Setting a redirect
Method 1 : climbing to the redirect point
The most straightforward way to set a redirect is to climb to that point .
For all of the artificial redirects shown on the previous page , the rescue climber must work their way to the redirect point to attach the redirect .
For natural redirects , the rescue climber simply descends through the branch union to install the redirect . The left-hand image above shows a rescue climber about to drop through a branch union to create a natural redirect . The technique to drop through a union is the same as beginning a descent over the edge of a structure or cliff face : the climber leans back into their climbing system until they are ‘ through ’ the union and can drop down to establish the redirect .
One consideration for this approach is that to improve a rope angle at any target location by climbing through a redirect , the rope angle at the redirect point must be worse than the original rope angle at the target location .
This is shown in the right-hand image above . A rescue climber anchors at Point A to reach a
casualty location at Point B . The subsequent rope angle is shown in red on the diagram . With a rope angle like this it may be hard to perform some rescue types .
By climbing through a natural redirect at Point C on their way to the casualty , the rescuer successfully improves their rope angle at the target location ( shown as a blue rope ).
By looking at the image , we can see that the rescuer ’ s rope angle as they climb through the redirect is significantly worse than the original rope angle . This is an ‘ inherent rule ’ of setting a redirect by climbing to it : if the redirect works to improve your original rope angle , then your rope angle when you reach the redirect must be worse than your original rope angle .
Redirects like this should still be used as it is much easier to manage poor rope angle ( for example by maintaining a lanyard attachment ) during free movement than when performing a rescue .
It is important to remember that whatever is done with the main line should also be done with the belay line .
- 112 - © Arboriculture Australia 2022