Cleaning the Anchors

Cleaning the Anchors
Removing your gear at the top anchors when finished climbing a route
©2013 Richard Weber
Warning: No claim is made about the suitability of the information provided here on
cleaning anchors, for any purpose, either stated or implied. By reading the information
herein, you accept full responsibility for it’s use, and any consequences of that use.
Rock climbing is an inherently dangerous sport and should never be undertaken without competent instruction, followed up with practice on actual rock under the supervision of competent, experienced rock climbers. The information on this website is
subject to error and should supplement but never replace caution and common sense.
When reading descriptions of climbing routes in any guidebook or on-line guide, you
should understand that details pertaining to route length, type and location of descent,
and number of bolts may be significantly different than what is published.
Cleaning the Anchors
Introduction
You have climbed up to the top anchors and now wish to retrieve your two quickdraws (or whatever type of personal anchoring gear you
used) and rappel back down to the ground. This technique is called “cleaning the anchors.”
Rappelling is the preferred method for descending to the ground after cleaning the anchors as it does not cause any wear on the fixed
anchor hardware. There is another technique for descending back to the ground used by a few climbers that calls for the climber to be
lowered off by his belayer. This method does cause significant wear on the fixed anchor hardware and should be avoided.
Wait... just how can a climber being lowered on a soft nylon rope running through stainless steel rings cause wear on those rings?
This nifty stuff we climb on is called Corbin Sandstone. When Mother Nature and time erode it away we are left with sand on the ground
on which our climbing ropes sit. The sand becomes embedded in the ropes, turning them into very efficient abrasive cutting tools.
When a sand encrusted rope, under the weight of a lowering climber, is pulled through an anchor ring, the resulting wear is significant.
Figure 9 shows a worn rap ring removed from a popular climb in Muir Valley less than one year after it was installed.
Please note that there are many types of anchor systems installed on climbs throughout the Red River Gorge region. Almost all are redundant with two rock anchors of some type—usually rap rings, hanger brackets with quicklinks, or chains with quicklinks. The technique
described here with rap rings should work on those other systems by simply clipping your tethers into the two anchor points.
Step 1 - Tether yourself to the
anchors
You must first secure yourself directly to the permanent anchor system that is bolted to the rock. This is often referred to
as “going in direct.” There are several ways to do this. The
method shown here requires you to use two 2-foot runners
(60 cm), each of which is girth hitched to your belay loop. A
carabiner is connected to each runner and clipped to a gear
loop on the back of your harness to keep them out of the way
while you are climbing. We’ll call these girth-hitched runner
with a carabiner “tethers.”
When you reach the anchor system and while still being belayed by your partner, reach around to unclip the carabiner on
one tether and clip it to one of the rap rings as shown in Figure 1. Clip your other tether to the other to rap ring. There are
different types of anchor systems. This one with rap rings is
commonly found throughout the Red. Others consist of two
side-by-side glue-in bolts, two quicklinks, or chains. Regardless of the type of anchor system, be sure to tether yourself
securely to it.
Sit back and allow the tethers to tighten and take up your
weight. You may need to ask your belayer for a little slack so
that you can verify that you are, indeed, directly tethered to
the anchor system.
Figure 1 - Tethering into the anchors
Once you have confirmed that you are safely tethered, call
down to your belayer to take you off belay. This is usually done with: “Fred, I’m in direct and off your belay.” Wait until your belayer
confirms he has removed his belay device before proceeding with the task below.
Once your belayer has taken you off his belay, pull up about twelve feet of rope through the quickdraws and tie an overhand knot on a
bight as shown in Figure 2. Use a carabiner to clip this bight of rope onto a gear loop of your harness. This will ensure that you won’t
drop your rope when, in the next step, you untie it from your harness.
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Cleaning the Anchors
Step 2 - Untie the climbing
rope from your harness
After you have clipped the bight of rope to a gear loop of
your harness, untie the knot with which you tied the end of
your climbing rope to your harness. This is usually a retraced
figure eight or a bowline with a Yosemite finish.
Figure 2 - Untying the rope from your harness
Step 3 - Thread the rope
through the anchor rings
Remove the quickdraws at this point and hang them onto gear
loops on your harness.
Thread the end of the climbing rope through both rings (or
quicklinks or chain, if either of these are installed as the fixed
anchor system).
IMPORTANT! At this point, after you have pulled the rope
through both anchors, tie a stopper knot—usually a double
overhand knot—on the end of the rope. This is an important
safety step that can ensure that, in the event you fail to lower
the end of the climbing rope all the way to the ground, you
won’t rappel off the end and fall.
Lower the end of the rope with the stopper knot all the way to
the ground. Your belayer, who should be attentively watching
you will confirm that the end is on the ground.
Figure 3 - Threading the rope through the anchor rings
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Cleaning the Anchors
Step 4 - Tie an autoblock hitch
to both strands of your rope
You will need an autoblock cord to accomplish Step 4. If you
don’t have one, here’s how to make it. Cut a 50-inch length of
of 6-mm diameter accessory cord and connect the ends with
a double fisherman bend with 2-inch long tails. We will call
this the autoblock cord.
Clip a locking carabiner to your belay loop and clip the autoblock cord onto this carabiner near the double fisherman
bend. Wrap a bight of the autoblock cord around both strands
of the climbing rope three or four revolutions, and bring the
bight back to clip onto the carabiner with the first bight. You
should end up with the arrangement shown in Figure 4 and in
more detail in Figure 10.
Figure 4 - Tying an autoblock hitch to the climbing rope
Step 5 - Connect an ATC to
both strands of your rope
Figure 5 shows a short (30 cm) sewn sling girth hitched to
your harness’ belay loop. A quickdraw can also be used in
place of the sewn sling. The purpose of this sling is to extend the location of your rappel device—shown as an ATC
in Figure 5. Connect an ATC to this short sling. Insert both
strands of the climbing rope into the ATC by pushing a bight
from each strand through the openings, making sure to capture BOTH bights with the carabiner.
Although hidden behind the climber’s left hand in Figure 6,
the autoblock hitch is holding up the weight of the climbing
rope ends, making it easier for him to thread the rope into the
ATC.
Figure 5 - Connecting an ATC to both strands of the rope
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Cleaning the Anchors
Step 6 - Check your rigging BEFORE unclipping your tethers
Take slack out of the climbing rope, as shown in Figure 6,
and do a careful visual check to be sure that your rappelling
rig is correct.
Now, check it again!
Figure 6 - Checking your rigging before unclipping tethers
Step 7 - Unclip your Tethers
First, ensure that all slack is taken out of the two strands of
rope between the anchors and the ATC and between the ATC
and the autoblock hitch.
Next, pull down on the section of climbing rope between the
two anchor rings (or quicklinks or chain links). This action
creates a 2-to-1 purchase mechanical advantage—kind of
like a 2:1 pulley system—allowing you to pull yourself up
with a force equal to about half of your weight. This releases
tension on your tethers, allowing you to unclip them with
your free hand. Note that the autoblock hitch is backing up
your rope so that you don’t have to keep your brake hand on.
Note that some anchor systems are configured with only one
master point, instead of the two rings shown in Figure 7. On
these systems, you will not be able to pull down on the rope
as shown here and will need to relieve tension on your tethers
by pulling on the rock or a part of the anchor system, itself.
Figure 7 - Unclipping your tethers
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Cleaning the Anchors
Step 8 - Rappel to the ground
Make sure your tethers are stowed away on your harness.
Start rappelling by gripping the autoblock hitch and pulling
down on the top of it. If you want to stop rappelling, just
remove your hand from the hitch. This will give you both
hands free to clean any other gear that you may have left on
the climb as you descend.
Figure 8 - Rappelling to the ground
Rap ring worn by rope
This rap ring was removed from the top anchor system of a popular climb in Muir
Valley after only a few months of use. The two grooves worn into the rings are
clearly visible in the photo. Ideally, before the wear grows to a dangerous condition, these rings are replaced—a procedure that is costly in time and dollars. By
using the rappelling method described in this booklet, rather than the lowering-off
-through-the-rings method, the life of this hardware is greatly lengthened.
Figure 9 - Worn rings
The autoblock hitch
The autoblock cord is made from a 50-inch length of of 6-mm diameter accessory
cord with the ends connected with a double fisherman bend with 2-inch long tails.
The autoblock hitch is made by first clipping a bight of the autoblock cord onto a
carabiner that is clipped to your belay loop. Next, wrap a bight of the autoblock
cord around both strands of the climbing rope three or four revolutions, and bring
the bight back to clip onto the carabiner with the first bight
A good animation of how to tie an autoblock hitch is shown here: http://www.
marinews.com/bait-presentation/autoblock-knot/560/
Figure 10 - Details of Autoblock Hitch
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