Rock Climbing Basics The Beginner's Guide
Fourth Edition. January 2018
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Contents
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Introduction
4
Preparation
10
Top Rope Climbing
25
Lead Climbing
39
General
53
3
Te Climbing !arness Gear Loops These are for clippin# #ear to( such as )uic*draws. This way( you can ta*e #ear with you as you clim. They%re not stron# enou#h to hold your wei#ht( so ne+er clip the rope into them.
Buckle These can e used to ad!ust the si"e of your harness for a comfortale and ti#ht fit. $t%s important that they are fastened correctly &see &see pa#e 12'. 12'.
Waist Belt This fastens around the smallest part of your waist.
Elastic These stretchy pieces of faric help to stop your le# loops from slidin# down at the ac*. They can e ad!usted too.
Leg Loops These fasten around the top of your thi#hs.
Belay Loop This super stron# loop connects the waist elt to the le# loops. ,ou use it to elay from &more on this later'.
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7
!o" To To Tie In To a Climbing Rope Ro pe ,ou%ll need to tie the end of the rope to your harness efore you clim. The est way to do this is usin# a rethreaded fi#ure of 8 *not.
tep ! -a*e a loop aout a meter from the end of the rope. rap the end of the rope around the ase of the loop( then push the end throu#h the loop.
$t%s really important that you do it correctly( as this *not is what connects you to the whole climin# system and *eeps you safe.
tep " ,ou should end up with an %8%. -a*e sure the *not is around /0cm from the end of the rope. The eact len#th +aries with ropes of different diameters( ut you%ll you%ll soon #et used to it.
tep 3 ass the end of the rope throu#h bot# of the two points on the front centre of your harness the same ones your elay loop runs throu#h. $t is important that the rope #oes throu#h your harness in eactly the same way as your elay loop does.
/0cm
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tep % 3se the end of the rope to %re4trace% the fi#ure of 8 *not. Follow the twists of the rope startin# from where the rope !oins your harness.
tep $ ontinue followin# the twists until you end up ac* at the start of the *not.
ull the whole thin# ti#ht.
tep & -a*e sure the end of the rope is around 25cm lon#. $f it is shorter( you%ll ha+e to untie and start a#ain. 6fter this( you will need to tie a %stopper *not%. 7oop the short section of rope around the main len#th.
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tep 7 Do this twice( with the second loop closer to you than the first.
tep 0 ush the end of the rope throu#h these two loops( away from you.
$f you didn%t ha+e enou#h rope left to tie a stopper *not( you%ll need to retie the fi#ure of 8 so that you do.
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tep 1 ull this ti#ht too &ma*e sure it%s pushed ri#ht up a#ainst your fi#ure of 8 *not'.
$t ta*es a it of practise to !ud#e !ust the ri#ht amount of rope from the start( ut you%ll #et used to it soon.
!7
Climbing Calls %limin# calls% are certain words that climers use so that e+eryone *nows eactly what is happenin#( a it li*e %copy% or %o+er% on a two4way radio. These calls may seem a it ecessi+e standin#
when you%re standin# net to each other at the wall( ut they help to a+oid any confusion when you%re startin# out. Once you%re 50m away from each other outside and the wind is howlin#( you%ll see why they%re essential9
hen the climer is ready to clim( they tell the elayer to %ta*e in% the slac* rope. The elayer pulls the rope throu#h the elay de+ice until it is ti#ht on the climer.
hen the rope is ti#ht( the climer tells the elayer %that%s me%. This lets the elayer *now that the rope is ti#ht on to the climer and not twisted or stuc* anywhere else. hen the elayer is ready to elay( they tell the climer they are %on elay% and they can %clim when ready%.
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"1
6s a final chec* the climer tells the elayer they are %climin#%. ;ut the climer doesn%t lea+e the #round until they hear %O:% from the elayer. E+erythin#%s #ood to #o9
$f the climer wants a rest( they can tell the elayer to %ta*e%. The elayer holds the rope ti#ht with oth hands and replies %O:%.
$f the climer wants to e lowered down at any point &or if they reach the top'( they tell the elayer to %lower%. The elayer replies %lowerin#%. They then lower the climer down.
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32
Good #ela$ Tecni%ue
=eady to ta*e in( #i+e slac* or loc* off
=ope fairly ti#ht
Ti#ht #rip on rope
&arning' (eep !old )* Te Rope hen you elay you need to *eep at least one hand on the ra*e rope all the time. $t is this that stops the climer from fallin# to the #round. 7ettin# #o of the ra*e rope is li*e lettin# #o of the steerin# wheel while dri+in# on a fast country road. $t%s incredily important that you pay constant attention when elayin# and ne+er let #o of the ra*e rope9
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30
Rock Climbing Basics: Lead Climbing
-#otograp#er: >am >impson
&arning' #ac+,Clipping The rope needs to e clipped throu#h the )uic*draw so that the end of the rope attached to you comes out of the front side of the )uic*draw. $f you fall( the rope will stay clipped throu#h the carainer.
$f you clip it the wron# way round( the rope could snap throu#h the carainer%s #ate if you fall. This would unclip the rope from the carainer. This is *nown as %ac* clippin#%. $f you%re elayin# a leader( *eep an eye out for them accidentally ac* clippin#( and let them *now if they ha+e9
&arning' Cross,Loading -a*e sure your carainers do not ecome %cross loaded% when you clim &loaded sideways'. 6lso ma*e sure the carainer%s #ate has snapped shut after you%+e clipped the rope throu#h it. Either of these will ma*e your carainer cara iner much muc h wea*er. wea*er. 7earn more aout carainer stren#th ratin#s? www.+diffclimin#.com@asic4iners Learn more: www.vdiffclimbing.com
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Clipping Te Top -ncor Once you #et to the top of the wall( you%ll need to clip the rope throu#h the top anchor. Different walls ha+e different systems for this some ha+e two snap#ate carainers( some ha+e one or two screw#ate carainers that you%ll need to unscrew first. 6s* one of the staff efore leadin# if in dout9 $t%s important to ma*e sure that the anchor you clip does not ha+e another rope already runnin# throu#h it.
>imply lower down( unclippin# them from oth the olt and rope and then clippin# them ac* to your #ear loops. The elayer will need to stop lowerin# you at each olt so you ha+e time to do this.
Pulling Te Rope .o"n hen you%re pullin# a lead rope down( shout %rope% efore it falls( so that e+eryone around you is epectin# it a fallin# rope in the head hurts9 -a*e sure to pull the rope throu#h so that the fallin# end drops down throu#h the clipped )uic*draws this will slow it down and ma*e it safer saf er..
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Further Information:
- %se basic climbing gear - Tie into the rope - )elay lea! an! top rope+ - limb efficiently - %n!erstan! fall potential Plus much more.
* Perfect for those who want to start rock climbing. * 100 accurately !rawn, full-colour illustrations. * "trong emphasis on climbing safety. * #$ information-packe! information-packe! pages. * %p!ate! &ecember '01(
