THE NORTH RIDGE OF K2 IS NOT A JUG UP A FIXED LINES. WHILST SECTIONS ARE FIXED, THEY ARE STEEPER WITH TRAVERSES, AND THE REST IS MIXED CLIMBING. THE STANDARD HARNESS SET UP AS SEEN ON ROUTES LIKE THE ABRUZZI ISN’T ENOUGH FOR HERE. NOTE THIS ISN’T THE RACK OF CLIMBING GEAR, THIS IS A CLIMBERS PERSONAL ‘UTILITY BELT’ THEY WILL LIVE IN, EVERYTHING ELSE GOES ON TOP.
1) LOOSE WIRE GATES, LOTS OF THEM
ASIDE FROM RIGGING THE CLIMBING, YOU WILL USE WIRE GATES EVERYWHERE ON K2’S NORTH RIDGE, FROM GUYING OUT TENTS TO SECURING PACKS, CLIPPING YOUR BOOTS TOGETHER, HANGING LIGHTS & STOVES – YOU GET THE IDEA.
2) DESCENDER / BELAY DEVICE
ROPES ON K2 ARE SKINNY SO YOU NEED A DEVICE SPECIALLY FOR SMALL DIAMETER ROPES, DOWN TO ABOUT 6mm. DESCENT IS EASIEST WITH A FIGURE 8 BECAUSE IT ALLOWS YOU TO BYPASS KNOTS WITHOUT (USUALLY) HAVING TO DISCONNECT. A SKINNY ATC AND A FIG.8 WILL WORK FINE, OR THE EDELRID MAGO 8 WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR HIGH ALTITUDE ROPEWORK IS BETTER. CLIPPED TO THE HARNESS WITH A FULL SIZED LOCKING BINER
3) ASCENDER & LANYARD
A REGULAR HANDLED ASCENDER CLIPPED WITH 2 X OVAL BINERS TO A MULTI-LENGTH LANYARD THAT’S EASILY REMOVED WHEN YOU DON’T NEED IT / RIGGED WHEN YOU DO. ASCENDERS NEED TO BE CLIPPED THROUGH THE TOP RETAINER HOLE AND OVALS WORK THE BEST FOR THIS. 2 CLIP IN’S ARE REQUIRED TO STAY ON ROPE BETWEEN SWITCH OVERS. WE LIKE CHAIN-STYLE LANYARDS AS THEY ARE EASIER TO ADJUST THE LENGTH & ARE FULLY RATED
4) LOOSE LOCKING BINERS, 4-5
SCREW OR DOUBLE GATES, NO AUTO-LOCKING. FOR ANYTHING REQUIRING PRIMARY PROTECTING LIKE SWAPPING AROUND AT BELAYS, CLIPPING IN AT NIGHT, SECURITY ON LINES, BACK UPS ETC. DON’T SPEND ALL YOUR WIREGATES.
5) CLIPPERS
FULL STRENGTH METAL RECOMMENDED, IDEALLY ONES THAT SWIVEL FLAT AGAINST YOUR BODY. THE GRIVEL ONES HOLD A LOT MORE THAN THE PLASTIC ONES, ie 2 X ICE TOOLS
6) HARNESS
LIGHT, STEP-IN, 4 X GEAR LOOPS. YOU WILL NEED TO PUT IT ON & OFF IN CRAMPED TENTS OR ON SMALL LEDGES, POSSIBLY SLEEP IN IT. ADJUSTABLE FOR DIFFERENT LAYERS OF CLOTHING, LOOPS TOWARDS THE FRONT SO YOU CAN SEE YOUR GEAR. WE LIKE THE BLUE ICE CHOUCAS PRO.
7) TOOL LANYARDS
SPRUNG & EASILY REMOVED / ATTACHED FOR WHEN YOU DONT NEED THEM
8) SECOND ASCENDER
COMPACT, FOR USE AS A BACK UP OR WHEN YOU ARE MOVING AROUND ANCHORS OR POSSIBLY FULL JUGGING STEEP STUFF. WITH A RETAINER CORD.
9) 20m X 5mm CORD
FOR PRUSSICKS, GEAR LINES, GUY ROPES, RIGGING PACKS, HANGING GEAR, EXTENDING TIE-INS, TAG LINES, V-THREADS – ENDLESS USES. DROP-COILED INTO A SMALL BAG (NOT CARRIED AS A SKEIN) WITH A SMALL KNIFE.
