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efficient anchor management using just the rope?

Original Post
Phillip Tearse · · Denver, CO · Joined May 2008 · Points: 80

theorycrafting at work, yay!

So, I've been thinking of ways to help streamline my aid operation. One thing that always seems to be a giant CF is anchor management. We have always been using cordalettes and whatnot to equalize and backup anchors, but why? It seems like it would be way easier to just use the rope. The assumption I have made: beefy bolts in good rock. from what I've seen, most people will haul with 100% of the system weighting one bolt while having the others as backup.

What I came up with.

3bolt bigwall anchors

If it isnt clear, blue is the lead/jugging line, brown is the haul line. X's are bolts, 0s are lockers The brown triangle is the haulsystem (assuming no space hauling). C's in the rope are cloves, B's are butterflys, 8s are 8s.

So on the left, we have the belayer cloved into the middle bolt, directly over to the left bolt with little slack, butterflied to fix the line. Haul system is 8'd into the middle bolt, another 8 into the right bolt, then into the haul system (protrax 2:1 in my case). This gives me two nice 'shelves' to clip things to between the bolts, an adjustable tether for myself, uses a minimal amount of rope, and absolutely minimal cluster. The haul off to the side will put the bag out of the way at the belay and will hopefully be situated to not have to cross the belay when the pig is released on the next pitch.

The version on the right is what I came up with for when I might want to equalize either side. Belayer cloved into mid, butterfly midway between mid and left bolt, butterflied or 8'd into left bolt, down to the midway butterfly to another butterfly that fixes the line. Could do a similar setup for the haul.

Fatal flaws? Criticisms/critiques?

Wiled Horse · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2002 · Points: 3,669

3 bolt belays are nice!

coloradotomontana Erley · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2008 · Points: 75

What I would usually do in a 3 bolt operation is tie a double eared figure eight in the lead line, clip that to 2 bolts. then pull up the slack in the haul line and clip the haul system into the third bolt. clip the tail of the haul line to any bolt as a backup.

John McNamee · · Littleton, CO · Joined Jul 2002 · Points: 1,690

Check out the anchor thread over on supertopo.

Using the rope with butterfly knots is really clean and quick. Mark Hudon has posted up some pics of the system he uses.

supertopo.com/climbers-foru…

brian hess · · Logan, Utah · Joined Jan 2009 · Points: 400

Hey I'd throw out the trying to use the rope to set up the anchor. Do whatever is quick and simple. If your out of gear and need to use tne rope, the proposed system looks pretty good. Also I always try to set a up a different anchor for hauling, seperate from the one I am using to fix the line, etc. Same is true when setting up camp. As far as only three bolts I'd say its better to work your system off an equalized point. However, this looks for you. For a 3 bolt belay I like to eqalize the haul line off 2 bolts then equalize the fixed line off 2 bolts.

Brannen Brannen · · Flowery Branch, GA · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 0

Is there a good way to do this if you're leading in blocks or just one person is leading?

Marc H · · Longmont, CO · Joined May 2007 · Points: 265
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Big Wall and Aid Climbing
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