UrbanClimber Magazine
WORKSHOP - #6 > August/September 2005 - Cleaning the Anchors on Sport Routes


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Photo #6

[Photo #6]
Double check your new knot and then unclip your backup figure eight on bight from the locking biner on your belay loop.

[Photo #7]
Untie the figure eight on a bight. Unclip the backup draw hanging from the anchor and clip it into your belay loop and then into the belayer's end of the rope; this will keep you from swinging away from the wall (if it is overhung) as you are lowered down and will make cleaning the draws easier. Tell your belayer to take your weight.

[Photo #8]
Now that your belayer is holding your weight, check that your knot is correct, that you have untied and unclipped your figure eight on a bight and that your backup draw is off the anchors. Now unclip the draws on the chains from your harness, one at a time. Don't unclip the last draw without feeling your belayer holding your weight.

[Photo #9]
Sit back and tell your belayer to lower you. Yell for them to stop as you pass each draw on the way down. Unclip the draws from the bolt hangers. On steeper routes you will have to un-weight the rope in order to get the draws off the wall, so you may have to hunt around for a jug, pull on and unclip several times. Cleaning a steep route often feels almost as tiring as climbing it.

Get Your System Down - Quick Reference Points:
1. Bring and extra draw and locking carabiner
2. Clip your rope into the draws at the anchors (Draws A and B)
3. Yell for your belayer to take
4. Clip Draw C into one of the anchor bolt hangers for your backup
5. Clip your rope into the Draw C
7. Unclip the rope from Draw A and clip your harness's belay loop into Draw A
8. Unclip the rope from Draw B and clip your harness's belay loop into Draw B. Make sure the gates of A and B are opposed.
9. Call for ten feet of slack from your belayer
10. Tie a figure eight on a bight (Figure Eight B) five feet back on the rope
11. Clip Figure Eight B into your belay loop with the locking biner
12. Double check your locking biner's gate
13. Untie your original figure eight (Figure Eight A)
14. Thread the tail end of the rope through the bottom of the chains
15. Tie back into your harness through the tie in points with a figure eight and back it up with a double fisherman's knot
16. Unclip Figure Eight B from your locking biner and untie it
17. Unclip Draw C from the rope and the anchor bolt hanger
18. Check all knots, tie in points, harness straps, and anchor points thoroughly
19. Tell your belayer to take up the slack
20. Once the rope is tight, unclip Draws A and B
21. Check to make sure everything is clear, sit back, and lower
22. Stop and pick up the draws on the way down


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Photo #7


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Photo #9


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