Climbing Tools: Re-directed anchor

Paul (not his real name) brings up Terry and the second pitch of the Grand Sentinal in teh Moraine lake area. This belay is redirected to make the belayer more comfortable. This adds to teh safety and comfort of all involved. On top Terry runs into te boys (Andrew Shepard, Peter Dean, Greg Golovach) working on "Cardiac Arete" 5.10d

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Category:

Sports

Tags:

• climbing
• lessons
• safety
• banff
• joe
• mckay
• redirect
• belay
• galapagoes
• tower
• Grand
• sentinal
• Moraine
• lake
• Canada
• Paul
• valiulis

[Dreampanos]

I am not the most experienced multi pitch climber.. but I would prefer to be belayed (or to belay) from the anchor rather from my harness... the physics are simple. Harness: about 14kN combined, Bolt: about 30kN. Is there any reason to belay directly from your harness?

[mikebarter387]

@Dreampanos There are a lot of reasons. One would be that managing the belay for the lead climber can be a lot easier and safer for the leader. Taking in and paying out can be a real f@#%$ing pain off a static point over your head. Protecting the anchor is a very real concern on some belays and you can act as a buffer for the force. Not all multi-pitch have bolts! Bring a second up off the anchor is very common the leader less so.

[mikebarter387]

@Dreampanos The 14kn vs 30 kn is a mute point. You can't come close to generating those forces unless your at a cragg where your fortunate enough to belay off your bumper but unfortante enough to have the vehicle pull away while doing so. Or in other words I can stick a 30.30 to your head or a .50 cal doesn't matter your dead any way you look at it. The numbers are off on your harness as it is a hell of a lot stronger then 14kn

The Mike

[mikebarter387]

@Dreampanos I have to agree with you. This is a pretty old video. Some folks do this not sure why thou.

[mcvinda]

Is this video really showing best practice???? Safety videos should leave the viewer, (probably a novice) with a clearer idea of how to improve their climbing safety.

A good effort, however i do believe you can do better.

[mikebarter387]

@mcvinda Thanks for that, Yoda.

[TserEonac]

@mcvinda Your so right! Their are better & safer ways to do alot of things covered in Mikes videos. I would suggest to anyone at the beginning of their climbing carers to seek better instruction than this video series! No offence Mike but if your publishing how-to videos you should use "best practices" taught in a more clear and cohesive manner.

[Dreampanos]

@mikebarter387 I agree!When belaying the leader I would belay him from my harness but still I would clip his rope through the main anchor biner.But to belay the second from a harness is pointless... in a fall you wont act as buffer since you are attached to the anchor system and eventually you'll stress it.. in that case your harness is like a one point anchor anchored on the main anchor... and btw the kN numbers are expressing directly the braking point and indirectly the likelihood to fail.

[coralnerd]

I'm not the worl'd most experienced multipitch climber, but I've never been able to understand why anyone would belay the second directly off their harness. I always use an ATC guide and belay my second directly off the anchor. I can't think of any real advantage in belaying off your harness with the rope redirected through the anchor. Does it somehow reduce the force on the anchor if the second falls compared to a direct belay on the anchor with an autolocking device?

[mikebarter387]

Ah saw Back Water Closet. Good to see that you are back with more o your insightful questions.

This is a unusaul case but here is what I have done in the past. I untye from the rope then thread it up my pant leg through my shorts and out the neck opening in my jacket. You have to build your anchor high enough so that it is above your head. Because we are talking ice now this is not a problem. Nothing worse then a icy rope so I hope this helps.