We enjoy outdoor rope bondage, there is something special about being outside where there is nothing but us, the rope and the scenery. We generally do this on our own isolated property, other private property where we have permission to be, or occasionally isolated public lands. We take care to choose places where we will not be observed by anyone else. Although we are happy to be watched as we play, we only want to be seen by people who have consented to witness kink activities. On a few rare occasions in the past we have done rope in public areas, but we made sure that there it appears as a purely artistic/athletic activity: no nudity, sexual intent, or the appearance of suffering. Now we will not even do that, unless it is clearly part of a public performance.
In colder months, we will still tie outside on selected days. The temperate adds an extra element of suffering to the bondage, and the stark background of the snow creates dramatic images.
Of course, low temperatures add to the risks of an already dangerous type of play. Since circulation is often restricted by rope, frostbite to the extremities can happen more quickly than normal. The riggers’s fingers may get numb from the cold, making it slower to untie or respond to emergencies. There is also the risk of hypothermia, especially when movement is limited and the bottom is wearing little to no clothes.
We mitigate these risks by having a plan to quickly warm up – which usually includes the possibility of carrying the bottom to a warm location in case of emergency. We’ll often pre tie harnesses indoors, to limit the amount of time out in the cold. We choose the days carefully, and are always willing to call off or postpone the tie if it is colder than we expected. Even with this planning, it is still a risky activity.
In all rope play I feel that being able to untie quickly and get our partner to safety is one of the most important skills to develop, and it becomes even more critical when playing in adverse conditions.
We hope that those who choose to try this kind of play will take the appropriate steps to evaluate and mitigate the risks. It can be very rewarding for those who understand and are willing to accept the dangers.
I’ve also been known to enjoy snow rope a time or two and agree with you that it presents some unique challenges for both rigger and bottoms.
We usually do really simple ties that can be quickly tied and untied if we can’t pretie the harnesses as you mentioned.
I’m hoping we get at least one decent spring snow with a calm, sunny day afterwards so we can get in a snow rope day before the season is over.