TRAIL MOUNTAINEER EXPERT ADVICE
Key Skill 2: STACKING ROPE
INTO YOUR RUCKSACK
MAKE ME A
MOUNTAINEER
Stage 11: Moving together
Welcome to the 11th step in this 12-month programme to equip
you – an easy-grade scrambler – with all the skills you need to begin
your mountaineering career. I’m Stuart Johnston, your mentor. In this
issue we’re looking at how to move together, tied onto a rope, while
travelling over climbing and scrambling terrain. Should you have any
queries about this or other climbing matters, email me at
[email protected]
MOVE ON UP
“
Moving together is the term
TO COMPLETE
STAGE 11 YOU
WILL NEED:
l A harness
l A helmet
l 6 HMS
screwgate
karabiners
l A rack of
protection
l A rope
l Extenders or
quickdraws
Key Skill 1: MAKING CHEST COILS
used to describe two or
more climbers tied together on the
same rope. It’s a technique that
enables you to move at good pace on
1
Key Skill 3: MOVING TOGETHER USING
PROTECTION
2
steep and often exposed terrain,
KNOW IT
Stacking spare rope into your rucksack
is better to use when you know exactly
how much rope you will need between
both climbers. You can always add
more rope to the system easily but you
will either need to stop and pack
excess rope back into your rucksack
or take chest coils to quickly secure.
without compromising safety. But
MASTER IT
The lead climber is more likely to
need the excess rope. Simply stack
the spare rope into your rucksack
loosely – not coiled as you may need
to pull some out at a moment’s
notice.
Having reached the desired length of
rope, you need to lock off the rope to
your harness by clipping it into your
tie-in loop using a pre-clipped HMS
screwgate karabiner.
beware: it can be very dangerous if
used incorrectly and it is a system that
Key Skill 4:
SLACK ROPE WALKING
is often misunderstood.
The most common error people
make is to move together on exposed
KNOW IT
When moving together, if one climber
slips, the other will counterbalance the
fall. Before the leader sets off, the
second may need to establish an anchor
and belay until the rope has been paid
out . This will allow the leader to
establish a safe distance between
himself and the second, placing some
protection (‘pro’) as he progresses on
the route.
Once all the rope has been paid out,
the leader may decide to take a belay or
continue on. If continuing on, the second
must now move with the leader. To move
together successfully the climbers must
communicate efficiently to allow this type
of movement to flow and be safe.
MASTER IT
The leader will place protection at
safe intervals. As the second moves
towards the protection, he or she must
maintain the set distance of rope
spaced between both climbers. Avoid
snags by making sure the second
doesn’t move too quickly.
When a second does extract protection
from the rock there should always be
at least another two in position.
When the leader reaches a comfortable
stance he or she can either quickly
wrap the rope round a solid rock and
continue to use a direct belay, carry on
walking allowing rope drag to create
friction, or stop and create an anchor.
terrain unprotected; if one should slip
then the other will almost definitely get
HOMEWORK
pulled off, with dire consequences. But
when used appropriately, moving
together will not only keep you safe
WHAT TO DO
THIS MONTH
3
but will also speed up your progress
l Practise change-overs from walking with slack rope, to stopping and
taking a belay, then on to moving
with leader-placed protection.
on those long routes.
The length of rope between
mountaineers moving together will
l Select your next scrambling route
with care. It’s best to select a route
that has good ledges or easier
sections that don’t require full-on
ropework.
depend upon whether they are
climbing as a group, in twos or in
threes. This number will in turn reflect
the terrain, route length and technical
l Avoid practising for the first time on
exposed rock as the teamwork
involved in moving together takes
some practice and understanding.
difficulties.
Most difficulties on scrambling
routes are compact in nature, so 10m
of rope between two climbers will often
suffice. If you note a section of
exposure to be slightly longer than
anticipated just increase the length of
KNOW IT
Before making chest coils, ensure you are wearing your
rucksack. If you take coils without having your rucksack on,
you will be unable to get it back on comfortably – rucksack
straps take up a lot of space.
rope between both climbers from say
PHOTOGRAPHS TOM
BAILEY
10m to 20m.
There are two recognised methods
for storing excess rope: making chest
coils and stacking the rope in your
rucksack – and we’ll be
covering both here.
132 TRAIL June 2005
”
SELF ASSESSMENT
MASTER IT
Take the rope from your tie-in loop around your neck and
down towards a hand just opposite your harness belt. This
will be a guide to the coil size.
Now take the rope from the stacked rope on the ground and
coil it around your neck and into your hand opposite your
waistbelt, maintaining good tension all the time (this is
important as it prevents the loops from becoming too slack
and uneven).
Continue to take in until the desired length of rope between
the climbers is achieved.
Put your left arm through the loops created.
To lock off coils, take a bight (loop of rope) from the main
rope around 35cm in length, pass this length up and behind
the coils then bring forwards and clip the bight into a preclipped HMS screwgate karabiner located on your tie-in loop.
When climbing in a pair, both climbers can take chest coils
to shorten the rope. This also provides an advantage of both
climbers being able to provide more rope into the main
length at any time.
KNOW IT
Slack rope walking is a term used to
describe two climbers roped and
moving together on non-exposed
terrain; in other words, there’s no
chance of falling off anything and the
ground is low-risk.
It is common for you to encounter flat,
non-graded terrain following an ascent
of an exposed section of rock. At this
point, to save time, energy and faff, it is
best to stay tied together as you make
your way to the next exposed section.
MASTER IT
Only one of the two climbers is
required to take up the slack rope.
Simply coil the rope into your hand,
making short loops of one foot in
length, until you have only 1 to 2m of
rope remaining from the hand coils to
your partner’s tie-in loop.
Having hand-coiled the rope, you
have prevented unnecessary wear
and tear on the rope from it dragging
along the ground. Both climbers can
now move comfortably together
towards the next technical section.
WARNING
When using this technique, one thing
should be understood above all else:
moving together never means
moving without protection, unless
slack rope walking.
Top mountain instructor Stuart
Johnston MIC is co-author of The
Hillwalker’s Guide to Mountaineering
and The Mountain Skills Training
Handbook. For more about Stuart,
visit www.climbmts.co.uk
next month
When moving together,
check for slack rope
dragging on the ground and
avoid this at all times.
You must always move
together at the pace of the
lead climber. If the second
moves too fast the rope will
drag along the ground, get snagged
and possibly become damaged.
Practise linking up moving
together with taking a belay.
Make a list of routes where
using the skill of moving
together could be
advantageous. Visit one of
these routes and practise moving
together. Choose a grade that is well
within your capability.
WHERE TO BUY
For climbing kit and clothing,
visit www.cotswoldoutdoor.com
STAGE 12: Abseils and the head-game