Using Your Rope in Climbing Anchors

It's not uncommon for us to get up to an anchor point only to find that we've left our cordellete on our partner's harness or to find that it is impossible to hear.  Most people will just deal with these problems without thinking outside-the-box.  One outside the box thought though is to use your rope for these things.

This first photo was taken in Red Rock Canyon at the start of the "Tunnel Pitch" on Tunnel Vision (III, 5.7).  If you're not familiar with this route, it is an absolutely stellar ascent.  On the fourth pitch, one has the opportunity to actually climb through the mountain in a tunnel. In other words, the route requires a bit of vertical spelunking.

The top of the third pitch, at the start of the tunnel, it is difficult to see or hear the second.  The route follows a corner and chimney system up the wall.  In order to see my climber, I built an anchor and then, using the rope, extended the anchor to the edge where it was far less difficult to see and hear.

Some might argue that this system lacks redundancy.  I'm not too worried about that as I can see the whole anchor to ensure that there is no rubbing and we never have redundancy in the rope while we're climbing with a single line...

This second picture was taken in Leavenworth, Washington on one of our AMGA Single Pitch Instructor courses.  The assignment was for the student to create a fixed line across a catwalk on the slab shown.  This particular student didn't have the webbing or the cordellete to create a perfect SRENE anchor.  Instead, he built a pre-equalized anchor with his rope. In this application, this worked really well.

In this picture, another Single Pitch Instructor candidate built a top-rope anchor, wrapping a rope around a boulder and tying it off with a double-bowline.  In order to create some flexibility in the anchor he tied an figure-eight on a bite and clove-hitched it to the line going to the edge of his top-rope anchor.

This last picture shows a close-up of the figure-eight and the clove-hitch mentioned above.





One last thing to be aware of is that dynamic climbing ropes stretch 8-12%. Usually there isn't much rope in the anchor so there's not going to be that much stretch, but this should be taken into account before the system is loaded.

Flexibility and thinking outside the box are two major tenants of climbing efficiency.  One way to be efficient and to be flexible and to be outside-the-box is to use your rope for anchoring instead of other materials.  Your rope is always on you and as such, it definitely provides an option that really shouldn't feel like it's that far out-of-the-box...

--Jason D. Martin

UIAA Gear Testing Videos

A couple of weeks ago, we posted a video of a carabiner strength test. The video was very popular. We got to see a press destroy a carabiner. Videos of gear breaking are always engaging. As a result, today we have posted a few more climbing gear testing videos from the UIAA. These are both terrifying and a lot of fun all at the same time!







--Jason D. Martin

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 9/26/19

Climate Crisis:

--The title from this Daily Chronicle article says it all: "Shorter Ski Seasons, Worsening Wildfires: How Climate Change Will Hit Outdoor Recreation in the Pacific Northwest." To read the piece, click here.

Northwest:

--Komo News is reporting that, "Local seismologists are calling for change saying most volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest are severely under-monitored. This comes after a recent report from the New York Times that said that the U.S. is doing a poor job of tracking the country’s most dangerous volcanoes." To read more, click here.

The North Ridge of Mt. Stuart from the headwaters of Mountaineers Creek.

--Parking on the Mountaineers Creek Road near Leavenworth is going to get cruxy. The Forest Service no longer allows people to park along the side of the road. You have to park in the parking lot. This is a major access point for the Enchantments, as well as for Mt. Stuart. To read a forum thread on this, click here.

Sierra:

--Yosemite's Facelift is coming soon. In the lead-up to it, we often see articles like the one published by the San Francisco Chronicle: "In the days leading to a massive annual cleanup event in Yosemite Valley, climbing ranger Jesse McGahey was already thinking about one place he would probe for hidden deposits of trash: the top of El Capitan. That’s where rangers recently retrieved hundreds of pounds of junk left by rock climbers, a cohort of seemingly unlikely culprits. Most of it was old gear — dirty nylon ropes, haul bags, climbing shoes — and lots of plastic water bottles. But in July, McGahey also found something he never had to clean up before: a used poop tube, the cylindrical waste-disposal apparatus that accompanies climbers who wrestle with big walls for days at a time." To read more, click here.

--The Sierra Wave is reporting that, "the Eastern Sierra Council of Governments is sitting on a $618,750 grant for the specific purpose of developing potential projects focused on sustainable recreation on this side of the Sierra Nevada. Locals will get a chance to get in on the action at the first in a series workshops Thursday evening at the Tri-County Fairgrounds." Thursday evening means tonight! To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--Trump said that climbers couldn't get over his wall. He stated that they had mountain climbers there trying. The problem? It didn't happen. We and many others were surveyed by the Daily Beast to see if we knew of anyone who had tried it. To read more, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--Epic Pass, Ikon Pass? Which is right for you? Outside has you covered.

Notes from All Over:

--Davo Karnicar, the Slovenian who made the first complete ski descent of Mt. Everest, recently died at the age of 56. Karnicar was killed in a tree cutting accident on September 16th. To read more about his amazing life, click here.

--Last week at the 2019 Piolets d' Or ceremony in Lądek-Zdrój, Poland, alpinist John Roskelley recreated the final hours of his son's life. American Jess Roskelley, and Austrian climbers David Lama and Hansjörg Auer, were killed on Canada's Howse Peak on April 16th. Through the use of recovered videos and photos, John took the audience through the story of the climb. And though he and others have a strong understanding of the climb and the first part of the descent, there are still some questions about the accident. To read the article and see photos, click here.

--In related news, Rock and Ice interviewed the winners of the Piolets d' Or. To read about it, click here.

--Climb the Hill took place late last week. Rock and Ice reports that, "This year Climb the Hill, an annual advocacy gathering in Washington, D.C., focused on issues such as pushing back on the Trump administration’s “energy dominance” agenda, supporting the Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act, funding the Land & Water Conservation Fund, and advocating for action on climate change. Concurrent with these efforts, a new initiative sought to utilize mentors like Bethany Lebewitz, the founder of Brown Girls Climb, returning from last year, to ensure equity and inclusion in policy discussions." To read more, click here.

--Snews is reporting that, "once again, the government considered the outdoor recreation economy a significant part of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product, this time breaking out statistics in each by state. The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) put outdoor recreation at 2.2 percent, or $427.2 billion in 2017, outweighing mining, utilities, farming and ranching, and chemical products manufacturing. The report reaffirms the industry as an economic driver, following the first government report last year that counted it as 2.2 percent ($412 billion) of the 2016 GDP." To read more, click here.

--The Jackson Hole News and Guide has a great article out about the results of a skier survey surrounding the use of Teton Pass. To read the article, click here.

--And finally, Gripped is reporting that, "It’s been announced that the term Free Solo has found its way into the Merriam-Webster dictionary." To read more, click here.

Definitions for Beginners: Top-Rope vs. Lead vs. Bouldering vs. Free Solo

There is a legitimate concern that some have put forward concerning this blog. Occasionally, I get a little bit too techy and forget that climbers with a multitude of skill levels read these articles. It's good to step back a little bit sometimes and make sure that everyone is on board with some of the basics.

There are four terms that we use quite often on this blog.  First, the term top-rope.  Second, the term lead, as in lead-climber. Third, the term bouldering.  And fourth, the term free-soloing.  Following is a breakdown of these terms and their definitions.

Top-Rope Climber

A top-rope climber is a person who has a rope running from his or her harness, up to an anchor at the top of a cliff and then back down to a belayer at the base.  This is a standard technique, and it is the technique regularly used for beginning level climbers and at rock gyms.

A Climber Belays another Climber on Top-Rope in Joshua Tree National Park

Photo by Jason Martin

The value of a top-rope is that it is highly unlikely that a climber will fall very far.  The rope can be somewhat tight if the climber is a beginner or somewhat loose if he or she is comfortable.

Lead Climber

In essence, the lead climber is the guy that "gets the rope up there." A belayer pays out rope to a person as he climbs up.  The leader places rock protection as he goes and clips his rope to it.  He then continues climbing above the protection.  Should the leader fall ten feet above his last piece of protection, he will fall past his gear, and the belayer will catch him after he has fallen twenty feet.  The rope stretches so that the impact is not as great on the leader.

A Leader Working His Way Up a Climb

The act of falling on lead can be very safe, or quite dangerous.  It all depends on whether the fall is "clean" or not.  A clean fall means that there is nothing for the leader to hit.  A fall above a ledge or a protrusion could lead to serious injury.

Leading can be done in a very responsible way that limits one's exposure to danger.  But it does take a lot of training and practice to bring one's abilities to such a level where he or she has a good understanding of what kind of gear placements will hold a fall and what kind will not.


Bouldering

Bouldering is one of the fastest growing types of climbing.  In this, a climber does not use a rope, but also does not climb more than a few feet off the ground.  A boulderer is focused on making a handful of hard moves and will often work on those moves for a long period of time before completing a sequence.

Most boulderers use a pad or commercial bouldering mattress to protect themselves from ground-falls.  Every climber who falls bouldering hits a mat or the ground, as such there is some danger involved in the sport. 

Free Soloing

Often confused with free climbing, (which is simply climbing without the use of direct aid, but with a rope) free soloing is the art of climbing a route without a rope.

Obviously free soloing is the most dangerous type of climbing that there is.  If an individual falls in this situation, survival is highly unlikely.

Climbing is a varied sport with many different aspects to it.  Not every aspect is for every person.  Ultimately, the amount of risk that you choose to engage in within the sport is completely up to you. Indeed, the level of accomplishment you feel engaging in any kind of climbing is also completely personal.

--Jason D. Martin

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 9/19/19

Climate Crisis:

--Athletes from Protect Our Winters went to Washington DC last week to talk about how climate change is impacting snow and ice around the world. To watch a video about the trip, click below. To watch testimony by POW founder Jeremy Jones, and athletes Tommy Caldwell and Caroline Gleich, click here.



--CNN is reporting that, "Sweden's tallest mountain has lost its title, and climate change is to blame, as the glacier covering its summit continues to shrink due to rising temperatures, scientists have confirmed. The glacier-covered southern peak of Kebnekaise mountain, located in the far north of the country, now stands at 2,095.6 meters, which is the lowest height ever measured and 1.2 meters below the mountain's ice-free, rocky northern peak at 2096.8 meters." To read more, click here.

--Rock and Ice is going to start covering climate and it's impacts on our community. To read more, click here.

Northwest:

--The American Alpine Institute was heavily featured in an article about women in the guiding industry. Several of our current and former guides were featured. To read the article, click here.

--The National Parks Traveler is reporting that, "a public meeting has been scheduled for early October to discuss a draft plan that aims to help grizzly bears return to the North Cascades of Washington state. The meeting Oct. 7 on the Draft North Cascades Ecosystem Grizzly Bear Restoration Plan/Environmental Impact Statement is being hosted by the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Meeting participants will have an opportunity, through a lottery system, to provide up to two minutes of oral comment on the record." To read more, click here.

--If you are worried about development in the Shannon Basin near Squamish, this is your chance to have a say. Fill out a survey, here.

Desert Southwest:

--The New York Times is reporting that, "The construction of President Trump’s wall along the southwestern border will significantly damage or completely destroy more than 20 archaeological sites in a natural park in the heart of Arizona’s Sonoran Desert, according to a study conducted by the National Park Service." To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--Winds have made the Taboose Fire difficult to deal with. To read updates, check out the Sierra Wave.

--There is some snow in the Sierra.

--KPIX 5 is reporting that, "A Sonora family had a close encounter with a big cat over the weekend when a mountain lion made itself comfortable inside their bathroom after getting trapped in the house Sunday. It happened at a home in Tuolumne County near Yosemite." To read more, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--Out There Colorado is reporting that, "A man in his early 50’s with a prosthetic leg took a serious fall while climbing the 2nd Flatiron in Boulder’s Chautauqua Park Friday, September 13." To read more, click here.

--The Adventure Journal is reporting on the BLM move. "As Grand Junction, Colorado, gets ready to welcome the headquarters of the Bureau of Land Management, dozens of former BLM top officials are speaking out against the move, saying it will deeply wound the agency’s effectiveness." To read more, click here.

--The first snow of the season has hit the high country.

--Conflict between hikers and bikers is brewing on trails near Golden, Colorado. There's a passive aggressive war going on between the user groups. Each side is posting signs to the other side. It's weird. And if history is any guide, it's probably going to result in regulation or closure. To read about it, click here.

--The Wall Street Journal is reporting that, "Six years ago, Utah tourism officials launched a “Mighty 5” marketing campaign to entice more visitors to the state’s spectacular national parks. State officials got more than they bargained for. Frustrated locals are now dealing with the consequences of the explosive growth that followed. The five parks—Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Arches—have soared to 10.6 million visitors in 2018 from 6.3 million in 2013, a 68% increase that state officials say was due in large part to the advertising. Other factors, they say, included the national economic recovery and social media." To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--LEX 18 is reporting that, "An investigation is underway after a climber reportedly died Monday in fall at Red River Gorge in Wolfe County. Officials with the Wolfe County Search and Rescue team said the group received a call about 4:15 p.m. reporting a climber had fallen in Muir Valley near the Rogers community." Our sources indicate that this was due to an unfinished tie-in knot. To read more, click here.

--The New Hampshire Union Leader is reporting that, "Rescuers called in a National Guard helicopter to reach a 20-year-old man who fell 50 feet while climbing on Cannon Cliffs Sunday. Fish and Game officers received an emergency signal about 11:30 a.m. from the cliffs, where the man, who officials did not identify, had fallen, was unconscious and was stuck halfway up the cliff, a news release said." To read more, click here.

--CNN is reporting on a family that survived being stuck on top of a waterfall after they sent a help message in a bottle down the river. "Curtis Whitson has two strangers to thank for his family being alive today. Two brave hikers plucked a lime green bottle from a river and alerted authorities about the SOS message they found inside." To read more, click here.

--Gear Junkie is reporting that, "Two-and-a-half years after his first step on the Pacific Crest Trail, Will ‘Akuna’ Robinson reached the northern terminus of the Continental Divide Trail. And in doing so, he became the first black man to thru-hike the big three. Completing one of hiking’s crown jewels — the Appalachian Trail (AT), Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), or Continental Divide Trail (CDT) — stands as a bucket list dream for many outdoor enthusiasts. Finishing all three? Most never even attempt it. But while the Triple Crown of hiking welcomes only the hardiest thru-hikers to its ranks each year, none has been a man of color. Until now." To read more, click here.

--Outside online is reporting on the aftermath of a murder in the Malibu State Park campground last year. "When a father of two was shot through his tent in the Southern California park last year, the murder revealed a mysterious trail of previously unpublicized incidents that had happened nearby—and sparked a $90 million lawsuit." To read more, click here.

--REI is reporting that, "A Department of the Interior plan for keeping U.S. national parks open during the record-long 35-day partial government shutdown earlier this year may have broken the law, furthering disagreements over how to manage access to public lands when the executive and legislative branches fail to approve budgets by their deadlines. A Sept. 5 opinion from the nonpartisan federal watchdog Government Accountability Office (GAO) says Trump administration officials broke the law by diverting funds previously approved by Congress for other uses under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA). The law allows parks to collect entrance fees for a dedicated fund to add and enhance the park’s amenities, but per the GAO, the Trump administration stretched its interpretation beyond the limits of the law." To read more, click here.

--SGB Media is reporting that, "America’s outdoor recreation businesses have paid $1.8 billion more in tariffs over the last 11 months (September 2018 to July 2019) compared to the previous period a year ago on affected outdoor products, according to the latest figures from Outdoor Industry Association." To read more, click here.

Camber Outdoors is looking for women in mid-level positions that would like mentors

in the Outdoor Industry.

--SNEWS is reporting that, "Camber Outdoors, the hub for advancing workplace equity in the active-outdoor industries through career opportunities, leadership and entrepreneurship, announces that applications for The Ann Krcik Professional Mentoring Program are now open. Mentees are encouraged to apply before the deadline of October 8, 2019." To read more, click here.

--Dirtbagging is getting harder and harder...

--NBC News is reporting that, "two tourists face criminal charges for taking a dangerously close look at Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park, officials said. The men were photographed last week at the edge of Old Faithful, peering down into the natural wonder — apparently unaware that they could have been seriously burned, or worse, if the boiling hot water had erupted, as it does every hour." To read more, click here.

--The Sierra Club is reporting that, "the Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All campaign works to improve options for public transit powered by clean energy that everyone benefits from, as well as changing land use for more transit-friendly communities. Our Outdoors for All campaign works to ensure everyone has access to the healing power of the outdoors, because access to nature is a human right. Together, we’re working to ensure that everyone, not just a privileged few, can access the great outdoors via affordable, accessible transit. That’s why we’re proud to support the bipartisan Transit to Trails Act, introduced in both the Senate and House this week (H.R. 4273 and S. 2467). The Transit to Trails Act would provide block grants for transportation for low-income communities to visit public lands. With this crucial investment, we can expand access to the outdoors for people across the nation and lessen the burden of polluting car trips on our delicate, sacred public lands." To read more, click here.

The Birth and Death of a Carabiner

A few weeks ago we put up a post on rope construction. Black Diamond has produced a little video entitled, "The Birth of a Carabiner." The video doesn't dwell on narration or anything else, it's just a quick peak inside a shop where carabiners are made.



Of course, once carabiners are made, a couple are tested from every batch. In other words, this is the death part of this blog.

The following video from Omega Pacific shows a force test on a carabiner. This is an awesome video. It's pretty intense to watch as the tester puts more and more and more pressure on it...



--Jason D. Martin

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 9/12/19

Northwest:

--News 10 is reporting that, "A climber died after being seriously injured during a fall on Mount Shasta this weekend. On Saturday, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) received a call from a female stating her climbing partner fell while climbing on Mount Shasta and was unconscious at or near the 11,000 feet level of the mountain. He reportedly fell on Casaval Ridge in the area of Red Banks. The man’s companion and reporting party talked to SCSO’s Search and Rescue (SAR) Coordinator, Deputy Mike Burns via cellular phone and advised him she had to hike to Lake Helen to get a cell signal sufficient to report the incident." To read more, click here.

--A climber was severely injured, suffering a potential pelvic fracture, after taking a fall in Washington Pass. To read more, click here.

Hiking near Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park.

--The Peninsula Daily News is reporting that, "Multiple search and rescues in Olympic National Park — including Monday’s rescue of a 15-year-old boy who fell in the Sol Duc River — kept rescue crews busy over the Labor Day weekend. At about 12:12 p.m. Monday Olympic National Park dispatch received a report that the 15-year-old fell into the Sol Duc River and went over Sol Duc Falls, falling up to 50 feet. This incident was one of 71 search and rescue incidents so far this year." To read more, click here.

--The Vancouver Sun is reporting that, "A historic rail trail that was donated to the province by the Trans Canada Trail society could be opened to logging trucks if a government proposal to cancel its trail designation gets the green light, say trail advocates. The Ministry of Forests is seeking to transfer management of a 67-kilometre portion of the Columbia and Western Rail Trail to unspecified agencies to reflect local interests and support 'access for industrial activity,' according to a letter sent to stakeholders soliciting feedback on the plan." To read more, click here.

--Thousands of people worked together to raise money to save a beautiful area from logging in British Columbia. The New York Times is reporting that, "In an unusual crowdsourcing campaign, more than 1,000 students, philanthropists, sailors, businesspeople and others raised 3 million Canadian dollars, or $2.3 million in American currency, that the British Columbia Parks Foundation needed to buy nearly 2,000 acres in Princess Louisa Inlet. Known as the 'Yosemite of the North,' the stunning glacier-carved gorge had been eyed by developers this year." To read more, click here.

--The Statesman Journal is reporting that, "Sudden fame and poor behavior have marred another famous outdoor spot in Oregon. Broken Top Lake, often referred to as No Name Lake, has been closed to camping following a dramatic spike in people visiting and excess amounts of poop at the high alpine destination." To read more, click here.

--Here's a comprehensive report on the state of Forest and Public Lands in Washington State.

Sierra:

--The Los Angeles Times is reporting that, "A 29-year-old woman died in a fall from the cables used to climb Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, officials said Friday. Danielle Burnett, 29, of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., was killed Thursday when she “fell over 500 feet down steep, rocky terrain, and was deceased when park rangers arrived on the scene,” according to a statement from the National Park Service." To read more, click here.

--As of two days ago, the Taboose Fire was 36% contained. To read more, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--The Summit Daily is reporting that, "Nearly two years after a collision at Vail Mountain, Paulina Romero Labra received $750,000 in damages after the case was settled ahead of a scheduled jury trial, according to a news release. The lawsuit stemmed from an incident Dec. 8, 2017, when Labra, of Mexico, and Craig Michel, of Virginia, collided on Lower Lion’s Way trail. Labra’s left humerous was shattered in the crash, and she required surgery to place hardware in her shoulder followed by rehabilitation, according to the release." To read more, click here.

--The Spectrum is reporting that, "The official nonprofit partner of Zion National Park is looking for more than $3.7 billion in funding for projects this coming year — like a $2.5 million visitor center at Cedar Breaks National Monument, a revamp of the east entrance to Zion National Park and money to care for an endangered California condor chick." To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--Buckrail is reporting that, "Grand Teton National Park Rangers rescued a climber who was stranded on the Middle Teton last weekend. Teton Interagency Dispatch Center received an emergency call from the climber at approximately 7:45 p.m. Saturday, September 7." To read more, click here.

--The New Hampshire Union Leader is reporting that, "A climber was hurt on Cathedral Ledge Sunday morning. Sean Goodrich, 45 of Yarmouth, Maine was climbing with a partner when he slipped. Before a rope could stop his fall, Goodrich hit the cliff face." To read more, click here.

--The Anchorage Daily News is reporting that, a hunter was mauled by a sow brown bear Friday night in the Eureka area northeast of Anchorage, the Alaska State Troopers said. The injured person’s hunting partner ended the attack by shooting the bear dead." To read more, click here.

--Rock and Ice is reporting that, "The Protect Our Winters Action Fund and Climb the Hill 2019 will bring climbers—including Conrad Anker, Tommy Caldwell, Sasha DiGiulian, Quinn Brett and Alex Honnold—to the U.S. Capitol to speak on issues of climate change and land management." It should be noted that AAI Guide Lindsay Fixmer will also attend the Climb the Hill event. To read more, click here.

--Huffpost is reporting that, "if the Trump administration gets its way, approximately 28.3 million acres of federal land across Alaska could be transferred, sold or opened up to extractive development, according to a new Center for American Progress analysis of the federal government’s land management actions in the state." To read more, click here.

--This guy is trying to climb all fourteen 8000-meter peaks in under 1000-days...

--The Banff Mountain Book Festival "Long List" of books and articles in competition has been published. To read more, click here.

--And finally, speaking of Banff, there are five new bolted multi-pitch routes there. Check it out.

Equipment Recalls:

--Decathlon USA has recalled one of their locking carabiners. It appears that these were assembled incorrectly.