I don't collect cable ladders, but I have acquired a few over the years. In my part of the world, people shouldn’t call themselves cavers, let alone vertical cavers, without being comfortable climbing cable ladders. Now somewhat overshadowed by rope techniques or even shunned by the “we don’t need to learn anything invented before 2012” knowledge denyers, ladders are sometimes the best option for short drops, especially when used by moderate-size groups in hybrid rappel-in, ladder -out systems.
Image | ID | Device | Description | Acquired | Length | Number of Rungs | Rung Spacing | Rung Length | Rung Diameter | Rung Wall Thickness | Cable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3814 | Happy Wanderers Cave and Pothole Club | Steel cables, resin plugs, Brummel hooks | Unknown, ca. 2009? | 9.5 m | 30 | 255 mm | 151 mm | 13 mm | 1.6 mm | 3.7 mm |
|
3813 3315 3316 3317 |
Pierre Allain | SS cable, Al rungs, internal crimp, Brummel hooks |
|
10 m | 32 | 304 mm | 143 mm | 14 mm | 0.9 mm | 2.8 mm |
|
3812 | Pittsburgh Grotto | Steel cable, Al rungs, top & bottom crimps, eye protectors | Pittsburgh Grotto | 10 m | 33 | 305 mm | 165 mm | 13 mm | 1.7 mm | 3.3 mm |
|
3811 | Storrick | SS cable, Al rungs, top & bottom crimps, eye protectors | Gary D. Storrick, 1975 | 16 m | 51 | 305 mm | 165 mm | 13 mm | 1.6 mm | 3.3 mm |