Rope walking?

[caveflower]

Hey all you rope walkers. I have a question. Last weekend I was doing King Leo pit cave. The tree that was used to normally rig from has fell down. So the only rig point was right in a crack.  My question is what is the best way to keep from letting the rope walker sucking you in to the crack. I used my arms best I could to hold me from the wall but still had some trouble getting over the lip until I undid my chest roller. I'm sure I was doing some thing wrong. Kinda new at the rope walker thing but do really like it on the free drop part.

What you think?

[Grandpa Caver]

I always have a handled safety (Jumar) at the ready on my belt. I believe some call it a cowstail. I will first place the safety as high on the rope as possible. Above the crack or pesky lip if possible. I will then disengage the rope from the chest roller. I have a primary safety riding atop my roller, this is also removed. Disengaging the chest roller is the key but you first want that safety (cowstail) as high on the rope as possible. This makes it much easier to push away from the wall and advance the safety ascender as you go.

Please keep in mind, I've never had any formal training and I'm sure there are more approved methods but that's what has always worked for me. Hope the description made sense to ya.

[caveflower]

Yeah thats what I thought I didn't take the roller off the rope soon enough. I was just cruisin up the rope and didn't relize till my roller was in the crack. Live and learn. I did put my safety on the rope above the crack while I was flailing around trying to get my roller off the rope. John just stood there taking videos and laughing at me. I couldn't edit it enough to get all the cuss words out so it didn't make the cut. Is kinda funny though.

Thats something you got to learn from just doing it. It hard to practice lips on a tree. Thanks Brian.