Rock Climbing Anchors : A Comprehensive Guide

by Luebben, Craig

• ISBN13: 9781594850066
• ISBN10: 1594850062
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-02-28
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books

Summary

Climbing anchors allow climbers to safely defy gravity. Solid anchors and proper rope techniques can prevent a fall from turning into a catastrophe, while bad anchors are an accident waiting to happen, says certified guide Craig Luebben, who invented his own type of climbing protection, the Big Bro. Since then, he has taught rock climbing to hundreds of clients and has conducted self- rescue clinics across the United States. He distills more than twenty-five years of experience into Rock Climbing Anchors. This entry in the Mountaineers Outdoor Expert Series, for intermediate-to-advanced climbers, presents modern anchoring ideas and techniques for top-roping, rappelling, sport climbing, traditional rock climbing, and mountaineering-all in one comprehensive guide.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. 11
Introduction	p. 13
Anchor Basics
Top-rope anchors	p. 21
Rappel anchors	p. 21
Sport climbing anchors	p. 23
Belay anchors	p. 23
Lead protection	p. 24
Aid and big wall climbing	p. 25
Clean climbing	p. 25
Forces on climbing anchors	p. 25
How many anchors?	p. 28
How important is equalization?	p. 29
Pre-equalized anchors	p. 30
Self-equalizing anchors	p. 33
V-angle	p. 38
Pulley effect	p. 39
Multidirectional anchors	p. 40
Climber attachment to the anchors	p. 41
Belaying the second	p. 45
Belaying the leader	p. 50
Rock type and rock quality	p. 52
Natural and Fixed Anchors
Natural anchors	p. 57
Fixed anchors	p. 63
Chocks
Evolution of climbing chocks	p. 75
Wired nuts	p. 76
Hexagonal chocks	p. 85
Tri-cams	p. 86
Sliding nuts	p. 88
Expandable tubes	p. 89
Size and strength	p. 92
Cams
Cam evolution	p. 100
Setting and removing cams	p. 106
Good and bad cam placements	p. 108
Cam testing	p. 111
Cam design	p. 111
Top-rope and Rappel Anchors
Slingshot top rope	p. 122
Top belay	p. 124
Rappel anchors	p. 129
Sport Climbing Anchors
Clipping bolts	p. 140
Rigging top anchors for lowering and top-roping	p. 144
Multipitch belay anchors	p. 145
Traditional Belay Anchors
Belay station	p. 151
Belay rigging methods	p. 152
Cordelette craft	p. 157
Minimalist rigging with slings	p. 169
Rigging with the climbing rope	p. 172
Trad Leading
Protecting the climb	p. 182
Climbing Forces
Newton's laws of motion	p. 197
Potential and kinetic energy	p. 198
Impact force	p. 200
Impulse and momentum	p. 203
Strength of climbing gear	p. 205
Webbing, Cord, and Carabiners	p. 208
Knots	p. 212
Equations	p. 233
Glossary	p. 235
Resources	p. 243
Index	p. 245
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