Oregon State University put together a good primer on how to manage adaptive climbers. They include three different systems in the following video:
- 5:1 System (for people who have limited strength)
- Pull-Up Bar Ascender (for people who don’t have use of their legs)
- Wheelchair Transfer to a Rappel (for people who don’t have use of their legs)
There’s some specialized equipment used in this video, but most of it is reasonably priced.
Some side notes:
- An MMO is a munter-mule overhand.
- The 5:1 is set-up upside down, it’s a 4:1. It should also be noted that with a 5:1 you have to belay 5-feet of rope for every foot the climber moves. That’s why she’s working so hard
- An Aztek Kit is a rope rescue tool that is exactly the same as the 5:1 she created earlier in the video. If it’s set-up upside down, it’s a 4:1.
This video isn’t perfect. There are some things that could be done a little better here or there, but it is an excellent introduction to adaptive climbing and the way a few systems work in that world.
–Jason D. Martin