40m Rope for Alpine Use

Getting more into (ski) mountaineering and light alpine climbing and want my own dedicated rope. Pretty settled on the Mammut 8.7 Serenity Dry, but trying to choose length. Options I'm considering are 60m, or 80m and cut it in half, probably give/sell 1 half.

40m seems like enough rope for most glacier travel scenarios with 2-3 person rope team. I don't foresee needing long rope for belays or raps because I'm not looking to do big, crazy steep sections.

Don't care about it as a climbing rope because i have a non-treated workhorse for pure rock.

Question is: would it be dumb to roll out with only 40m? If I go with the 60 am I going to have 30m always coiled and wish I had a 40m rope?

Specific zones I plan on using it are the Tantalus, Shuksan, etc. as a skiier. Not super concerned about bagging summits or ascents, more about access (ie short raps, steps, etc.) and safety (ie glacier and cornice travel).

Thanks.

buy a 40m ..... the odds are low someone would buy the leftover piece if
you cut a longer rope in half

There's a better rope for that. 6.5 mm rap line ii by edelrid

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Originally Posted by rod9301

There's a better rope for that. 6.5 mm rap line ii by edelrid

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I think he needs something dynamic.

Take a look at the Beal Rando. It's available in both 30m and 48m and designed for ski mountaineering. If you're not leading on it, no need for anything over 8mm. FWIW 30 seems to be long enough for most of my needs but I'm a weight weenie.

30m is good for a 2-man glacier rope team, 40 is good for 3. One nice thing about a 60 is having the option to fold it in half and use it as a 30m double/half lead setup if you expect to hit small sections of technical climbing. Depends on your objectives really, if you don't forsee any patches of lead climbing then go with the shortest length to save weight (40m)

8.7mm seems pretty big for the intended purpose. Living away from glaciers nowadays, I don't get the most time, but my preferred setup for skiing (assuming that unroped travel will be common) is a 30m and a 20m. Travel 10m apart on the 30. Each skier then has 20m available for rescue. And when unroped, the team has two ropes.

30-40m is perfect for what you described. The 30mm Beal Rando is a classic but there is the occasional rappel or four person trip where I'm wishing it was a little longer. If you need a longer rappel, bring two ropes (your buddy probably needs one too, right? Buy the same one, or get the long 60-80m version and cut it in half).

The rap ii is static and for a couple of falls,
dynamic too.

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Originally Posted by Bronco

I think he needs something dynamic.

Take a look at the Beal Rando. It's available in both 30m and 48m and designed for ski mountaineering. If you're not leading on it, no need for anything over 8mm. FWIW 30 seems to be long enough for most of my needs but I'm a weight weenie.

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Originally Posted by rod9301

The rap ii is static and for a couple of falls,
dynamic too.

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Guess I'll have to check that rope out.

Depends. For most of the glacier travel we've done over the past 30 years I'd get a 60m twin and cut it in half to make two 30m ropes. If you sell one you'll eventually regret it. Take one 30m rope for 2- or 3-man team for most basic glacier routes. Pack the second rope if you expect raps or want an extra rescue rope or want to twin up for short rock pitches. Our group has twin and half ropes in various lengths from 20m to 70m, and the 25m and 30m ropes get the most use by far. 40m would be a good length for a 4-man team, but I'd usually rather have two 2-person teams on shorter ropes. We also sometimes pack a 25-30 twin for a hand line on (ostensibly) non-technical routes for the unknown unknowns.

The "light alpine" part is key. I assume you will be using it to lead alpine pitches, so a 40 is a reasonable length and not too heavy in a fat enough diameter to be a lead rope.

I just got off the Grand Teton with JHMG and that is what they are using for that application. If you plan on more technical climbs then a 60m would be better (which is what we used on the other days for rock climbs.)

should be fine

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Originally Posted by DIYSteve

Depends. For most of the glacier travel we've done over the past 30 years I'd get a 60m twin and cut it in half to make two 30m ropes.

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^ This.

Our party also has a variety of ropes, and the 2x30m is what we bring most often, either 1 of them, or both of them.

https://www.backcountry.com/mammut-t...ing-rope-7.5mm

30m of this packs down nice and small too.

2 x 30 also gives you a nearly 100' rap. One 40m rope would be better for climbing some alpine rock routes, but it gives you only a 66' rap.

The answer to OP's question is very route specific. He says that he "do[es]n't foresee needing long rope for belays or raps because I'm not looking to do big, crazy steep sections." I interpret that as excluding all Grand Teton routes.

Amazing! Still on the fence between the Beal Rando and splitting a 60m, but will report back once I bite the bullet.

For glaciers and 10m spacing with 3 on the rope: If the first person goes in the slot when travelling roped, a 30m length might only just give you enough to set up a 6:1 (drop loop pulled with a Z). If you can extend the anchor to be closer to the lip.

With 3 on a rope, I'd rather have 12m spacing, which means a 40m length, which will give enough rope to comfortably set up a 6:1.

If I had to have one rope for groups of 3 or 4, glacier travel and rocky raps and stuff.... I'd get a 40mm single rope, as thin as I could find.

But then, if the guy carrying that rope falls in a slot when skiing unroped, how you going to get him out?

So... perhaps carry a thin 30m single for roped travel and rock work. And a seperate really thin RAD line for rescues and also backup if the other rope goes down a hole. With your poor friend. You can also use it to recover the 30m single for longer raps.

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Originally Posted by neck beard

But then, if the guy carrying that rope falls in a slot when skiing unroped, how you going to get him out?

So... perhaps carry a thin 30m single for roped travel and rock work. And a seperate really thin RAD line for rescues and also backup if the other rope goes down a hole. With your poor friend. You can also use it to recover the 30m single for longer raps.

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^^ this. flexibility is largest with two strands or as i do it, one 30 m thin rope and a 30 m 5mm prusik/tag line. If it is heavily crevassed, 2 30m ropes may be preferred.

That's amazing

I find a 50m is great, a lot of the old routes were done with a 50 so they are setup for descent that way

tiny pull cords are nice too.