Alpine Tips
How to avoid edge loading carabiners
Sometimes when anchor building, carabiners can become loaded across the edge of a rock. This makes the carabiner much weaker, not good! Here are two ways to solve this problem.
Premium Members can read the entire article here:
Scenario: you’re building a multi piece gear anchor. You place a cam in the perfect spot but . . . Bummer, the racking carabiner is being loaded over the edge of the crack or some other non-optimal way.
(This might also happen when sport climbing: if route developer drilled a bolt in the wrong place, and your quickdraw carabiner is loaded over an edge.)
Why is edge loading a carabiner bad?
It can dramatically weaken the carabiner, as in breaking around 3-4 kN rather than the rating of 22+ kN!
The carabiner gate might start rubbing and opening against the rock, which you never want to have happen.
Not good! Whaddya do?!
(Apologies for the not-so-great photos, they’re screen grabs from a video I made about this.)
Here are two ways to handle this.
Method 1: basket hitch
Basket hitch a sling to the cam sling or thumb loop. Now the sling is loaded over the edge of the crack, not the carabiner. Much better!
You could put a girth hitch on the cam sling instead of a basket hitch. (The girth hitch is less strong, but certainly strong enough for any load you're going to encounter and recreational climbing.)
Simply push the racking carabiner off to one side and ignore it; you don't need it for the anchor.
Method 2: Tie an overhand knot in the sling and clip below it
If you don't have enough material to make a basket hitch, try this.
Tie an overhand knot in the sling (or one leg of the cordelette). Pass a loop of the sling through the cam sling or thumb loop, then clip it below the knot as shown below.
Now, the purple sling is loaded over the rock edge, and not your carabiner. Nice!
Want to see my video demo of the overhand knot trick?
How about the test results of how bad edge loading actually is?
Join my Premium Membership to read the whole article.
Thanks for your support!
Tame your crampon strap with a hair tie
Crampons straps that flop around (and might even trip you up) are a hassle! Here's one way to deal with it, using the humble hair elastic “scrunchie”.
There are various ways to keep your crampons strap tidy. Here's one that works for me.
Take an elastic hair tie / scrunchie, and wrap a few times around the strap.
After you crank down your crampons and buckle them, tuck the extra tail through the hair scrunchie. This should keep it nicely out of the way.
Side note: Most crampons straps are very long, so you can fit them on just about any kind of Sasquatch foot. If you know the biggest size of boot you’re ever going to use, you can cut off some of the extra strap. Measure carefully before you do it!
How to add a GPX file to your phone
Having a good quality GPX track file of your intended route is very useful to help stay found and avoid epics. My website has more than 150 GPX files for Pacific NW routes. Here's how you can move them from my Google Drive onto your phone’s backcountry navigation app.
Premium Members can read the entire article here:
GPX track files for Mt Hood Oregon, available on my website.
A good GPX track file for your climbing route helps you to stay on course and avoid epics.
Alpinesavvy has more than 150 GPX files for some of the most popular climbing routes in the Pacific Northwest.
Here's how to get those GPX files from my Google Drive to your phone.
First, what’s a GPX file?
A GPX file is a universal file sharing format for geographic data.
Basically it's a text file of latitude longitude coordinate(s). If you draw it on computer mapping software like CalTopo, it will only have lat/long data. If you record it in the field, it usually will also have timestamp and elevation data.
A GPX file can be a single waypoint, for example say of a favorite campsite, a good place to pick huckleberries, or your car at the trailhead.
More useful for climbing is what's called a track file. Here, your GPS device, which these days is typically a phone app, records a continuous string of latitude longitude coordinates every few seconds in the field. A GPX track file can have hundreds or even thousands of different points.
GPX files are free, easy to share, and weighs 0.0 grams; what’s not to like?
If you try to open a GPX file, you make see something like this: a long list of latitude longitude coordinates. Not very helpful in this format.
Why your phone (probably) needs a little help . . .
If you try to open a file with a .doc extension, your computer knows to open it in some sort of word processing program. A .jpg extension? No problem; your clever phone knows it's a photo and has no problem opening it.
However, for more esoteric file extensions like GPX, that isn’t necessarily the case. So when you open a GPX file, you may need to tell your phone what app you want to use, because it can't usually figure it out on its own. (Silly phone . . .)
So, GPX files are cool, got it. How can I get a GPX file(s) onto my phone navigation app?
Here are two ways.
Doing everything from your phone
Moving files from your desktop computer to your phone
For this example, we’re using:
Mt. Adams in Washington
Google Drive for GPX tracks storage
Gaia GPS on my phone. (Of course there are different peaks, cloud storage options and phone operating systems, but hopefully with this example you can figure it out.)
Here’s a step-by-step process of downloading the GPX file and opening it on your phone.
Step 1 - Open your preferred GPS app on your phone. Navigate/zoom to your area of interest.
Step 2 - Open the Google Drive folder with the tracks. When you find the file you want to download, tap the “three dots” icon on the right.
Step 3 - Tap “Open in”.
Step 4 - Your phone may give you a horizontal selection of icons which it thinks might be useful to open this GPX file. My phone never seems to offer the navigation app that I want to use. So, swipe all the way left until you get to the three dots / “More”, then tap it.
Step 5 - Scroll down through the list of your phone apps, and choose the navigation app you want. In this example it's Gaia GPS. (CalTopo works fine too.)
SWEEEET, You’re done. The app should take a moment, import the GPX file and it should draw up right where you want it. If it doesn't draw right away, try closing and reopening the app. then zooming to the area.
Want to see some screen grabs showing the process when you already have the file saved on your computer?
Join my Premium Membership to read the whole article.
Thanks for your support!
Snapgate or locking carabiners on anchors?
When and where is the best use of locking carabiners on an anchor? On the gear or bolts? On the masterpoint? Is it a multi pitch anchor, or a toprope? Can I use lockers on “half” of the anchor? It's a contentious and important discussion, so let's take a look.
This article was written with collaboration from AMGA Certified Rock Guide Max Lurie. Connect with Max on Instagram, @alpinetothemax and his website.
A common question for climbing anchors: should I use locking carabiners on the bolts/gear?
It's an important topic, and there are some strongly held opinions on this, so let's have a closer look.
Short version:
For multi pitch climbing, using snapgate carabiners on the bolts or gear is acceptable.
For top rope climbing, it's a generally accepted standard in the guiding and teaching world to use locking carabiners on the anchor and master point.
We all get to choose an acceptable level of risk. Try to understand the realistic, and not imagined, risks of your methods.
Before we get into the details, let’s look at some bigger-picture concepts:
If you have a single life-critical connection, then a locking carabiner is good practice. (For example, the rope and your belay device, and your rope or tether connection to the anchor.)
If your anchor is “unattended”, like for a toprope, then locking carabiners can be more important.
If your anchor is “attended”, like a multipitch climb with someone next to it the whole time, with hands and/or eyes on the anchor, locking carabiners are generally not required.
It's helpful to understand the difference between perceived risk reduction and actual risk reduction.
The argument of, “I want to reduce my risk as much as possible, so I use lockers everywhere on my anchor”, is a bit simplistic. How far do you take that? Do you use lockers on the first couple of quickdraws when you’re sport leading? Steel carabiners are much stronger than aluminum ones, so do you use steel carabiners? I'm guessing the answer to both of these is no for just about everybody.
It's good to have a solid understanding of the capabilities and limitations of your gear, and let those guide your decision rather than emotion, hearsay, and “that's-the-way-I-learned-it”.
Be aware of generally accepted best practices among guides and industry professionals. Also be aware that what might be standard practice in one industry, such as using triple action lockers for say tree/arborist work, does not necessarily mean it's also good practice to use that same gear for recreational climbing.
The snapgate crowd says:
Totally fine to use them on the anchors.
The failure of any single non-locker would not cause catastrophe.
What's the realistic mechanism of failure for a snapgate carabiner? Any mechanism that could cause them to both fail at one time is so incredibly unlikely that using them is acceptable; each carabiner is connected to a separate independent strand of the anchor.
On a multi pitch anchor that is “attended”, any potential problem can be hopefully noticed and fixed right away.
Side note, it makes no difference whatsoever which direction the carabiners face when clipped to the anchor points. They can both face right, face left, face each other or face opposite, it makes no difference. The concept of “opposite and opposed” carabiners applies at a masterpoint, not when clipped onto the the bolts.
There's another way to think about it. If you build a trad anchor with, say, 3 cams, most people would be fine with using the snapgate racking carabiners already on the cams.
If you wanted lockers everywhere, and built a three piece anchor on a multipitch, you’d probably have to carry about six extra lockers (three for the leader and three for the previous anchor) which is . . . maybe a little ridiculous?
So, if you’re cool with using snapgates on your cams when building a gear anchor, logic says you should also be comfortable with them when building a bolt anchor.
What are some of the arguments in favor of using lockers everywhere?
How about using lockers on the bolts for a top rope anchor?
What does an AMGA Certified Rock Guide have to say about this?
How does the economics principle of “the law of diminishing returns” factor in?
Join my Premium Membership to read the whole article.
Thanks for your support!
Protect your fixed rope from abrasion with a sling
If you have a fixed rope (either for a rappel or anchor) and it's loaded over an edge, you risk damaging it. Here's one method to easily move the load onto a sling and away from your rope.
I learned this #CraftyRopeTrick from AMGA Certified Rock Guide Adam Fleming. Connect with Adam on Instagram, @adam.fleming.climbs
Anytime you have a fixed rope that's loaded over a ledge, (for a rappel, rigging rope, or maybe something else) you run the risk of abrading your rope. The chances or damage increase if the rock is abrasive and/or the edge is fairly sharp.
Here's a trick that saves your rope, using gear you probably already have. Use a “sacrificial” sewn sling, cord, or tubular webbing.
If using a sewn sling, you can tie an overhand knot in each end of the sling, creating two redundant strands.
Consider using (old school) 1 inch webbing. It's pretty burly, inexpensive, and is a good application for this trick.
Keep the amount of rope that's isolated by the sling fairly short. If both sections of the sling are cut, the load is going onto your rope, and you don't want that to be shock loaded. (In the photo, it's a bit too long, whoops . . .)
Inspect this sling carefully after you're done and toss it if it shows any abrasion. That's why a nylon sling or cord might be better than Dyneema; it’s less expensive.
Want to see a video I made on how to rig this? How about some other options to protect your rope from abrasion?
Join my Premium Membership to read the whole article.
Thanks for your support!
Descend by self-lowering
Rappelling isn’t the only way to get down a cliff; another option is the self-lower. There are a few considerations, pros and cons, learn ‘em here.
Premium Members can read the entire article here:
This post discusses techniques and methods used in vertical rope work. If you do them wrong, you could die. Always practice vertical rope techniques under the supervision of an experienced climber, and ideally in a progression: from flat ground, to staircase, to vertical close to the ground before you ever try them in a real climbing situation.
We typically think of rappelling (or maybe being lowered by your partner) as the only options to get down a cliff. But there’s another one to consider: lowering yourself.
This technique is less common, and has a few pros and cons. You go more slowly and have increased friction, but there are times when those might be good!
It’s pretty simple.
Pass one end of the rope through the anchor.
Tie in to this end of the rope.
Put the other side of the rope into your rappel device.
Lower yourself.
Here's how to set it up with a standard tube style rappel device. Note extension and third hand back up,
Notes, pros & cons of self lowering . . .
For a self lower, be absolutely sure the rope is going through some kind of METAL connection (carabiner, quicklink, chain, rap ring, etc) at the anchor point, never webbing or cord! The rope is MOVING through the anchor point when you lower yourself!
You’re lowering on a single strand, which usually means less friction. But the rope is also moving through the anchor point, which adds friction. These sort of balance out, and your descent speed typically is about what it would be with a two strand rappel.
You’re descending at half speed compared to a standard rappel, which can help with rope control, again good if you have a skinny rope. Or, it could be a bummer if you have a long way to go.
The person who’s self lowering must deal with the entire length of the extra rope. (If your partner is lowering you, the extra rope stays at the upper anchor.) If you can get a good rope toss to make sure it gets down the cliff without tangling, good for you. If not, having the rope in a ropebag or backpack can make life a lot easier.
Be sure and tie a knot in the end of the rope (or maybe clip the other end of the rope to your belay loop with a locking carabiner) to close the rope system, so there’s no chance you can rap off of the end.
Want to learn the pros and cons of this method?
How about another diagram from Petzl about how to rig this?
A video from an IFMGA Guide demonstrating the technique?
Join my Premium Membership to read the whole article.
Thanks for your support.
Will Gadd: Keeping your hands & feet warm, Part 3
The last of a three part series: battle tested tips from Canadian ice climbing expert Will Gadd for keeping your hands (and feet) warm.
Premium Members can read the entire article here:
Will Gadd voiding the warranty on his boots. Photo: @pete.hoang
Veteran Canadian ice climbing expert Will Gadd knows a few things about staying warm. This article is part 3 of a series of posts he made on Instagram. I’m sharing it here with Will’s permission.
Connect with Will on his website and Instagram, @realwillgadd
Warm feet - General Tips
A lot of the “Hands” tips are also about keeping YOU warm and happy first, and the same is true for your feet. Feet are harder to manage, and seem to get seriously cold more often.
I’ve never seriously frozen a finger, but I’ve frozen my feet at least twice to some extent, and have to work harder to keep them functional than my hands most days.
Realize that keeping your feet warm takes action on your part. It won’t just “happen” with one set of clothes or approach, you’ve got to be flexible with the environment, think ahead and act regularly to prevent misery in the future. It’s a war of many small battles, not, “My feet are really cold, doh!”
Cold feet start primarily when your core temp drops and your body decides to sacrifice the peripheral bits such as feet and hands. So don’t let that happen!
Control your core temperature to keep your feet warm. Have a light “moving but not sweaty” outfit and a “standing almost bivy” outfit that will keep you warm even if you’re standing around for an hour or so in the temperature you’re out in that day.
The difference in body heat output while moving vs. standing is massive, far more than peeling a few “layers” can deal with. If you just open the Goretex vents on your jacket you’ve done nothing useful. Take it off.
Layers are for onions and cakes. We need to think more “raging furnace while moving” vs “standing sleeping bag.”
Move in the least amount of clothing you can for the elements you’re in. You can move in less than you think mostly. Most people can run at -30 with running shoes on if they are moving hard enough. You’re a furnace, if you’re moving. Move, dress to stand, or freeze.
Test this in a low consequence environment, like hiking fast near your home/car on a cold day for an hour or so. Dress lightly at first. Once you're moving and body temperature is up, you may be pleasantly surprised at how little clothing you need.
A “standing” outfit means a big jacket, insulated pants, maybe mitts etc. Your “moving” outfit may be nothing more than a thin synthetic, or it may be close to your “standing” outfit if your output level is low. When I coach XC kids skiing I get laughed at for my puffy pants and jacket, but kids move so slow I have to totally overdress or I freeze.
Warm Feet: Specifics
Feet are big compared to hands. They take longer to get cold, and longer to warm up. If you start a day with cold feet you’re starting with a problem.
Unless you’re moving fast for 20 minutes or so right away you’re going to have cold feet until you do, or maybe for the day. So start the day with warm feet.
I don’t put my boots on while driving to climb or ski for this reason; my feet get cold sitting at my desk, as there isn’t enough blood circulating to keep them warm. Most of the time there isn’t enough warmth in the back of a car to keep your feet warm either, and they can actually get really cold. Oddly, some people think the exact opposite, and that’s OK too, but think about it. If your boots are really warm and you are too then your feet will sweat in the car, so make sure you keep your feet dry for the ride. Keep your boots in the car, not the back of the truck or trunk. Crank the heater and warm ‘em up on the drive.
If your feet are cold you have to get your core temperature up, and you have to circulate blood through your feet. This means moving, not just adding insulation! If your feet have gotten cold you will have to “overdrive” your body to pump enough blood through your feet to warm them up.
It takes about five minutes of going hard uphill to get the blood really pumping through your feet, and another five or so for them to be truly warm. Or 200 squats and 100 “leg swings” on each leg if you’re standing at a belay. Anything else won’t work.
Constriction on your feet is terrible in winter. If you stuff your boots so full of socks that they are tight on your feet, I guarantee you will be cold. Leave room! If you crank your ski or climbing boots down and then don’t loosen them you will get colder feet.
Loosen your boots at belays or when resting, the difference can be amazing! If you have to bivy then loosen your boots right off. It may save your feet.
Pack and organize everything you can at home. The less time standing around sorting gear getting cold at the trailhead, the better.
Want to know if antiperspirant can keep your feet warm?
How about what to do if you get your boot(s) completely soaked on a cold day?
Join my Premium Membership to read the whole article.
Thanks for your support!
Add a carabiner to the master point knot
Here is a simple trick to make untying your master point a bit easier - include a carabiner in the knot. Note, this is NOT for clipping anything; it's only to help you untie the anchor when you're done.
This little trick has been around for a while. But showing it to some newer climbers recently, they had never heard of it, so I thought I'd mention it.
Maybe under the category of “teaching the new dogs an old trick?”
When tying a statically equalized anchor from a sling, and using either an overhand or a figure 8 as the masterpoint, that loaded sling can be very difficult to untie.
Make your life easier: clip a carabiner into the knot before it gets loaded. This gives you a little “handle” to start pulling on the knot to untie it, and makes your tired fingers happier at the end of the day.
Note:
This is absolutely not meant for any kind of load, including your shoes or a backpack. The only purpose is to make untying the knot easier. If you loaded this carabiner, it could compromise the security of the knot, so don't do it! If you're climbing with beginners it's especially important to point this out, ask me how I know about this.
A figure 8 is usually easier to untie then an overhand.
This does not have to be a locking carabiner.
If you have one, use a “keylock”, or notchless, carabiner. It’s a bit easier to remove from the tightened knot.
Protect a fixed rope with a rebelay
If a fixed rope is loaded over an edge, it might get damaged. Here's a simple technique to save your rope: the rebelay.
Premium Members can read the entire article here:
When rigging a fixed rope, it's very important to protect the rope from being loaded over any sharp or abrasive edge.
Repeatedly loading the rope (from rappelling, taking falls when top rope soloing, and especially ascending) could damage it. Ropes often get loaded over edges on big walls, because the belay is usually on top of a ledge and not beneath it.
One way to protect your rope: the rebelay.
Rebelays have long been used by cavers, who know how to take good care of fixed ropes. Rebelays can also be useful in some climbing applications, such as big walls, instructional settings, or rescues.
A rebelay is simply adding an additional anchor(s) below the potential abrasion point. This secondary anchor can be SOLID gear you place, or a bolt.
Tie a bight knot (a butterfly works great, because it's usually easy to untie after loading) and clip it to this rebelay point.
Now, the weighted rope is on the rebelay, and not the primary anchor. All of the rope above the rebelay is slack, so it can't be damaged if it runs over an edge. Nice!
Want to learn how make a rebelay with gear, how to ascend past one, and see a video on rigging it? (Sure you do!)
Join my Premium Membership to read the whole article.
Thanks for your support!
Deep dive article on ski repair tips & tricks
You carry a first aid kit for your body. You also need one for your ski gear, because not having one can turn a small problem into a major epic. Here’s the most detailed article you’ll ever read on backcountry ski repair, from the pros at Cascade Mountain Ascents.
Check this out: incredibly detailed article on crafty ways to fix your gear when backcountry skiing.
This was written by our friends at Cascade Mountain Ascents in Bellingham Washington.
This article is closely aligned with a ski repair kit sold by Traverse Equipment, that should cover most basic repairs. For longer tours you may want to take a few more things.
Here’s a video made by the Zach (author of the article) and Charlie (Mr. Traverse Equipment), examining what's in the kit and how to use it.
Three ways to equalize crevasse rescue anchors
In crevasse rescue, you often build one anchor and transfer the load to it. Then (if needed) you may build a second anchor and try to equalize #1 and #2. Here are three methods to dial in this equalization.
Premium Members can read the entire article here:
While anchors for crevasse rescue operate on the same principles as other anchors, equalizing a loaded placement can require some different methods.
If you’re building a two piece snow anchor and want to equalize / share the load between them, you can treat it pretty much like a rock anchor. Place your two pickets, deadman, buried skis, whatever you‘re using, connect the protection with a cordelette, long sling, or your rigging of choice to make a master point, and there you go.
However, in crevasse rescue, this is often not the best approach. The above method can take a lot of time, digging, and packing down of snow. This is all happening while your unfortunate partner is in the hole, and hopefully your other teammate(s) on the rope are trying to keep them from slipping down any further.
So, for crevasse rescue, the typical approach is:
Get one anchor in fairly quickly. (If the snow is reasonably dense, this can be a vertical picket.)
Transfer the load to that, ideally with one team member sitting in the snow behind it to back it up.
Then, if you think it’s needed, a second anchor can be made and equalized with the first one.
Here's the tricky part: because there's already a load on anchor #1, it can be difficult to get the length of the sling or cord from anchor #2 JUST right to have proper load equalization / sharing.
Here are a few ways to fine-tune the connection between the anchors so you can get a decent load distribution.
In these examples, I'm using what I call a “crevasse cord”. It's basically a mini cordelette made from ultra-strong cord. My preference is about 10 feet / 3.5 m of Sterling VT-X cord. It's 5.4 mm, rated to 15 kN, and has a Dyneema core with a polyester sheath.
This is carried “open”, or untied, not tied into a semi-permanent loop.
Because this cord is so strong, you can rig it “bunny ears” style, with a small overhand figure eight on a bight loop in one (or both) end(s). Rigged like this it’s still probably good for 8+ kN, which is a much higher load than you should ever experience in a crevasse rescue scenario.
The standard cordelette you might use for climbing, which is about 6 meters of 7 mm cord still works fine for crevasse rescue. But I find it heavy, bulky, and usually too long; I prefer a smaller length of the Sterling VT-X.
Method #1 & 2: Clove hitch or trucker’s hitch
Clove hitch: This is probably the easiest method and uses a knot you already know. Tie a bight knot in one end of your crevasse cord. Clip that knot to the carabiner on anchor #2. Tie a clove hitch and clip it to anchor #1. Feed cord through the clove to remove as much slack as you can in your crevasse cord.
Trucker’s hitch: The trucker’s hitch isn’t used very often in climbing, but it's a super handy knot to know for lots of other life applications. This also does a little better job than the clove hitch to actually share the load between the anchors. Just like above, tie a bight knot in one end of your crevasse cord, and clip that knot to the carabiner on anchor #2. Pass the other end of your cord through the carabiner on anchor one. Tie a trucker’s hitch to put tension on the crevasse cord.
Here's a video showing the trucker’s hitch method. It starts about 11:30.
Method #3: Alpine block and tackle
Want to learn about the alpine block and tackle, and see a video of how to set it up for crevasse rescue equalization? (Sure you do!)
Join my Premium Membership to read the whole article.
Thanks for your support!
Pacific NW mountain weather tutorial
Seattle based mountain athlete Kyle McCrohan wrote a great three part series on weather in the Pacific NW as it relates to climbers and skiers. While focused on the Cascades, there are a lot of gems that apply to many different areas, so it’s worth a read for everyone.
Getting a more nuanced understanding of mountain weather patterns involves more than looking at a simplified icon on your phone’s weather app.
What does that pesky “20% chance of precipitation” really mean? You don't need to become a PhD meteorologist to go climbing, but knowing how to find and interpret a few online weather resources can really help make sense of things.
I make zero claims to be an expert in the subject, but fortunately we can learn from those who are.
Seattle based climber and backcountry skier Kyle McCrohan wrote a terrific 3 part series of Pacific Northwest mountain weather on his website.
Check it out at the links below.
How do you rappel past a damaged section of rope?
You’re rappelling, and unexpectedly come to a damaged section of rope. How would you get past it? Here’s one method.
Premium Members can read the entire article here:
Note - This post discusses techniques and methods used in vertical rope work. If you do them wrong, you could die. Always practice vertical rope techniques under the supervision of a qualified instructor, and ideally in a progression: from flat ground, to staircase, to vertical close to the ground before you ever try them in a real climbing situation.
Photos and method in this post are from Walter Britschgi, @walterbritschgi, shared with permission.
Scenario: you’re rappelling down through some nasty loose rock.
During your rappel you kick some rocks loose.
One of them unfortunately hits your rope, damaging one strand.
Now, you need to finish your rappel, get past the damaged section of rope, and tie it off, so it's secure enough for you and your partner to continue going down.
How can you do this?
(Yes, it's a very unlikely situation, but if it happens, you’ll need to deal with it.)
Bigger picture, it's good practice when rappelling to look DOWN and be aware of what’s below you. Is the rope stuck in a crack? Are the ends on the ground? Do you need to pendulum to reach the next anchor? Or, in the case below, is the rope damaged?
Here’s another scenario where someone had to deal with this. (From Instagram. Sorry I don’t have the original post to offer credit.)
Here’s one method to rappel past a damaged section of the rope.
Stop a short distance above the damaged rope strand.
Go hands-free on your rappel. Let your autoblock take your weight. Tie a hard back up/catastrophe knot a few meters below in both strands, and clip it to your belay loop with a locker.
Add a friction hitch above your rappel device. A single length 60 cm sling is a good length for this.
Clip the friction hitch to your belay loop with a locker. Feed a little rope through your device until your weight goes onto the friction hitch.
Key move: Slide only the damaged strand of rope through your device. Once it's above you, tie a bight knot (overhand is fine) to isolate the damaged part of the rope.
Now is where it can get a little physical. Pull the slack rope through your device so you can reload both strands equally. (If it's really steep, you may need to add a second friction hitch as a foot loop.)
Put your weight back on your device, remove the friction hitch, untie the hard backup knot, and continue your rappel.
Check out the photo sequence below, courtesy of Walter Britschgi. (Note: recommended hard backup knot isn’t shown.)
Image: @walterbritschgi
Image: @walterbritschgi
Image: @walterbritschgi
Image: @walterbritschgi
Image: @walterbritschgi
Want to read more considerations for using this method and some ways to deal with a knot that's already below you?
Join my Premium Membership to read the whole article.
Thanks for your support!
Will Gadd: Keeping your hands & feet warm, Part 2
Here are some winter-tested tips from Canadian ice climbing expert Will Gadd for keeping your hands (and feet) warm. This is part two of a series of three articles.
Premium Members can read the entire article here:
image: Will Gadd collection; Helmcken Falls, BC Canada - https://www.instagram.com/p/C7wtpfsRLNj/
Veteran Canadian ice climbing expert Will Gadd knows a few things about staying warm. This article is part 2 of a series of posts he made on Instagram. I’m sharing it here with Will’s permission.
Connect with Will on his website and Instagram, @realwillgadd
How to have warm hands: General Tips
Take your gloves off immediately if your hands start to sweat. Even at -20 you can walk or ski with bare hands, but if you get your gloves even a bit damp you will suffer. (Same with your hat.) Avoid getting any kind of snow in your gloves; drop them in the snow and they get wet, you get cold. Cargo pockets on your pants or bibs can be a good place to stuff your gloves for temporary storage.
Keep the next pair of gloves you’re going to wear inside your jacket, preferably next to your skin. Putting them on will feel glorious!
The colder it is, the more you have to move. Below about -20c I just don’t multi-pitch. If it’s really cold go top-roping. Set a timer, each do 15 minutes of hard laps in your moving outfit, insulate up, repeat. Good to go even at -30!
If your hands are getting cold fix them NOW by moving. At belays I’ve done hundreds of squats, arm swings, leg lifts, jumping jacks, whatever it takes, but if you’re starting to get cold in your standing outfit the situation is not going to improve. Move. Even just doing stomach crunches in place is going to help. On lead that may mean doing 50 arm swings, or squats if the climbing is slow, or just moving fast if safe to get your core up.
Warm sugary liquids. I usually fill my water bottle or light thermos with hot water and some sort of sweet powdered stuff. This encourages drinking it, and also just feels nice. Like hot packs I’m not sure if they make a material difference to heat, but stress/not happy is a bad.
How to have warm hands: Tech Tricks
Wet anything = cold. It sucks, but change your shirt after the approach. The worst is to arrive wet, put on your standing outfit, and then lose all your heat drying out your shirt. It can literally ruin the day. A moment of pain is worth it! Dry = happy.
On colder days add more clothing to your legs. Slightly thicker long underwear, thicker pants = happiness. If it’s really cold, wet or windy I’ll wear Gore-Tex pants while climbing. That can make all the difference, but if it’s not cold/wet/windy then you will sweat out and be miserable. Be sure they are cut for climbing and not ski boots, loose legs are deadly with crampons. Tape if necessary.
If you use chemical heat packs, what's the best place to put them?
How do you wrist cuffs on your jacket affect hand warmth?
Can drinking Red Bull help keep you warmer?
Join my Premium Membership to read the entire article.
Thanks for your support!
Will Gadd: Keeping your hands & feet warm, Part 1
Canadian ice climbing expert Will Gadd shares some of his top tips for keeping your hands (and feet) warm. This is part one of a series of three articles.
Premium Members can read the entire article here:
photo: Will Gadd collection
Will Gadd, Canadian ice climbing expert, knows a few things about staying warm. This article is from a series of posts he made on Instagram. I’m sharing it here with Will’s permission.
Connect with Will on his website and Instagram, @realwillgadd
How to have warm hands - Gloves
Cold hands suck the fun out of ice climbing. It’s a huge topic, and there is no “one” solution. I’ll come at the problem from a few different angles, hopefully one or two resonate with you.
Tip 1: Don’t wear big gloves. Big gloves are for belaying only, they will make your hands cold if worn for activity. Sounds backwards, you need big gloves to stay warm, right? Nah. What happens with big gloves is that your hands will sweat in them as you move. Once the interior of your big gloves has even a tiny film of water in them you are doomed to have cold hands.
To test this theory, stick your hands outside while dry. Now do the same thing with wet hands. The moisture on your hands makes it feel way, way colder, and that’s what happens when you have even slightly wet fingers: you get cold hands unless you’re operating at very, very high heart rates. Even then you may be sweating and have frozen hands. Only use big gloves when you are standing around and NOT sweating.
Big gloves also don’t dry fast if there’s a tiny sheen of sweat on your hands, because there isn’t a big enough temperature gradient to drive the moisture up through the fabric to the outside. So they get wet, and stay wet inside, and you are miserable.
Big gloves also require more force to constrict around your ice tools, which means you’re squeezing harder, which means less blood flow, which means cold hands . . .
So, for moving you need “disposable” gloves as your hands will sweat in even thin gloves. That’s OK if you’re Nordic skiing and giving it, but for climbing we’re going to stop moving. At that point a slightly damp thin glove has served its purpose, and is tossed into the bottom of the pack, dry your hands, belay gloves on . . . I bring up to one pair of gloves per pitch if I think it’s going to be wet.
If it’s very cold and you still have to use your hands, try mitts and a very thin liner glove for standing around. Having all your fingers together helps them stay warm, and the thin layer also really helps them stay warm in the brief intervals you bring them out. But thick gloves don’t work as well because you end up taking them off to do anything. Misery sucks.
Get flexible gloves that aren’t tight. A little larger is better if they are flexible, but stiff and tight will make you hang on too tight and constrict circulation, which equals total misery. This is why heated gloves generally don’t work too well; too stiff to climb or easily open carabiners.
How to have warm hands: Layering is BS.
I have watched kids play bare-handed, physical outdoor games at -20, not because they’re Canadian but because that’s how our bodies work: If your body temperature is warm enough then your hands will be too, pretty much regardless of gloves or air temperature. What really matters is the temperature inside your body.
When that drops, your body gives up on keeping your hands warm and focuses on your core. Less blood goes through your hands. You have to use this knowledge to balance your clothing, your furnace (your muscles etc.) and the temperature. If any one of these three systems is out of whack then you will suffer cold hands or worse relatively soon. How to balance them? Dress for where you’ll be, not where you are. If you’re skiing and hot you’ll only get hotter. Strip down.
Layering is nonsense, most of the time we are either moving or standing, not adjusting a thin layer while prancing along. If moving and heating up, strip down until you are warm to slightly cool but no longer sweating (if possible). When you stop put on enough clothes that you can stand there comfortably for as long as you need to plus 20 minutes or so.
If you stop moving and wait to feel cold before putting on clothes you’ve missed the temperature cues and will suffer cold hands. I routinely belay in my down pants and huge down jacket. Together they weigh very little, but I could almost bivy in them if I had to, even in -20. My hands will be warm if my gloves are dry (see last post). Before I start climbing again I’ll strip down to my moving layer, switch to smaller dry gloves, and be a tad chilly (but my core isn’t yet dropping so my hands are still warm) before moving again.
With minor variations, I have a “moving” outfit, and a “standing” outfit. That’s it.
Layers are for onions and fashion victims, no one can calibrate their heat output that precisely. I have never see anyone de-layer on the fly other than adventure racers, and that’s another topic.
So, strip early, strip lots, dress early and more than you think you need.
Why is a loose grip on your ice tools important?
How can you prevent the dreaded screaming barfies?
Join my Premium Membership to read the whole article.
Thanks for your support!
Load transfer: The stirrup hoist
Do you have a big load that you need to move a short distance? Here's one crafty way to do it: the stirrup hoist. This may not be the most efficient method, but it's quick and simple.
Premium Members can read the entire article here:
This is part of a series of articles that cover methods to move a large load a short distance, typically to unweight an anchor. Here are two other related posts.
Load transfer: the 2:1 redirected haul
Load transfer: the alpine block and tackle
In some unusual climbing situations, you may need to lift a very large load a very small distance.
Maybe on a big wall, where you rigged your bags old school style (sheesh, use a docking cord, will ya!?) and you need to lift them a tiny bit to unclip the carabiner.
Maybe in a rescue scenario, when you have an unconscious person hanging off of a loaded anchor, and you need to lift them just enough to unclip them.
In either case, it's often better to use your bodyweight to try to do the lifting rather than your muscles. Work smart, not hard!
Don't make a habit out of this. It's almost always better to use some sort of releasable knot or hitch to anchor your load when you can. But for those cases when you didn't do that for some reason, the stirrup hoist might come in handy!
Here's a way to set that up, called the stirrup hoist.
This is not the most efficient method, but it's pretty fast and uses minimal gear, so it's a good one to have in the toolbox.
You might want to try this first and see if it solves your problem, before you try more elaborate systems, such as the alpine block and tackle, or the 2:1 redirected haul.
Clip a long sling onto the load. Slippery Dyneema would be a good choice, to minimize friction.
Pass the sling through a carabiner on the anchor, and let the sling hang down below the anchor. If you happen to have a pulley, run the sling through that to minimize friction. (In the photo below, I’m not using a pulley.)
Step into this “stirrup”. Your body weight, along with lifting the load with your arms, should hopefully be enough to move it up a bit to solve your problem.
To give a little extra boost, you might try bouncing on the sling ,which will apply more force to the load than your static body weight.
Want to read more comments on this method and a photo of the set up?
Please join my Premium Membership to read the entire article.
Thanks for your support!
The "Swiss cheese" model of risk mitigation
The “Swiss cheese” model is a metaphor for how risk can be reduced through overlapping and redundant safety systems.
Premium Members can read the entire article here:
The Swiss Cheese model is a metaphor used in safety science. It illustrates how accidents typically occur due to multiple, overlapping failures rather than a single cause.
Each "slice" of cheese represents a layer of defense (such as safety measures or procedures) within a system.
Each “hole” in the cheese symbolizes a potential weakness or failure.
If a hole in one slice of cheese is covered by a solid part of the next slice, you have a partial problem but is not (yet) a catastrophe.
Even if a slice of cheese is only 5% holes, there’s still a small chance that two holes could align, and that's when you could have a serious problem.
How does the Swiss Cheese model apply to climbing?
Join my Premium Membership to read the entire article.
Thanks for your support!
Keep it quiet for the tie in knot
Whatever conversation you're having, take a break when you or anyone else is tying into the rope.
This is a simple suggestion, but potentially a very important one: Avoid talking to someone when you, or they, are tying into the rope.
When anyone is tying what is potentially the most important knot of your/their life, it's best to give it your undivided attention.
Think of it as the equivalent of packing a parachute. If your friend was packing a parachute, you would hopefully not be distracting them with any sort of chatter, and hopefully they would do the same for you.
What's in my pack: big wall gear by Brent Barghahn
Pro climber Brent Barghahn has some impressive free climbing ascents of El Capitan, and definitely knows a thing or two about what to bring on a big wall. Here's a link to his checklist from a helpful blog article he wrote.
Premium Members can read the entire article here:
Brent on a crux section of El Corazon, El Capitan. Image: https://www.brentbarghahn.com/climbing-blog/el-corazon-ground-up-2022crux
Brent Barghahn, professional climber and humble bad-ass, knows a thing or two about big walls. He has some very impressive free ascents on El Capitan, such as El Corazon, El Nino, and Golden Gate.
He’s also an innovator of climbing gear, much of it for lead rope solo and top rope solo. Check out his company, Avant Climbing.
You can read some detailed stories of his climbing adventures on his blog.
One of his blog posts is a collection of general big wall tips.
The big wall tips are excellent. Many of them you'll find on the Alpinsavvy big wall section, such as:
using a tagline, among others.
In addition to the expert tips is Brent’s schweeeeet gear checklist. Attention to detail is crucial on a big wall, and a solid checklist like this will help you bring most everything you need.
(Yes, it's mostly focused on free climbing, which is beyond the skill level for most of us plodders, but it's still very useful for aid climbing.)
Alpinesavvy Premium Members get a direct link to the gear checklist. If you're not a Premium Member, you'll have to go to Brent’s blog at the link above and click through and find it yourself. My Premium Member article also has a link to a longform video with an interview with Brent and discussion of top rope solo and lead rope solo techniques.
Head scratcher: can you solve this rappel problem?
Think you're good at solving climbing problems on the fly? See if you can figure out this one!
Premium Members can read the entire article here:
This noggin-scratcher was solved in real life by Albin Thunander. Albin is a Swedish IFMGA Guide Candidate, and he shared with me the details of how he dealt with this. You can usually find him in the mountains around Chamonix. Connect with Albin on Instagram: @albinthunander.
I first heard of this trick from @tiffany_hensley, thanks Tiffany!
Think you're good at solving climbing problems on the fly? See if you can figure out this one!
Here's the scenario:
You're at the top of a 100 meter cliff.
There are only two anchors: one at the top and one at 50 meters.
You have one 80 meter rope.
There's no way of making other anchors and you can't walk down.
All you have is basic gear, like a harness, belay device, prusik cord and a couple of slings and carabiners. You don't have a Beal escaper, a tagline, or 25 meters of shoelaces or any other fancy gear.
How do you get safely to the ground?
There's no trick answer; no parachute, bouncing, rope stretching etc. It's actually doable and relatively low-risk, without any death techniques using self-releasing knots or taped-open-carabiner-fifi-hook Ninja trickery.
Treat this as more of a math problem, and not a climbing skills problem.
After you think about it, scroll down for a hint. After you read the hint, scroll farther for the answer.
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
.
Hint: You have a knife.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Answer:
Measure 25 meters of rope. Cut it. (If you don't have a knife, you can cut it on a sharp rock, or run a sling back-and-forth through the rope for a few seconds.)
Tie a bight knot at both ends. Clip one end of the 25 meter rope to the top anchor.
Toss the other end of the 25 meter section of rope. (This effectively makes a new “anchor” 25 meters below the top.)
Rap down this 25 meter single strand with the rest of the rope.
Xxxx . . .
Xxx . . .
Xxx . . .
Yay, done!