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 | | From: | Joseph Harvell | | Subject: | solo lead climbing anchors | | Date: | Fri, 21 Jan 2005 15:17:11 GMT |
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 | I am looking for information on techniques for creating anchors for solo
lead climbing. I have read John Long's "Climbing Anchors," and it seems
like the anchors described in that book are designed with belayed lead
climbing in mind. They usually have anchors for a downward pull and
only one opposing anchor for an upward pull. My concern is that since
there is no belayer to absorb the upward shock of a lead fall, a single
upward anchor is inadequate.
Any ideas?
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| | From: | rgold | | Subject: | Re: solo lead climbing anchors | | Date: | 21 Jan 2005 11:02:22 -0800 |
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GOClimb wrote:
> Joseph Harvell wrote:
> > Any ideas?
>
> Yes. Reverse the orientation of those anchors, and you're all set.
> One good piece oriented to pull down (or even a slung horn) is
> generally sufficient to keep upside down nuts tensioned in place. Or
> you can just clove hitch your lead rope to the first piece of gear to
> keep the anchor tensioned.
>
> Or just put long 1" slings around boulders or trees.
>
> Take the above with the following disclaimer: works for me, but I'm
> very new to this particular game.
>
> GO
I'd add one thing. If the pitch you are rope soloing has hard moves
right off the belay, the upward rigged anchor with a single downward
tensioning device might be inadequate to hold a factor 2 impact. The
same is true if an upward rigged anchor is tensioned to the first piece
of pro. Falling on that first piece will produce a factor 2 impact,
and if the piece pulls the rest of your anchor would probably be
useless.
When, as has usually been the case so far for me, the moves off the
belay are within my free soloing limits, I go with the anchor as is,
recognizing that I am indeed free-soloing until additional good pro is
obtained. On the other hand, if there are moves off the belay that
surpass what I'd do unroped, then I find it necessary (although
certainly tedious and a bit time-consuming) to try to set up opposed
three point upward and downward anchors.
In order to be prepared for this eventuality, the bullet pack I use for
following has extra cams and nuts that I hope will keep my leading rack
in reasonable shape if I have to use up a bunch of pieces in the
anchor.
Also, a word about trees: they often stand out from the rock face.
This can mean that a fall will produce the rightly dreaded bottom to
top zipper effect as the rope anchored away from the cliff face
tightens. A directional anchor on the cliff face will be needed for
many tree anchors if this dangerous scenario is to be avoided.
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| | From: | Joseph Harvell | | Subject: | Re: solo lead climbing anchors | | Date: | Fri, 21 Jan 2005 20:48:19 GMT |
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| rgold wrote:
> GOClimb wrote:
>
>>Joseph Harvell wrote:
>>
>>>Any ideas?
>>
>>Yes. Reverse the orientation of those anchors, and you're all set.
>>One good piece oriented to pull down (or even a slung horn) is
>>generally sufficient to keep upside down nuts tensioned in place. Or
>>you can just clove hitch your lead rope to the first piece of gear to
>>keep the anchor tensioned.
>>
>>Or just put long 1" slings around boulders or trees.
>>
>>Take the above with the following disclaimer: works for me, but I'm
>>very new to this particular game.
>>
>>GO
>
>
> I'd add one thing. If the pitch you are rope soloing has hard moves
> right off the belay, the upward rigged anchor with a single downward
> tensioning device might be inadequate to hold a factor 2 impact.
I absolutely agree.
> The
> same is true if an upward rigged anchor is tensioned to the first piece
> of pro. Falling on that first piece will produce a factor 2 impact,
> and if the piece pulls the rest of your anchor would probably be
> useless.
If the first piece of pro doesn't fail, how does that constitue a factor
2 impact? Doesn't it depend on how far the belay anchor is from the
first piece of pro?
I guess it doesn't matter anyway since I want an anchor that can hold a
factor 2 downward pull if I fall before placing the first piece or if
the first piece pops out because of the placement.
>
> When, as has usually been the case so far for me, the moves off the
> belay are within my free soloing limits, I go with the anchor as is,
> recognizing that I am indeed free-soloing until additional good pro is
> obtained.
When you say as-is, do you mean you build an anchor that would be
typical of belayed climbing? (e.g. 3 downward opposed against a single
upward)?
> On the other hand, if there are moves off the belay that
> surpass what I'd do unroped, then I find it necessary (although
> certainly tedious and a bit time-consuming) to try to set up opposed
> three point upward and downward anchors.
Do you mean 3 anchors that can hold a downward pull and 3 that can hold
an upward pull, with all upward anchors tensioned against at least one
downward anchor?
>
> In order to be prepared for this eventuality, the bullet pack I use for
> following has extra cams and nuts that I hope will keep my leading rack
> in reasonable shape if I have to use up a bunch of pieces in the
> anchor.
>
> Also, a word about trees: they often stand out from the rock face.
> This can mean that a fall will produce the rightly dreaded bottom to
> top zipper effect as the rope anchored away from the cliff face
> tightens. A directional anchor on the cliff face will be needed for
> many tree anchors if this dangerous scenario is to be avoided.
>
Yes, this concerns me too. Thanks for pointing it out.
I have noticed that there are very few climbs that have a good place to
set a belay anchor at the bottom. A tree at the bottom, for instance,
is usually very far away from the wall; and I don't like putting so much
trust in the directional. Any recommendations or suggestions for this?
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| | From: | rgold | | Subject: | Re: solo lead climbing anchors | | Date: | 22 Jan 2005 18:12:03 -0800 |
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| Simon Isbister wrote:
> I have never seen this
> application of knot come undone on its own... but can't swear that it
> wouldn't.
I also use slip knots, rather than the bootlace prussik mentioned in
the user's manual, to keep the rope weight from pulling rope through
the Silent Partner and building up slack at the anchor. Sometimes
these knots do pull out on me, usually because something screws up with
slack feeding and I start pulling upward on the lead rope. This
wouldn't happen to people who have the system totally dialed.
Meanwhile, while waiting for competence to happen, I've learned to
tighten the slip knots up as much as possible, and this helps. But I
don't think I'd want to use a slip knot to tension an upward-directed
anchor, if the anchor really depended on the upward directional being
there.
I haven't got around to it yet, but keep meaning to buy one of the long
screamers for the anchor. A fall onto the anchor will probably be a
relatively short fall in actual length (although of fall factor 2), and
in that case the screamer is likely to have a significant effect.
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| | From: | rgold | | Subject: | Re: solo lead climbing anchors | | Date: | 21 Jan 2005 14:09:26 -0800 |
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| Joseph Harvell wrote:
> If the first piece of pro doesn't fail, how does that constitue a
factor
> 2 impact? Doesn't it depend on how far the belay anchor is from the
> first piece of pro?
I was assuming that the tensioning mechanism is the climbing rope, so
that the climbing rope is anchored with a knot to the first piece of
pro. This would be the only practical way to tension the anchor if the
first piece of pro is at any distance from the anchor.
> When you say as-is, do you mean you build an anchor that would be
> typical of belayed climbing? (e.g. 3 downward opposed against a
single
> upward)?
No. Typical of roped soloing. 3 upward against a single downward.
> Do you mean 3 anchors that can hold a downward pull and 3 that can
hold
> an upward pull, with all upward anchors tensioned against at least
one
> downward anchor?
For anchors at a pitch with hard climbing right off the belay, I use
two (ugh) cordalettes, which I am fond of dissing in most climbing
contexts, one for the downward triple, one for the upward triple. The
power points are tensioned together. It isn't always possible to set
up such an anchor, in which case you are faced with one of those
decisions that make climbing in general and soloing in particular both
scary and attractive.
> I have noticed that there are very few climbs that have a good place
to
> set a belay anchor at the bottom. A tree at the bottom, for
instance,
> is usually very far away from the wall; and I don't like putting so
much
> trust in the directional. Any recommendations or suggestions for
this?
You have to have a good directional that you trust for most trees.
Another reason for bit of extra gear in the seconding pack. Sometimes
you have to solo up to a spot where an anchor or directional can be
built.
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| | From: | Simon Isbister | | Subject: | Re: solo lead climbing anchors | | Date: | Sat, 22 Jan 2005 15:03:38 GMT |
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"rgold" wrote in message
news:1106345366.341575.88620@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Joseph Harvell wrote:
>
> > If the first piece of pro doesn't fail, how does that constitue a
> factor
> > 2 impact? Doesn't it depend on how far the belay anchor is from the
> > first piece of pro?
>
> I was assuming that the tensioning mechanism is the climbing rope, so
> that the climbing rope is anchored with a knot to the first piece of
> pro. This would be the only practical way to tension the anchor if the
> first piece of pro is at any distance from the anchor.
There is a way around this, but its only applicable in some situations.
Instead of clove hitching that first piece, clip the rope to it, pull the
rope tight (upwards), then firmly tie an overhand on a bight (is that what
its called? like a slip knot). The knot will act as a stopper, keeping the
rope firmly pulling the bottom anchors in an upwards direction, but in a
fall the rope below the first piece will still stretch, and absorb force.
In fact, the knot popping out likely absorbs slightly more force. I say its
only applicable in some situations, because I think I would still want one
directional (downward) piece at the anchor. I have never seen this
application of knot come undone on its own... but can't swear that it
wouldn't. Also, I suppose it does use up more rope, making it an issue for
longer pitches.
It can also be used further up the pitch, not just to tension the bottom
anchors, but also to take the weight of the rope off your waist.
NOTE- WHEN YOU DO FALL, THIS KNOT WILL POP OUT, AND WILL NO LONGER TENSION
THE ANCHOR. AFTER EVERY FALL, BE SURE TO RE-TIE THIS KNOT SOMEWHERE IN THE
SYSTEM (IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE BACK AT THE FIRST PIECE)
-simon-
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| | From: | ant | | Subject: | Re: solo lead climbing anchors | | Date: | 22 Jan 2005 17:32:25 -0800 |
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| Simon Isbister wrote:
> There is a way around this, but its only applicable in some
situations.
> Instead of clove hitching that first piece, clip the rope to it, pull
the
> rope tight (upwards), then firmly tie an overhand on a bight (is that
what
> its called? like a slip knot).
hear hear. glad to see im not the only one. i use a slipknot above pro
constantly while rope soloing (not that i do it all that much, but..).
at the top of a pitch there might be three or four clipknots in the
lead line on the way up. (overhand on a bight is not the right knot,
but i dont know the correct name either..)
if i was using a knot on the first pro of the pitch, id be inclined to
clove it, not slip knot it, so that it is more secure (wont pop out
while pulling slack, etc)
FWIW, i use a 2-down, 2-up anchor as my basis, and build more in either
direction depending on what i think is more important.
on whitney-g on cannon, with some of the sorry belays stances (for
upwards forces) i had an anchor which was 5 pieces up, and two down. go
figure.
anthony
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| | From: | GOClimb | | Subject: | Re: solo lead climbing anchors | | Date: | 21 Jan 2005 07:51:15 -0800 |
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| Joseph Harvell wrote:
> Any ideas?
Yes. Reverse the orientation of those anchors, and you're all set.
One good piece oriented to pull down (or even a slung horn) is
generally sufficient to keep upside down nuts tensioned in place. Or
you can just clove hitch your lead rope to the first piece of gear to
keep the anchor tensioned.
Or just put long 1" slings around boulders or trees.
Take the above with the following disclaimer: works for me, but I'm
very new to this particular game.
GO
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