Ascending with a heavy pack

[possytas]

Hi. I have discovered the joys of hiking & camping over the last twelve months or so, and this forum has become my go-to place for all information! We are planning to do a three day walk in Victoria in March, and there are a couple that suggest taking a rope to assist in hauling packs up summits. Is there any special technique for this, or is is simply a matter of tying the rope on any-old-how and just pulling it up?

[north-north-west]

Most packs have a heavy loop attached at the top. Your rope/tape is best connected to this with a locking carabiner.

Hauling techniques depend on the height and angle of the climb and the number of people in the group. Those below may need to assist in guiding a pack over or around protruding rocks, but they have to be alert in case the pack is dropped or rocks fall.

Where on earth are you going in Victoria that needs pack-hauling?

[ErichFromm]

I once pack-hauled a girlfriend up half a mountain. Unfortunately she didn't have a heavy loop at the top to assist...

[walkabout]

[Strider]

I once pack-hauled a girlfriend up half a mountain. Unfortunately she didn't have a heavy loop at the top to assist...

It is possible, you just need to know how to tie them on..

A bowline through the top loop is the ticket for packs.

Last edited by Strider on Sat 17 Jan, 2015 8:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[vicrev]

Should'nt laugh...

[wildlight]

…tying rope around girlfriends on mountains? One is more likely to have some rope than handcuffs. Still it might depend on weight distribution, and whether or not she's top-heavy.

Cheers

WildLight

[stansi]

Where on earth are you going in Victoria that needs pack-hauling?

^^^^^ This.

[possytas]

Most packs have a heavy loop attached at the top. Your rope/tape is best connected to this with a locking carabiner.

Hauling techniques depend on the height and angle of the climb and the number of people in the group. Those below may need to assist in guiding a pack over or around protruding rocks, but they have to be alert in case the pack is dropped or rocks fall.

Where on earth are you going in Victoria that needs pack-hauling?

Thank you north-north-west. I figured it would be something as simple as that, but thought we would check in case we were about to potentially damage our packs (or ourselves!) unnecessarily.

I was checking out Major Mitchell and/or Fortress. Maybe Bogong? The post I was reading did have a 12 yo involved, I admit. But my partner has some knee/back issues, so I figure it's best to be prepared as best as possible for any rock scrambling/climbing, for his sake.

[north-north-west]

Major Mitchell has a couple of short scrambly bits but for most people they're doable without packhauling. Only real scrambling on the Fortress is the summit itself. Bogong it's not necessary on any of the tracked routes, that's just plain walking.
Only peak I've ever done in Victoria that needed packhauling was the western side of the Viking, although that can be sidestepped if you know the area well enough.

[possytas]

Cool. Armed with this information, I will let him carry a length of rope if he wishes to! Thanks for your help.