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Anchoring advice


mattjr

7-Apr-2010
7:38:16 PM

On 7/04/2010 ajfclark wrote:
>Matt, can I please borrow your copy of Craig Luebben's book 'Rock Climbing
>Anchors - A comprehensive guide'?

Sure thing!

Crimpn-like-a-Pimp

7-Apr-2010
10:20:06 PM

cheers for the feedback

Looks like a sweet book, im ordering it as we speak.

Phil Box, with your reason number 2 for a high anchor, i thought the idea of belaying from the anchor and not your harness was to remove the chance of you getting yanked up if the leader falls? Someone also said that they would place an upwards directional piece if they were being belayed by a person of lesser weight. These statements seem confusing, shouldn't the anchor be taking the weight of the leader, not the belayer, if a lead fall occurs?

It seems sensible to me (with the help of the previous posts) to have AT LEAST 2 points satisfying a down direction and 2 points satisfying an up direction (eg 2 multi and 1 down, 2 multi and 1 up or 2 down and 2 up), thus no 1 piece will ever take 100% of the load.

martym

7-Apr-2010
11:53:26 PM

I don't think you'd want to be belaying a leader from the anchor - the point usually is for the belayer to move somewhat to provide a dynamic counterweight to the leader, rather than yanking directly on your anchor. So yeah, you will get yanked up - hence having an upward piece.
Personally I leave some length between me and the anchor (even if I'm sitting on it) and then clip into an upward directional which will act as a screamer if I have to catch a big fall.

hargs

7-Apr-2010
11:56:49 PM

Belay your second off the anchors, but not your leader. Belay your leader off your harness, and attach yourself to the anchors.


IdratherbeclimbingM9

8-Apr-2010
11:09:02 AM

hargs is on the money.

ClaP wrote;
>thus no 1 piece will ever take 100% of the load.

Your logic is OK, but in the real world it is actually quite difficult to ensure equalised loading, due to the dynamics and variabilities involved in setting climbing anchors for all potential events / directions of loading.
We anticipate as best we can and protect for that, plus try to cover the vagaries that might happen by putting in extra pieces.
Experience is the best determinant in how much extra.

Olbert

8-Apr-2010
1:21:36 PM

It seems if you are asking these questions in such detail that you have not had a great deal of experience with setting up multipitch belays. Because of this I would strongly suggest that you do not attempt to learn how to create a multipitch belay anchor off the internet. It is essential that someone experienced shows you how and can critique how you do it.

I rarely conciously make the decision to place a multidirectional piece in my belay - I am considerably heavier then my partner and so am never pulled upwards a significant amount. Certainly never enough to pull out my anchor. Although a lighter person might consider one, the most important pieces by far are the downward pulling pieces.

Edit: Never belay a leader off the anchors!! Always belay a leader off your own harness!

widewetandslippery

8-Apr-2010
1:42:30 PM

On 8/04/2010 Olbert wrote:
>It seems if you are asking these questions in such detail that you have
>not had a great deal of experience with setting up multipitch belays.
>Because of this I would strongly suggest that you do not attempt to learn
>how to create a multipitch belay anchor off the internet.

I agree with the above. The last thing you should ever do is read the instructions first. Have a go, you'll know when its not working.

There are 27 messages in this topic.