Natural Anchor Practice

RNclimber wrote: While I have never heard of people dying from their rope being severed while climbing, except for top ropping over an edge, I'm sure it has happened.

Rare. Yes. But it does happen. It is something to be aware of.

rockclimbing.com/cgi-bin/fo…

Sorry to reference Rc.com but I couldn't find a post on here about it...

Still waiting for the "Yer gunna die" comment...

I feel a great consensus from some people on this thread. If you can't trust uber strong webbing on tree that's been growing out of solid rock for a century, you should probably go back to the gym.

Outdoor climbing isn't for everyone, just like R/X trad isn't for everyone. And as the master rule in "extreme" sports, if you're not comfortable doing something, don't do it, trust your gut.

Stagg54 wrote: Rare. Yes. But it does happen. It is something to be aware of. rockclimbing.com/cgi-bin/fo… Sorry to reference Rc.com but I couldn't find a post on here about it...

I wouldn't say its all that rare.
When my brother and I were fresh into climbing he cut the lead rope, not completely through but deep into the core. Only realized this later as he was belaying me up. Good thing he didn't take a second fall and I never weighted the rope.
Another indecent where a friend of mine was leading a short sport route and fell clipping the last bolt. She somehow threw the rope behind a large block and it cut right through. She decked but lived with only a broken leg.

Both happened because of sharp rock and its nothing to take too lightly.

As far as building an top anchor with just one girth hitched sling is ludicrous.

Tedk wrote:5 feet around, alive.

haha well that sounds pretty safe to me!!

Guy Keesee wrote:TEX, if you wont trust a tree as an anchor, maybe climbing is not the best sport for you. If you think about it, some.

Yup... I agree. I always say to people, you remember what it looks like when a car hits a tree? who wins? And how small a tree will stop a car? If you don't feel safe on one tree then you shouldnt be climbing. Maybe not with just one sling but, one decent size tree is def ample in MY book.

I love well rooted, healthy trees. They're one of the most bomber anchors. For a tree anchor, I prefer two strands around the tree tied off with a figure eight or overhand for the master point. This way you have two independent strands around the tree. You need to be confident in the size, health and roots of the tree.

Ryan202 wrote:I love well rooted, healthy trees. They're one of the most bomber anchors. For a tree anchor, I prefer two strands around the tree tied off with a figure eight or overhand for the master point. This way you have two independent strands around the tree. You need to be confident in the size, health and roots of the tree.

We love those ones to DEATH in CT ;-)

Does anyone know if they make a good bolt for trees?

Nothing makes me feel more warm and fuzzy than clipping a good bolt anchor.

maybe a climb-tech design where we can drill a nice clean hole in a tree and use a removable anchor. All that tat and shiney rock bolts are just unsightly, sometimes. You can remove it, so it would be clean pro, very clean, and make it with an anti-sapper to keep all that goupy stuff off my PAS.

folks a single girth hitched newish sling in good condition around a tree wont break in a recreational climbing situation, especially if theres rope in the system

now around a rock horn it may get cut ... but it wont break

for those of you who believe otherwise ... better stop girth hitching your PASes, daisies and purcells into your harnesses

that said its usually easier to pull the rope around the tree and clove it back to your harness ... faster, no need for a sling and easier

;)

Robert D. wrote:If the tree is secure (i.e. big and well rooted--shake it a look at the roots) I just sling the tree with the rope. Quick, fast and boomproof.

Just make sure to check that the tree is relatively clean, first. Getting sap on your rope sucks a lot more than getting it on a sling or two.

David Gibbs wrote:I'm guessing you meant 5 inches around, rather than 5 feet.

A tree that's 5 feet around has a 9.5 inch diameter. I'd still say that's overkill, but he certainly didn't mean to say 5 inches around since that would be a stick barely over 3/4 inch wide! =)

Edit: It has a 9.5 inch RADIUS, not diameter (which would be 19 inches). And the "5 inch around" tree would be 1.6 inches wide.

Ian Stewart wrote: Just make sure to check that the tree is relatively clean, first. Getting sap on your rope sucks a lot more than getting it on a sling or two. A tree that's 5 feet around has a 9.5 inch diameter. I'd still say that's overkill, but he certainly didn't mean to say 5 inches around since that would be a stick barely over 3/4 inch wide! =)

A tree 5 feet in circumference has a diameter of 19 inches.

22 KN SLING, 22 KN LOCKER, that's an anchor that can hold 5,000 lbs. no need for redundancy

rocknice2 wrote: A tree 5 feet in circumference has a diameter of 19 inches.

Doh, you're right. Mixed up my diameter with radius. Stupid math...

bearbreeder wrote:folks a single girth hitched newish sling in good condition around a tree wont break in a recreational climbing situation, especially if theres rope in the system now around a rock horn it may get cut ... but it wont break for those of you who believe otherwise ... better stop girth hitching your PASes, daisies and purcells into your harnesses that said its usually easier to pull the rope around the tree and clove it back to your harness ... faster, no need for a sling and easier ;)

When my partner and I playing fast and loose on a route all below or ability then I wouldn't bat an eyelash at a skinny dental floss sling girth hitched around a tree. Hell a hip belay is used at times.
If we're doing a route that will most likely involve repeated hangs and top rope falls and I arrive to the anchor to see a tiny g-sling anchor, I'll shit!

rocknice2 wrote: When my partner and I playing fast and loose on a route all below or ability then I wouldn't bat an eyelash at a skinny dental floss sling girth hitched around a tree. Hell a hip belay is used at times. If we're doing a route that will most likely involve repeated hangs and top rope falls and I arrive to the anchor to see a tiny g-sling anchor, I'll shit!

top rope falls ... hmmmm

well i suggest you dont rap off a single sling or ablakov then ...

or hang from any PAS or other such on raps

;)

So you're more than comfortable flailing around knowing you're on an anchor consisting of one skinny girth hitched sling ¿ ;-)

Adam Reke wrote:22 KN SLING, 22 KN LOCKER, that's an anchor that can hold 5,000 lbs. no need for redundancy

Is not about the math. That fact is a soft good can get cut and the thinner it is the less it takes to cut it.

bearbreader: I don't rap off single slings, single Abalokovs and when I use a sling/PAS as a tether, it's a thick one.

Well youre the one going off about SKINNY slings =P

Ill repeat a newish sling in good condition wont break under recreational climbing loads

They can however get cut ... If theres any real chance they get cut double it up

For a nice round tree, well that tree wont cut a sling

And plenty of folks use including myself have used sling slings in a non-redundant configuration on trees just fine

If you are worried about breaking slings from girth hitching ... Dont use em on your pas

Thick or thin, doesnt matter as an actual pas is da deadlay dyneema which we all know and luuuv

;)

bearbreeder wrote:If you are worried about breaking slings from girth hitching ... Dont use em on your pas

The difference between a TR anchor and a girth-hitched PAS is that the PAS is always right in front of you and always in sight, so you know exactly what's happening to it at all times. A TR anchor on the other hand will very often be out of sight for MOST of your climbing, so you may have no idea about the marmot up top chewing on that sling that got all salty from your summer sweat.

I know that a single sling is more than enough, and I'd rap/bail off a single sling around a fat tree any day. And if I had to TR off one, that probably wouldn't bother me much either. But if I'm setting up the anchor myself, I'd throw a second one on there. It certainly doesn't hurt, it might save your life in that 0.00000001% chance failure, and it's not like I'm in short supply of slings.

You've convinced me BB. Single girth hitched slings anchors for everyone. BTW, I'll be in Squamish in a few weeks, we should go climbing.