Munter Hitch

I use a Munter to "tie" into an anchor point when I want to be mobile from said anchor. I can basically lower myself where I want to be, clove myself into my lowering strand by clipping it into my belay loop, get comfy, then batman back to the anchor, autoblocking the lowering strand if I want more safety.
It works especially well topping out on climbs where you want to tie off that Big Friendly Tree thirty feet away, but still want to be able to see your partner while belaying.

matt davies wrote:I use a Munter to "tie" into an anchor point when I want to be mobile from said anchor. I can basically lower myself where I want to be, clove myself into my lowering strand by clipping it into my belay loop, get comfy, then batman back to the anchor, autoblocking the lowering strand if I want more safety. It works especially well topping out on climbs where you want to tie off that Big Friendly Tree thirty feet away, but still want to be able to see your partner while belaying.

that's how I mostly use Munter - I learned it from a friend who guides and also a tech tips article in the Climbing magazine few years back. Instead of clove-hitching though, I pull a foot or two of the rope (both strands) and tie them into a figure 8 on a bight - that's my new belay anchor point.

Some nice tips on uses! Thanks for sharing the knowledge on how you use the Munter.

If you have any other uses or tricks, please don't hesitate to post :D

I and a few of the folks I climb with started using the munter part to gain proficiency, part as a novelty, and eventually learned that it's not just good as a backup plan but has become our go-to belay method in certain circumstances.

The one that comes to mind immediately is belaying from above off the anchor, where belaying with an ATC (except an ATC Guide in guide mode) is truly a pain in the ass. If there isn't room to easily re-direct, I'll use the munter. If you manage both the climber and brake ends of the rope, it's an easy-to-use system that's hard to beat.

One disadvantage to the munter that I'm surprised nobody has mentioned is the disconcerting short "drop" you get at the start of lowering a climber when the knot flips as you transition from "belay" to "lower." That'll get your attention the first time.

Figured I'd add this link... it's a good article, and it adds a very interesting tech tip... and Autoblocking Munter Hitch. Very interesting. Now I need to go see how diffucult it is to release the autoblocking Munter.

climbing.com/print/techtips…

Monster Munter

youtube.com/watch?v=6ulTTrh…

The REMY hitch - basically another version of the autoblocking Munter. I've played around with this one and it works pretty well but would be hard to release.

youtube.com/watch?v=FI9FpG4…

springs wrote:Autoblocking Munter Hitch. Very interesting. Now I need to go see how diffucult it is to release the autoblocking Munter. http://www.climbing.com/print/techtips/tech_tips_trad_-_munter_magic/

I've seen the Swiss Miss demonstrate that. Pretty nifty.

Brian in SLC wrote: I've seen the Swiss Miss demonstrate that. Pretty nifty.

Hehe, oops, fixed that link. It is sort of nifty. Been playing around with it, but I really want to see how it does for releasing after it's loaded. :D

Here is a method to "unload" locked Munter. It involves some rope management but is not overly complicated.

- connect sling (or section of climbing rope) to anchor
- attach a friction knot (i.e. Prusik or other) to loaded strand
- run sling (or climbing rope if used) through a biner at friction knot and attach end of sling to belay loop of harness with biner
- using legs stand up from a crouching/squat position - this will create a 2:1 pulley effect at friction knot, removing weight from loaded strand at "locked" Munter
- remove "locking" biner at locked Munter, returning it to the normal belay Munter/ tie off with a Munter/Mule for security
- drop back down to squat, loading Munter/Mule
- remove friction knot/sling
- resume belaying or lowering.

spencerparkin wrote: This eludes to my point about the 75% to 100% friction.

Ah yes, that elusive friction...

Geir ToofastTopos.com wrote: I use the Munter Hitch every time I climb. It works great for belaying from the anchor and lowering people. You can do either of these with absolutely no kinking if you keep the belay strand parallel to the load strand as many people of already mentioned. While lowering from the anchor is a breeze with a Munter Hitch, it is hard on the rope sheath. So when time allows, you can use lower directly from the anchor using another device such as an ATC without fraying your sheath as much.

How's the munter on belaying from the anchor in regards to rope wear?

I found they were really hard on ropes so quit using them.

matt davies wrote: I use a Munter to "tie" into an anchor point when I want to be mobile from said anchor. I can basically lower myself where I want to be, clove myself into my lowering strand by clipping it into my belay loop, get comfy, then batman back to the anchor, autoblocking the lowering strand if I want more safety. It works especially well topping out on climbs where you want to tie off that Big Friendly Tree thirty feet away, but still want to be able to see your partner while belaying.

This.
I'll use the Munter to belay my second from above, or tie someone off with a Munter-Mule every now and then. Only just for practice, so in the event something does happen I'll remember what to do. Otherwise, I only use the Munter as Matt described. 

matt davies wrote: I use a Munter to "tie" into an anchor point when I want to be mobile from said anchor. I can basically lower myself where I want to be, clove myself into my lowering strand by clipping it into my belay loop, get comfy, then batman back to the anchor, autoblocking the lowering strand if I want more safety. It works especially well topping out on climbs where you want to tie off that Big Friendly Tree thirty feet away, but still want to be able to see your partner while belaying.

I use a variation of this method.  I tie a butterfly or overhand "power point" on my rope at a convenient level.  The rope goes through a carabiner at the remote anchor and back to a munter on a carabiner on the power point.  I use the munter to "rappel" to the belay position, and then tie it off as a munter mule. So the difference is that I have the munter with me rather than it living remotely back up at the anchor.  When the second arrives, they can clip to the power point and the munter can be used to belay both of us simultaneously back to the anchor.

I already mentioned the munter pop method of passing a knot on rappel, which is by far the most efficient way to do this.

Of course the munter (mule) is essential for anchoring any kind of inanimate weight.

rgold wrote:

I use a variation of this method.  I tie a butterfly or overhand "power point" on my rope at a convenient level.  The rope goes through a carabiner at the remote anchor and back to a munter on a carabiner on the power point.  I use the munter to "rappel" to the belay position, and then tie it off as a munter mule. So the difference is that I have the munter with me rather than it living remotely back up at the anchor.  When the second arrives, they can clip to the power point and the munter can be used to belay both of us simultaneously back to the anchor.

I already mentioned the munter pop method of passing a knot on rappel, which is by far the most efficient way to do this.

rgold, tying the Munter at the remote anchor masterpoint and self-belaying down to the belay stance, then tying a BHK for the power point is more streamlined than the method you describe- it also allows the belayer to easily belay him/herself and the follower back to the remote anchor. What do you see is the advantage of having the Munter at the power point? I would think moving the Munter/power point assembly during your "rappel" is more cumbersome than simply holding on to the brake strand of the anchor Munter as the belayer repositions.  

Brian in SLC wrote: I don't find a munter that inconvenient to operate, but, I much prefer a belay device in any orientation over a munter. I can't imgaine a situation where a munter hitch would be more convenient.

Here are four:

(1) Direct anchor belay where the follower needs slack or lowering- the Munter is more convenient feeding slack/lowering than tubular belay devices in guide mode. However, if I anticipated the need to feed slack/lower the climber off the anchor an ABD (Grigri) would be my first choice- if I had it with me.

(2) Direct anchor belay where the belayer is out-of-reach of the device (for example, they've repositioned themselves away from the anchor to watch/coach the second) and the follower needs slack- guide mode or ABDs require the belayer to attend the device to feed slack. There are methods for extending the master point that also work for this application.

(3) Direct anchor belay of a beginning rappeller, where it is possible to feed slack quickly while maintaining an effective belay. Guide mode cannot perform this task. ABDs like the Grigri cannot feed slack out fast enough, and must be manually kept open to do so (i.e. the device is not in the braking mode during any part of the belay cycle). My observations of this misapplication also show that the belayer often cannot simultaneously pull slack fast enough, keep the Grigri open, and maintain a brake hand; usually the brake hand is compromised. I often find myself at a distance from the anchor when coaching rappelling, so (2.) also applies here.

(4) Climbing with coils on 3rd/4th Class terrain and needing to transition from shortroping to quick belays on short stretches of 5th Class. It's much easier to one-handed set up a Munter belay off the leaders belay loop HMS carabiner while maintain rope tension i.e. contact with the second (this is called a Window Munter) than thread a belay device. A waist or terrain belay can often, but not always, be used in this application, which are also often more convenient than using a belay device.

Admittedly (2) - (4) apply more to guided/instructional scenarios.

slevin wrote:

rgold, tying the Munter at the remote anchor masterpoint and self-belaying down to the belay stance, then tying a BHK for the power point is more streamlined than the method you describe- it also allows the belayer to easily belay him/herself and the follower back to the remote anchor. What do you see is the advantage of having the Munter at the power point? I would think moving the Munter/power point assembly during your "rappel" is more cumbersome than simply holding on to the brake strand of the anchor Munter as the belayer repositions.  

Not a whole lot of difference either way.  As a general principle, I like having the operational bits of a system right there with me rather than remote and out of reach.

In my system the power point moves up and down as the Munter is adjusted; if I understand correctly (which I may not) the BHK is fixed once it is tied and the amount of slack needed to tie it has to be estimated, making it harder to fine-tune the anchor length.  Also, in my system, since the power point moves up as the Munter is taken in, the weight of both climbers (if they fall) is held on two strands and so requires half the effort to hold compared to belaying both climbers up on one strand with remote Munter.

Of the Munter advantages you've listed, I think #2 is pretty significant for all parties, not just guided ones.