Rope bridges

[d+dwidow]

After watching Indiana Jones the other day, I got to thinking. How did the people who built the first rope bridges attach it to the other side? Did someone really have to climb down shear rock faces and up the other side or is there a much simpler way of doing it that i just haven't thought of?

[cupra]

I'm sure I've seen something where a small line is shot across the gap by bow and arrow, and this is atatched to a larger rope, and so on...... but of course, as you suggest, someone's got to be on the other side in the first place!!

[treaclefight]

maybe the fact that someone was on the other side is why the people went to all the effort in the first place, i'd agree with the arrow connected to a lightweight line etc theory, i'm sure i've seen it done (on tv, not in deepest west london)

[mikewith]

There was a brilliant passage on TV last week showing the Swiss mountaineers climbing Everest in 1952 and one of them, I think Ernest Hoffstetter, climbing down then up a crevasse on the Western Cym in order to be the 'person on the other side' and help construct a rickety bridge for the rest of the team.

[d+dwidow]

thank you for you answers. so some poor person really did have to go all the way to the other side! how incredible.