
Close-up of the top third of the bundle with the first locking wrap and at least three doubled wraps.
STEP 04
Wrap the Coil
Carefully remove the coil while keeping the apex together. Using the two loose ends as a doubled strand, wrap around the bundle at least three times. The first wrap should lock back over itself so the wraps do not immediately loosen.
PHOTO 5
Show the doubled bight passing through the top of the coil, then the two tails pulled through it.
STEP 05
Lock the Top
Form a doubled bight with the two loose ends and pass that bight up through the apex of the coil. Then pass the two loose ends through that doubled bight and dress everything down snugly. This captures the bundle so it can be carried or secured to a pack.
IF YOU ARE PUTTING IT ON THE OUTSIDE OF A PACK
• Use the pack’s compression/top straps to capture the entire finished bundle. Some canyon packs are specifically built with an across-the-top strap for holding a rope or wetsuit.
• Keep the bundle tight to the pack rather than hanging low or swinging behind you.
• Secure the coil as a bundle. Do not clip one random loop and assume the rest of the coil will behave.
• Move the rope into a rope bag or otherwise contain it before entering terrain where exposed loops could snag or become an entanglement problem.
BRETT’S OPINION: This is exactly why I like the butterfly coil: I can turn a long rope into one controlled package quickly, lash it outside the pack, and keep the inside of the pack available for water, wetsuit, emergency gear, or whatever else the canyon demands.
FARMER'S TIE-OFF — TURN THE COIL INTO A BACKPACK
The Farmer’s tie-off is the body-carry version of the same finished butterfly coil. It is useful when you need your hands free for an approach or short carry and do not want to stuff the rope into a pack.
PHOTO 6
Rear 3/4 view with the finished coil centered vertically on the back and one tail over each shoulder.
STEP 06
Put the Coil on Your Back
Place the finished butterfly coil vertically in the center of your back. Separate the two loose ends and bring one over each shoulder like backpack straps.
PHOTO 7
Rear view clearly showing the two tails crossing over the rope bundle on the back.
STEP 07
Cross the Tails Over the Coil
Bring each tail down under the corresponding arm, then route the tails across your back so they cross over and capture the rope coil. Bring both ends around toward the front of your body.
PHOTO 8
Front view showing the two tails tied at the waist/abdomen and the coil riding securely on the back.
STEP 08
Tie Off in Front
Tie the two ends together at the front with a square knot. In the Farmer’s tie-off, this knot is only closing a rope-carry system — it is NOT a rappel, belay, anchor, or life-safety knot. Adjust the tails so the coil rides snugly without restricting breathing or movement.
CARRY SYSTEM — NOT PPE: Do not confuse the Farmer’s tie-off with a harness, chest harness, restraint system, or rescue attachment. It only keeps a coiled rope on your body. If the terrain makes a loose body-carried coil hazardous, move the rope to the pack or rope bag.
UNCOIL IT WITHOUT CREATING A ROPE EXPLOSION
A doubled butterfly coil is fast to make, but Petzl cautions that doubled coils require careful uncoiling. Do not arrive at the rappel, undo everything, and launch the bundle down-canyon hoping gravity sorts it out.
A SIMPLE DEPLOYMENT ROUTINE
1. Move to a clean, controlled spot away from the edge. If available, put the bundle on or in the rope bag.
2. Remove the Farmer’s tie-off or pack straps first, then release the top capture and wraps while keeping control of the coil.
3. Identify the rope ends and center before anyone starts pulling random strands out of the bundle.
4. Feed or stack the rope deliberately so twists and crossed bights are found before the rope is committed over an edge.
5. Run the rope through your hands as it is deployed. You are managing the rope and getting another opportunity to feel for damage at the same time.
THE BIG IDEA: The butterfly coil solves a carrying problem. The rope bag solves a canyon-management problem. Know both. Use the one that matches what you are doing right now.
PRACTICE BEFORE THE CANYON
• Practice the finish until the three wraps and top capture can be recognized at a glance.
• Practice the Farmer’s tie-off with a partner, then walk around and confirm the coil does not migrate or unravel.
• Practice taking it apart and immediately stacking or bagging the rope cleanly. Coiling is only useful if the rope also deploys cleanly.
*CASE STUDY: THE ROPE DID NOT REACH — NOT IMLAY, 2015
On October 2, 2015, a canyoneer died after reaching a point where his rigged rope was too short in Not Imlay Canyon. His partner's account describes a doubled 200-foot rope, providing about 100 feet of descent, on a much longer drop. Whether he slipped from the ends or deliberately released was not witnessed.
Lesson Learned: Verify the actual landing and rope reach before committing; a remembered ledge is not confirmation. On an appropriate dry rappel, end knots add protection but do not make short rope adequate. Keep a practiced stopping and ascending system accessible, and preserve rescue rope where the team can use it.
Think it through: How is the rappel landing confirmed?
*CASE STUDY : DAMAGED ROPE, NOT ENOUGH LENGTH — 2016
On April 29, 2016, a five-person group in Zion's Observation Point Canyon reportedly damaged its rope and lacked the rope length needed for the final rappel. The group had texted and left a voice message asking a friend to bring another rope, but descended out of cell coverage without confirming that he was bringing one. The friend was unsure whether the rope he brought was long enough.
Rangers ultimately used the group’s damaged rope to send a 600-foot rope up to them. With the longer rope, the party was able to complete the final rappel.
Lesson Learned: Plan rope length and redundancy before the first rappel. A damaged or stuck rope should not leave the group dependent on cell service, an unconfirmed message, or somebody outside the canyon guessing what rope you need.
ADDITIONAL READING:
Source: National Park Service — “Observation Point Canyon” (Zion National Park, April 29, 2016).
Source: NPS — Observation Point Canyon damaged rope, 2016
International Canyon Accident Database — Not Imlay 2015-10-02, including a participant's account.