Contents
Single Rope Technique (SRT) Training
What: Learn rope skills, an essential skill for vertical caves!
When: 6-8pm on Tuesdays (excluding exam periods) from Feb 11.
Where: The Old Climbing Wall in the ANU Sport Hall (from the ANU Sport foyer, head down the left hallway and look right once you reach the courts).
Cost: Free for NUCC members!
Single rope technique (SRT) is a set of methods used for descending (abseiling) and ascending (prusiking) on a single rope. These skills are applicable in several other adventure sports including climbing and canyoning. You can rock up, or leave at any time during these sessions.
Attendance is completely optional, however it is necessary to attend a couple of sessions to go on caving trips involving vertical caves. Over time we teach more advanced rope skills such as rigging and how to handle more complex ropework like rebelays and redirects.
Come and say hello at one of our SRT sessions if you would like to become a member. Note that you must be a member to get on rope for insurance reasons, but we’re happy to chat anyway!
For more details on exactly what we do in SRT, and what single rope techniques look like, look at this SRT Details page.
Caving Skill Levels
The following outlines the skill levels used by NUCC for vertical caving progression. Each level has prerequisites and must be signed off by the appropriate person.
Beginner Vertical Caver
Prerequisites: None
Signed off by: Vertical Caver
- Can safely prusik and abseil.
- Can give a bottom/fireman’s belay.
- Demonstrates clear vertical communication (on rope, abseiling, below!, abseil when ready).
- Can explain the fundamentals of vertical safety (2 points of safety or tested descender).
- Is aware of the fundamentals of fall factors and has consistently demonstrated weighting their devices to prevent slack.
- Can identify, inspect, and correctly put on a basic club SRT kit.
Intermediate Vertical Caver
Prerequisites: Beginner Vertical Caver
Signed off by: Vertical Cave Leader
- Safely demonstrates changeovers and rebelays, and can clearly explain when and why they are used.
- Maintains points of safety on rope without supervision.
- Can prusik and abseil without direct supervision or a belay.
- Can clearly explain the application of fall factors in the caving context and the principals of preventing slack in the system.
- Can inspect and correctly put on their chosen SRT kit unsupervised.
Vertical Caver
Prerequisites: Intermediate Vertical Caver
Signed off by: Vertical Cave Leader
- Safely demonstrates deviations/redirects and knot crossings, and can clearly explain when and why they are used.
- Has demonstrated ability to teach basic caving concepts and skills including prusiking, abseiling, and fireman’s belay.
- Has demonstrated ability to do basic problem solving on rope without direct supervision.
- Can inspect, disassemble, and assemble their chosen SRT kit.
- Can inspect club kits on others.
Knotcraft 1
Prerequisites: None
Signed off by: Beginner Rigger
- Can tie the Knotcraft 1 knots.
- Can identify and assess Knotcraft 1 knots tied by others.
- Can explain the uses and some limitations of the Knotcraft 1 knots.
- Can explain the principals of midline and endline knots.
- Has demonstrated ability to basically inspect rope for rubpoints, wear marks, or distorted core.
Knotcraft 1 knots: figure eight on the bight, figure nine on the bight, overhand on the bight (tape), alpine butterfly, tape or water knot (inline and on the bight), and a double fisherman’s knot.
Beginner Rigger
Prerequisites: Vertical Caver, Knotcraft 1
Signed off by: Vertical Cave Leader
- Has demonstrated ability to rig a simple vertical cave on bolts or high quality naturals.
- Has demonstrated ability to rig simple rebelays off bolts or high quality naturals.
- Can join ropes on rope.
- Can explain the principles of backups.
- Can explain the concept of shockloading.
- Can describe the major carabiner types (eg. screwgate, snapgate, autolock), and how to correctly load a carabiner.
- Can explain simple strategies to mitigate rope wear.
- Can rig and isolate a ladder & belay.
- Can explain how to inspect bolts and other anchor material.
Horizontal Cave Leader
Prerequisites: Knotcraft 1, Vertical Caver
Signed off by: 2 Horizontal Trip Leaders & Ratified by The Committee
Note: Horizontal Trip Leaders must be signed off by two current trip leaders and ratified by The Committee (at any Committee meeting or by agreement outside scheduled meetings). Horizontal Trip leaders require subjective skills including leadership skills and behaviours to safely and effectively lead people of all skill levels in horizontal caves. This includes broader trip management, logistics (gear lists, carpooling, etc), navigation (on approach and in-cave), teaching, people skills, patience, and ability to effectively manage complex or stressful situations if they arise. For further information, consult the trip leader form on the NUCC website.
Technical skills include:
- Has demonstrated ability to rig a ladder with a belay, and isolate the pulley system.
- Has demonstrated ability to operate a belay on a ladder with a belay device.
- Can explain and discuss the use of handlines in horizontal caves (eg. identifying when a handline is required, and how to rig a handline).
- Has demonstrated good selection of anchors for handlines and rigging handlines in-cave.
- Can identify and explain when a downclimb or handline would exceed being considered “horizontal” and therefore beyond the scope of a horizontal trip.
- Has demonstrated gear planning.
- Beneficial to have first aid qualifications.
- Can briefly summarise the principals of the ASF MICC and knows where to find further information.
Knotcraft 2
Prerequisites: Beginner Rigger
Signed off by: Vertical Cave Leader
- Can tie the Knotcraft 2 knots.
- Can identify and assess Knotcraft 2 knots tied by others.
- Can explain the uses and some limitations of the Knotcraft 2 knots.
Knotcraft 2 knots: figure eight rethreaded, munter hitch, European death knot, and a barrel knot.
Optional knots: fusion knot, clove hitch, bowline on the bight, tensionless hitch, prusik knot, and/or a stone knot.
Rigger
Prerequisites: Knotcraft 2
Signed off by: Vertical Cave Leader
- Has demonstrated ability to rig more complex vertical caves, including caves with multiple rebelays off naturals, and redirects.
- Has demonstrated ability to rig approach lines and understands edge protection.
- Can explain the principals of rope wear and rope management.
- Can describe how to assess anchors.
- Can discuss and explain rigging choices when questioned.
- Can explain the principles and demonstrate how to equalise an anchor.
- Has demonstrated an awareness of gear planning and consulting rigging notes or cave maps.
- Can explain the difference between styles of caving ropework, and can identify where they might be applied.
- Can identify and select appropriate rope thicknesses and lengths, and other gear required for specific caves and pitches.
- Can describe the major styles of carabiner (eg. HMS, oval) and their appropriate uses.
Party Rescue
Prerequisites: Knotcraft 2, Beginner Rigger
Signed off by: Vertical Cave Leader
Description work in progress.
Practical understanding of forces applied in caving, mechanical advantage, mechanical efficiency. Demonstrated ability to execute/rig and manage standard intra-party rescue or safety techniques (e.g., pickoff, counterbalance haul, 3:1 z-haul, improvised belay). Required to demonstrate some lateral thinking/problem solving ability to resolve situations out of the ordinary e.g., improvising in a situation without the ideal gear. Familiarity and understanding of materials such as HMPE (dyneema) and other modern fibres, nylon and polyester rope and tape.
Vertical Cave Leader
Prerequisites: Party Rescue, Rigger, Horizontal Cave Leader
Signed off by: 2 Vertical Cave Leaders & Ratified by The Committee
Description work in progress.
Note: Vertical Cave Leaders must be signed off by two current trip leaders and ratified by The Committee (at any Committee meeting or by agreement outside scheduled meetings).
- Can briefly summarise the principals of the ASF MICC and knows where to find further information.
Guidelines for Further Skill Development
The following are additional areas of skill development recognised by NUCC. Descriptions are a work in progress.
Surveyor (Signed off by: Surveyor)
Bolter (Prerequisites: Rigger | Signed off by: Bolter)
Solid theoretical understanding of anchor placement considerations, bolting hardware and techniques, ethical considerations, and forces. Practical knowledge of bolting methods, including at least two of the following: glueins, expansion bolts, concrete screws, removables (e.g., Coeur Pulse); metal grades (e.g., 316 SS vs 304 SS vs zinc plated).
Cave Rescue
Ability to conduct others and independently participate in group rescues including stretcher rescues, complex hauls, guided ascents/descents, high efficiency/advantage hauls (9:1), set up and maintain clear and efficient communication within rescue team. Advanced understanding of forces, gear ratings (WLL, MBS) in rescue scenarios. Highly regarded to have first aid qualifications and bolting experience. External organisations: NSW CRS, CRV.
Karst Conservation
Description work in progress.
Cave Exploration
Description work in progress.
Cave Science
Description work in progress.