Tight Rope Prevention

[SCIN]

I once fed Artsay a huge length of slack when she whipped off of Bare Metal Teen (a steep route). She still hit the wall because I was standing away from the wall instead of up near that ledge it starts from. She took the same whip a few minutes later but this time I was on the ledge and was able to jump. She didn't hit the wall that time.

My Mr. Wizard experiment shows that the angle of the rock and the amount of slack does not necessarily equal a soft catch. Jumping is better.

[SikMonkey]

I remember that day. You got a standing ovation from the crowd for your catch.

Mj

[Artsay]

OK, I changed it to "tight roping" for topic clarity. I'm known to make up words so this is nothing new.

[TradMike]

Jumping is definitely the key. Since you are on a steep route, horizontally displaced from the last bolt, you will swing in the direction of the last bolt. By hopping up at the proper moment, you prevent the transfer up downward energy to rotational energy when the rope comes tight. That energy gets dissipated into an upward pull on the belayer with the all important. You can hop up on a multi-pitch belays as well. Just make sure you have enough slack in your system to allow for it. The only time the belayer does not want to be pulled up is if you are under a roof of sort or if your belay anchor could be ripped out from an upward pull. Then place screamers if you have a tight system that doesn't allow for impact absorption. It’s most important on the first piece out from the belay. I cringe everytime I see someone anchoring tight to the ground. The person who decked on Rock Wars blew out the rock because their belayor was anchored tight. Had he allowed for some up pull it probably wouldn't have been a problem.

[kato]

It doesn't really matter how much rope is out. When the rope starts to go tight, you (the belayer) just need to apply the countering force (your weight) as slowly as possible. Usually by jumping. If you can spread the stopping force over a larger amount of time, your climber gets a softer catch.

Note also, if you jump too fast, you can still doink your climber. If the rope hasn't started to tighten and you are already at the top of your jump, you will tight-rope your climber.

[GWG]

Note also, if you jump too fast, you can still doink your climber. If the rope hasn't started to tighten and you are already at the top of your jump, you will tight-rope your climber.

Actually, this scenario will result in an even greater force against the climber. You have started to fall back onto the rope, tightening it on your end as they tighten their end.

I got plucked off the wall by an over anxious belayer. I had realized I was out of sequence and cursed myself, started to down climb a move or two. The belayer thought I was coming off, they jumped, pulled in slack and pulled me off the wall clean as a whistle.

Question for the masses: If you see someone belaying dangerously, do you address it?

I would certainly hope that if I'm doing something stupid, someone will point it out to me. Of course with me, doing something stupid is a pretty common occurance.

[moonbeam]

Don't Jump. It's more of a giving into the pull of the rope when it starts to come tight. Let it lift you off the ground. If you jump when your climber is low on the route, you'll either put them very close to the ground, or you'll be wearing them as a hat.
Jumping is really only cool when the climber is way up on a steep route. Then you both get a ride.

The amount of slack you have out has nothing to do with a soft catch - except to add rope stretch which isn't as nice as a short fall with a moving belayer. The longer fall (with alot of slack) only adds momentum as the climber plummets. Blow the catch at that point and you slam the climber into the wall.

But, do whatever you want. It adds to the excitement at the cliff.

[rhunt]

Question for the masses: If you see someone belaying dangerously, do you address it?

I would certainly hope that if I'm doing something stupid, someone will point it out to me. Of course with me, doing something stupid is a pretty common occurance.

Man I use to but unless I think someone is in a seriously dangerous situation I don't say much anymore. I see so much dumb stuff at the cliff these days that I usually just need to walk away...

[moonbeam]

Question for the masses: If you see someone belaying dangerously, do you address it?

I would certainly hope that if I'm doing something stupid, someone will point it out to me. Of course with me, doing something stupid is a pretty common occurance.

I usually help somebody out if they are open to learning something new. Nobody really wants the day to be ruined by someone getting hurt at the cliff. But, for those tragically cool people that act like they know everything - well, they can keep on with what they are doing as I leave the area.

[meetVA]

I was once told that rather than jump to give a soft catch that I should bend my knees and sink down then when it is time for the "jump" to stand up (more or less).
A small hop would be easier to master than the other way but both require practice.
I think the idea of practicing a catch/fall scenario is a good one. It won't deminish the adrenaline rush that occurs with an unexpected fall but at least the body will have some memory of what it is supposed to do.

I am fairly "small" in comparison to a lot of people that I climb with. The thing that worries me the most about belaying is if I should have to run away from the wall in order to take up some slack for a person larger than me... I guess I worry about the force of the pull, the fact that I will probably be on loose dirt and get dragged/jerked harshly. Does anyone have any suggestion or commentary to address towards this concern? Am I missing out on something here?

And in regards to the non-safe belaying...I too hope someone would point out my mistakes to me. I know that my friends have made suggestions...thank you guys!