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Locking off a Figure 8

Description

There are three ways to lock off a Figure 8. You can tie two half-locks, you can tie a Mule Hitch, or you can form a Girth Hitch.

Two Half-Locks Method

1. Stop your descent.
2. Use your left hand to trap the rope against the stem of the Figure 8.
3. With your right hand, bring the brake line up and over the Figure 8.
4. Pull the brake line down firmly with both hands, forcing the rope into the large eye of the Figure 8. This forms a half-lock.
5. Take the brake strand a form a bight.
6. Thread the bight through the carabiner.
7. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for the second half-lock.
8. Slowly release the brake strand half-locks slide down into the Figure 8 and halt your descent.

Mule Hitch Method

1. Stop your descent.
2. Use your left hand to trap the rope against the stem of the Figure 8.
3. With your right hand, feed a bight of rope through the carabiner.
4. Tie a Mule Hitch above the Figure 8.
5. Slowly release the brake strand until the Mule Hitch slides down into the Figure 8 and halts your descent.

Girth Hitch Method

This method is best employed when you have a foothold that allows you to take your weight off the rappel rope for a moment.

1. Take your weight off the rappel rope.
2. Grab the rope where it crosses the spine of the carabiner.
3. Pull the rope up to form a girth hitch.
4. Put your weight back on the rappel rope.

Next

Locking off an ATC