4 ms·
Sailors have known and used "jamming" hitches like this for centuries. It's the basic principle behind a sheep shank for example. Marseilles is of course a port
by markbnj 11y ago
Sailors have known and used "jamming" hitches like this for centuries. It's the basic principle behind a sheep shank for example. Marseilles is of course a port city, so I wonder if he found some inspiration along the waterfront.
- snowwrestler 11y agoThis was not the first jamming hitch used in climbing--that would be the Prusik, which is still used today. The Prusik is trickier and slower to tie than the autoblock, and tends to stay tight once it is tensioned. The autoblock runs looser and is easier to loosen up once it has been tensioned, which is why it's generally preferred over the Prusik as a rappel backup.
- saiya-jin 11y agotrue, but there are also very nice climbing locations in Calanques just off the Marseille city (among other). one of most beautiful places to do climbing i've seen so far (climbing white cliffs that don't heat so much with sun above/nearby dark turquoise waters beneath).