Cleaning top rope anchors and setting up rappels with a single sling

Hey climbers
I clean lot of single pitch sport routes. Sometimes for lowering off and otherwise rappelling. I want to check that my current approach is safe. As I see it there are two main options which people use.

1. PAS which can clip (mostly) equalized to both bolts.
2. Sling or Purcell or other tether to simply clip to one bolt and forget about equalization.
3. Use two slings (one for each bolt).

I don't like 2 because it doesn't equalize load on both bolts and isn't redundant if one fails. Although this approach is pretty common from what I see around me.
3 is a faff and requires an extra sling in my rope loops (along with one which I use to extend my rappel.

What I've been thinking of doing is using one girth hitched sling with two lockers. I clove the left strand to a locker and clip to bolt. Then I clove the right strand to the other locker and clip to other bolt. After adjusting the hitches I'm equalized on both bolts with my sling with one strand to each bolt.

Is this safe?

-Daniel

• Quit rappelling off single pitch sport routes.
• Option 3 is most straightforward and not at all a faff if you've done it regularly

If using 3 what do you do if you need to shorten one or both slings to adjust your stance?

Clove a single strand to a locker at appropriate length?

Daniel CT wrote: Hey climbers
I clean lot of single pitch sport routes. Sometimes for lowering off and otherwise rappelling. I want to check that my current approach is safe. As I see it there are two main options which people use.

1. PAS which can clip (mostly) equalized to both bolts.
2. Sling or Purcell or other tether to simply clip to one bolt and forget about equalization.
3. Use two slings (one for each bolt).

I don't like 2 because it doesn't equalize load on both bolts and isn't redundant if one fails. Although this approach is pretty common from what I see around me.
3 is a faff and requires an extra sling in my rope loops (along with one which I use to extend my rappel.

What I've been thinking of doing is using one girth hitched sling with two lockers. I clove the left strand to a locker and clip to bolt. Then I clove the right strand to the other locker and clip to other bolt. After adjusting the hitches I'm equalized on both bolts with my sling with one strand to each bolt.

Is this safe?

-Daniel

In my opinion, which comes from someone who hardly ever climbs single-pitch ...

a) on the need for equalization:   Great stance at the anchor?  No need to do other than be at the end of your tether to the bolt(s)?   Bomber bolt(s)? If yes, no real need for equalization.

b) on the need for redundancy:  Great stance at the anchor?  Unlikely to weight the anchor while cleaning?  If yes, no real need for redundancy in the anchor rig.

c) on the suitability of a harness-girthed sling with cloves at biners on each bolt:  I would not consider the girth to isolate the two legs going to each bolt.  Still, this is fine unless you want redundancy in your tether.

Daniel CT wrote: If using 3 what do you do if you need to shorten one or both slings to adjust your stance?

tie an overhand knot on a bight to one side of the runner to shorten.

I agree with Bill.  It's good to have redundancy for the anchor but not super necessary, and equalizing body weight on an anchor isn't something that I bother with.

Last year I was taught a method where , if there is large enough ring on the anchor I:
- pass a bight through the anchor,
- tie off the bight on the other side of the rings,
- clip the loop to my harness,
- untie my original tie-in,
- lower on that bight after cleaning draws or whatever is up there.

With that method, I'm never off belay and never off the main anchor.

There are plenty of other good ways that work, though.

John Reeve wrote:
Last year I was taught a method where , if there is large enough ring on the anchor I:
- pass a bight through the anchor,
- tie off the bight on the other side of the rings,
- clip the loop to my harness,
- untie my original tie-in,
- lower on that bight after cleaning draws or whatever is up there.

With that method, I'm never off belay and never off the main anchor.

There are plenty of other good ways that work, though.

This ^

If you need to hang of the anchor to do this, just clip a quickdraw directly to your harness.

The rope is your safety, you dont need another redundant system at the anchor. Just be sure that your belayer understands that he is never off belay. 

Daniel CT wrote: Hey climbers
I clean lot of single pitch sport routes. Sometimes for lowering off and otherwise rappelling. I want to check that my current approach is safe. As I see it there are two main options which people use.

1. PAS which can clip (mostly) equalized to both bolts.
2. Sling or Purcell or other tether to simply clip to one bolt and forget about equalization.
3. Use two slings (one for each bolt).

I don't like 2 because it doesn't equalize load on both bolts and isn't redundant if one fails. Although this approach is pretty common from what I see around me.
3 is a faff and requires an extra sling in my rope loops (along with one which I use to extend my rappel.

What I've been thinking of doing is using one girth hitched sling with two lockers. I clove the left strand to a locker and clip to bolt. Then I clove the right strand to the other locker and clip to other bolt. After adjusting the hitches I'm equalized on both bolts with my sling with one strand to each bolt.

Is this safe?

-Daniel

Seems kind of like a Banshee, but with more dicking around.

Edit: and you can clip two bolts with a Purcell.

John Reeve wrote: I agree with Bill.  It's good to have redundancy for the anchor but not super necessary, and equalizing body weight on an anchor isn't something that I bother with.

Last year I was taught a method where , if there is large enough ring on the anchor I:
- pass a bight through the anchor,
- tie off the bight on the other side of the rings,
- clip the loop to my harness,
- untie my original tie-in,
- lower on that bight after cleaning draws or whatever is up there.

With that method, I'm never off belay and never off the main anchor.

There are plenty of other good ways that work, though.

This is pretty common if the situation allows it. I'm just echoing it as it's efficient, safe, and not complicated. 

Don't need two slings. Don't need to clip your personal anchor to a bolt. The top-rope anchor is already there and redundant. Clip your personal to the anchor master point or shelf. Then rig for a rappel or rig to lower. Once your are either on rappel or your belayer has you tight to lower, then you can clean the anchor. No need for two two slings or a PAS or clipping bolts. Easy. Done.

joffy Jenkins wrote:
Using two slings or equalising is completely pointless. You are slowly weighting a bolt that is Infront of your face, never taking a fall when cleaning! Do you weight check each bolt when you climb? Is each bolt redundant? Of course not.

There have been documented cases of anchor bolts failing under body weight, mostly at seaside crags, but why take that risk?

Its so easy to clip both bolts:
I keep a sling girth hitched to my harness (not permanently I put it on at the start of the day) when i'm cleaining I clip one bolt with my sling and then either clip 2 sport draws together or more often use an alpine draw to clip from my belay loop to the second bolt.  you can even clip the sling to the left bolt, then use the draw from the left bolt to do the right side if you forgot enough stuff.  I don't use lockers for any of this but that's a personal choice, I believe that the redundancy is good enough and I don't need lockers, but you do you. 

If you lead the route and have all the draws below you clipped and then are doing the thread the bite through the chains thing then 1 bolt is probably fine to clip direct to.  (although if the 1 bolt did break I don't really wanna take that 40 ft whip with all that slack I just pulled up so i'll probably take 2 seconds to clip the other bolt)

Use your brain and your instincts to do what is comfortable to you personally. There are a dozen ideas, all which are fine.

I use whatever I have on me. Often a quickdraw chain. 

Bring a wrench, two links and two climbtech mussy lower offs. Go tight on belay, install lower off biners, get slack, clip lower off biners and dirt.

I’m only half joking, if routes at my local crag aren’t equipped to lower off I’m usually adding them.

When I travel, clip draws I cleaned to each bolt and my belay loop, weight them, pull bite through and tie an 8 to a locker on belay loop as described above.
I only use a dedicated PA in a party of 3 or while bolting. If it’s multi pitch I use a sling from the route.

I usually just clip a QuickDraw from my belay loop to the master point, which is usually just two more QuickDraws. Then put the rope through the lower offs (chains/rings/horns/hooks/quick clips....) without ever coming off belay. Belayer takes, I grab the draws and lower away. Always on both bolts and no extra shit needed