Sport Climbing Basics - VDiff Climbing

Sport Climbing BasicsFirst Edition. December 2017 £ Donation Only

Contents Introduction 6Learn more: www.vdiffclimbing.com Belaying 14 Leading 27 Anchors 36 Descending 65 Technique 80 Knots 98 Next Steps 105 5

Sport Climbing Basics: AnchorsClimb: Julian Heath on The Spider, Cheedale, England. Photographer: Chris Fox (see more here)

Anchors Part 1: What To Do at the TopMany climbs have bolted anchors at the be ‘stranded’ at the anchor, or eventop. This is the standard for sport climbs become completely detached from theworldwide, but is also common at many bolts.North American trad climbing venues.These bolted anchors will usually beequipped with mallions (quick links) orlowering rings, sometimes connected withchains. You won’t be able to simply clipyour rope through this type of anchor likeyou would at the gym. Instead, you’ll needuntie from the rope and thread it through.After that, you can either abseil, or haveyour partner lower you down.It’s important to learn how to do this in thecorrect order. If you thread an anchorincorrectly, you could drop your rope andbeeeeeeeLower, Abseil or Walk Off?This depends on the type of anchor, how it your own gear and lower down from that.is positioned and what you plan to do afterthe climb. If you are the last person to climb the route, you’ll need to ‘clean’ all your gearLowering from a sport anchor is quicker from the anchor before you descend.than abseiling. It’s also much easier toretrieve gear on your way down when For anchors which are in a poor positionlowering. for lowering or abseiling (e.g: far back across a ledge), it is much better to belayHowever, abseiling puts much less wear on your partner from the top of the climb. Youthe rings. This could be the best option if can then walk off.the rings are already showing signs ofwear. Each of these scenarios requires a different anchor setup. These areIf the next climber is going to top rope the described on the following pages.route, you should make an anchor fromyyyyy 37Learn more: www.vdiffclimbing.com

Anchors Part 4: Cleaning a Sport AnchorCleaning a sport anchor means removing Which you choose depends on the type ofall of your gear from it. Three of the main anchor and whether you plan to lower orways to do this are described on the abseil.following pages.Method 1 – Feed a Bight of Rope ThroughYou will remain ‘on belay’ during this whole Best Situation To Use This Methodsetup. - When you are the last person to lead the routeYou Will Need - When the anchor has a central point* Two spare quickdraws which is big enough to feed a bight of rope* One screwgate carabiner throughStep 1Clip your rope through a quickdraw on oneof the anchor bolts.Step 2Clip another quickdraw into the otheranchor bolt and clip it directly to your belayloop. Rest your weight on this quickdraw.Learn more: www.vdiffclimbing.com 43

Step 3 44Pull up a little slack and push a bight of therope through the main anchor point asshown.Step 4Tie a figure-8 on the bight (see page 102)and clip this to your belay loop with ascrewgate carabiner.Step 5Untie from the end of the rope.VDiff – Sport Climbing Basics > Anchors

Step 6 45Pull the end of the rope through the mainanchor point.Step 7Remove the quickdraw which isn’t holdingyour weight. Ask your belayer to take youtight.Step 8Rest your weight on the rope, then removethe other quickdraw. You are now ready tolower.Learn more: www.vdiffclimbing.com

Descending Part 2: LoweringLowering is faster than abseiling. It is the Best Situations To Lowermost common form of descent whether - If someone else will climb after you.you have cleaned the anchor or not. - If you need to remove the quickdraws. - If you need to set ‘directionals’ on your descent.Removing QuickdrawsIf you have cleaned the anchor, but yourquickdraws are still in the route, you’ll needto retrieve them on your way down.This is easy on a straight-lined, verticalroute. Simply lower down and unclip themfrom the bolt and the rope.The belayer will need to stop lowering youat each bolt so you have time to do this.On overhanging or traversing routes it can 67be more difficult. To make it easier, clip oneend of a quickdraw to your belay loop andthe other end to the rope. This ‘loweringquickdraw’ keeps you in the same line asthe route while you descend.On your descent, unclip the leadquickdraws from the rope and then fromthe bolts.Learn more: www.vdiffclimbing.com

Be careful when removing the last 68quickdraw. If you remove it in the sameway as the others, you’ll swing out from therock and pull your belayer with you.If it is a safe swing (i.e: you wouldn’t hitanything or anyone) unclip your loweringquickdraw from the rope and attach itdirectly to the bolt. Then allow your weightto hang on this quickdraw.Remove the other quickdraw from the boltand the rope.Give your belayer time to take in the extraslack which is created.Next, remove the last quickdraw from thebolt. To make this easier, use holds on therock to pull yourself in. Be ready to swingout!If it isn’t a safe swing, one option is tolower to the ground, and then ‘boulder’ upto retrieve it. This works best if you have abouldering pad and the first bolt isn’t veryhigh.Another option is for the belayer to beanchored to the ground. In this case, youcan keep your lowering quickdraw attacheduntil you’re on the ground.VDiff – Sport Climbing Basics > Descending

Clipping into QuickdrawsIf you have top roped an overhanging ortraversing route, and someone else wantsto top rope after you, you’ll need to clip therope to some of the quickdraws on yourway down as ‘directionals’. Thesedirectionals stop the next climber fromswinging wildly across the rock if they fall.Simply clip your rope into the quickdrawsas you lower. Depending on the route, youmay need to clip them all, or just a couple.Pulling the Rope DownUntie any knots from the rope before youpull it down.Shout 'rope' before it falls. This is so thateveryone around you is expecting it – afalling rope in the head hurts!Make sure to pull the rope through so thatthe falling end drops down through theclipped quickdraws (if you are leaving themin). This will slow it down and make it safer. Rope!Learn more: www.vdiffclimbing.com 69

Abseiling - Check the SystemBefore you unclip your attachment pointfrom the anchor, check: Solid Rope threaded Both ropesanchor through main through point of anchor belay device Prusik knot Holding Knots both ropes added to rope beneath endsbelay deviceLearn more: www.vdiffclimbing.com 73

Technique Part 4: Rock SteepnessSlab Climbing surface contact beneath your palms andClimbing slabs (rock which is less than feet.vertical) requires less strength and morebalance than steeper angles of rock. Small steps are generally more efficient. High steps tend to disrupt the delicateYour body should remain in the same balance needed to stop you from slidingupright position as when you’re walking. off.With gravity forcing the weight onto yourshoes, you have more friction on the rock. On sustained slab climbs, where most of your weight is on your feet, it’s common toEssentially, you will hold onto features for get ‘calf pump’ or ‘disco leg’. Make use ofbalance while pushing up with your legs. any good footholds by standing with your heel on the hold and your leg straight, soFriction slabs are generally devoid of any that your center of gravity is over your heel.positive features to crimp or edge on. Toclimb a friction slab, you must rely on thessssssClimb: Patrick Deacon on The Marmolada, Italy. Photographer: James Rushforth (see more here)

Vertical Rock known as back-stepping. It allows you toIt is invariably more strenuous on the arms use footholds on either side of your bodyto climb a vertical rock than it is to climb a with either foot.slab of the same grade. Take advantage of any rests. OpposingIt’s much more efficient to keep the weight your feet against each other across aoff your arms as much as you can. This is corner (stemming) allows you to keep thedone by pushing your hips and chest close weight off your arms.to the wall and by using the minimumamount of energy to complete each move If you can’t get a two-hands rest, thenas possible. alternately shake out your arms when you find a good handhold.Remember that your feet provide theupwards thrust, while your hands primarily It’s often better to do a series of smallpull you into the rock. moves, instead of a long one. Being stretched out tends to disrupt your balanceKeep your hips perpendicular to the rock and often makes the next move moreby standing on the inside edge of one foot strenuous.and the outside edge of another. This iskkkkkkkClimb: Lynne Hempton on Mondviole, Frea, Italy. Photographer: James Rushforth (see more here)

Overhanging Routes As with other angles of rock, it is moreTo climb efficiently on overhanging rock, efficient to pull yourself into the rock withyou need to keep your hips close to the your arms and push yourself up with yourrock and your arms straight whenever legs.possible. Bent arms will tire out muchfaster. This is much more physically demanding on steep routes, but even the poorestOne way to do this is to use the dropknee. footholds will help ease the strain on yourPlace the outside edge of your shoe on a arms and give you something to push from.hold and twist your knee downward. Becareful though, dropknees put a lot oftension on the ligaments in your knee.Climb: Jason Piper on Into the Blue, Mt Ettalong, Australia. Photographer: Chris Fox (see more here)

Technique Part 5: SummaryClimbing is like a dance. The aim is to soon begin to develop your own style andchoreograph these different types of holds move on to more advanced techniques.and moves into one fluid movement. After climbing each route, review theIt is much more efficient and enjoyable to techniques that you used. Ask yourselfmove up fluidly, methodically and in what worked, what didn’t and what youbalance. Frantic, jerky movements are could do to climb the route more efficiently.clumsy and will tire you out faster. Practise makes perfect!Once this becomes second nature, you willnnnnnClimb: Martin McKenna on Artemisia, Italy. Photographer: James Rushforth (see more here)

Bolt QualityBolts are either adhesive or mechanical. Don’t trust bolts that are: - Rusty or corrodedAdhesive bolts are glued into the hole with - Smaller than 3/8 inch (approx 10mm) inspecially formulated epoxy. diameter - Loose (e.g: the hanger can spin around)Mechanical bolts work either by expansion - In bad rockor compression, though expansion bolts are - Have an obviously homemade hangermost common on sport routes. The bolt isplaced into a drilled hole and tightened. This The same goes for anchor chains orexpands the rear part of the bolt into the lowering rings. It is your responsibility as ahole. climber to inspect every bolt and anchor that you clip.Both types of bolt are incredibly strong. Anew, well-placed bolt will not break or fall If you come across a badly bolted route orout in a normal sport climbing situation. a worn out anchor, it is often safer toHowever, there are no qualifications needed downclimb to the ground instead ofto bolt a route, and there are no regulations lowering.on what type of bolt must be used.Photographer: Chris Fox (see more here)

Get the Full VersionThe full version of this e-book is available You can download it for free, or show youron a pay-what-you-want pricing system, support with a small donation.starting at £0. Get your copy here: https://gumroad.com/l/VDiff-SportLearn How To: Further Information:- Use assisted-braking belay devices * Perfect for those who want to start sport- Lead sport climbs climbing.- Set up top ropes * 200+ accurately drawn, full-colour- Clean sport anchors illustrations and photos.- Abseil safely (including using a prusik * 115 information-packed pages.knot) * Easy to print or view on your mobile.- Use advanced belay techniques Take it to the crag; when in doubt, whip it- Climb with better technique out!- Assess bolt quality * New for December 2017Plus much more.