Roche Stories: My Orange Nano

A little while ago I had to retire my rope. It was my favourite rope... Here's the Story:

My Orange Nano.

It was love at first sight… She’s a beautiful tall and skinny one. With her bright orange tan she makes heads turn at the crag. I’m not jealous when people look at her because she’s mine.

We met a year and half ago. She was introduced to me by JB from Sterling Ropes when I visited the factory in Maine. Instantly, I knew it would be a fun relationship. I wasn’t sure how long it would last, because with her delicate looking body she didn’t look like she could endure much abuse…

We had success on our first climbing trip together when, along with her little sister Photon and my two friends, Damien and Yannick, we made the 2^nd ascent of Daedalus on Cannon Cliff, NH. Then the following Spring, I made my usual Utah desert trip. She came along and she performed like no other. We did some cragging in Indian Creek for 3 weeks and then with my buddy Sly we climbed the incredibly classic Moonlight Buttress. Back at home we worked on a project I bolted at my favorite local crag, Weir. This spicy sport project is a fairly long pitch (50m) and I knew with her light weight she would be really helpful. Although I didn’t sent the rig we got so close so many times, I’m sure next season I’ll send it. Alas, I won’t be able to climb it with my orange Nano. Because she’s been murdered.

To my surprise, she still looked good 8 months (and many pitches) after our first climb together. I guess she could have used a bath but I really didn’t mind. So I decided to bring her along on alpine rock climbing trip to the Bugaboos. Unaware that she would be in great danger left alone, Matt and I left her stashed in a dry bag, to save weight on the approach. We tought she would be safe at the base of our project on the South Howser tower. When we came back 48 hours later we were devastated to find her and her little cousin the 5.5mm tag line all chewed up… The incredible bugaboos predator, the Snafflehound, chewed through the dry-bag and completely destroyed her… It was a cruel scene.

One day I will have my revenge, beware of my slingshot you monster snafflehound!