Anchor Cleaning

After cleaning, do you lower with a figure-8 on a bight to belay loop or tie back in?

Why do you do it that way?

I clip into the bight. It allows me to stay on belay the entire time and it's less prone to error than tying in. Tying in requires many steps when a bight knot and locker is super simple and quick. 

This article (or video at bottom of the linked page) describes the lowering method for cleaning. Using this method you lower and clip in with a bight knot. This ensures you remain on belay throughout the entire procedure, reducing opportunities for error. 

https://americanalpineclub.org/resources-blog/2016/3/15/5ipkouk0id07cgc3dqks4fljnsgnx6

Both, determined by the room at the anchor rings: tight, retie; spacious, pass a bight through. Bight is quicker and requires less steps to stay on belay.

Either figure 8 on a bite or rappel, usually. A few things to consider:

• Anchors
  • Hangars with rings - I rappel, otherwise it twists my rope. You can do a bight, but don't rethread/retie, that's an unnecessary risk
  • Chains with rings - Do a bight, but don't rethread/retie, that's an unnecessary risk. This anchor configuration won't twist your rope bc the rings are close.
  • Just chains - Comes down to local ethic. 
    • Lowering will wear out the chains quicker, but it's OK sometimes, especially if you're not comfortable rappelling. 
    • Raping is preferred. 
    • You can't get a bight through chains.
• Skill
  • No sane person will rag on you for lowering if you're not comfortable rappelling. 
• Risk
  • If you can fit a bight through there, do it. Don't come off belay unless you have to.
• Time
  • Bight through is quickest

tl;dr: In order of most to least desirable: Figure 8 on a bight, figure 8 rethread, rappelling.

If there aren't clippy things (mussy's or similar for quick and easy lower) and I'm the last one up to clean the route, I'll pull the rope up and rap. 

Don't have to worry about communications with belayer and that frees them up to sort gear to move on to the next route or start packing up for leaving. 

Agreed. Communication and your belayer's time aren't typically factors in the decision making process. 

You can hear your belayer if they're within 30 m of you (the max lowering distance with a 60 m) unless it's windy. All they have to hear you scream is "take" and "lower".

Don't ever be in a rush while climbing. That's when mistakes happen.

Auden Alsop wrote:

This is fine if you never climb steep routes, once you do rapping gets sketch quick. Also, you shouldn’t have to communicate much with your belayer at all- take when you’re done cleaning and double checking before you unclip from the anchor, and then letting them know to lower when you’re set.

Agreed - we don't climb steep sport routes, so have never had an issue. 

This is a carryover from Trad where I prefer to get off belay quickly to let the second take care of things in order to be ready to climb as soon as they're on belay.

Bowline on the bight, with a biner clipped through the tail is what I do.

Though I also on occasion just re-tie a figure 8, if I have to untie, instead of just passing the rope bight through the anchors. 

Somewhat modified anchor cleaning workflow for when the climber needs to untie - in my opinion a bit safer than the usually taught method

Climber reaches anchors, his or her rope is running through anchor draws and it is tied to the harness tie-ins.
Climber goes in direct
Climber pulls slack BETWEEN TIE IN AND ANCHORS, ties some knot on a bight, clips into belay loop. At this point, the climber is connected to rope, rope runs through anchor draws, climber is on belay. Rope is secured to climber with carabiner to weight rated belay loop.
Climber unties rope. Rope is running through anchor draws, is still connected to climber's belay loop, climber is on belay, no redundancy lost.
Climber threads the rope through rings/chain, reties.
Climber unclips carabiner, undoes the knot on a bight. Asks for hard take, checks the system,  cleans anchor/directs, lowers.

Is being clipped in direct to both bolts really that unsafe though that it requires you to stay on belay? Although the bight does sound quicker

Whisk3rzz 1 wrote:

Is being clipped in direct to both bolts really that unsafe though that it requires you to stay on belay? Although the bight does sound quicker

Being clipped in direct to two bolts is safe. It's the clipping and unclipping yourself to/from the anchors that people f up. Why risk it if you don't have to?

Whisk3rzz 1 wrote:

Is being clipped in direct to both bolts really that unsafe though that it requires you to stay on belay? Although the bight does sound quicker

You also don't need to clip in at all if the stance permits, since you stay on belay.

Figure 8 on a bite is my go to.  Quicker and Safer.  Allows other people to get on the route quicker if they are waiting.

Sometimes I have to tie back in when I can't get a bite through the rings.

I just jump! It's not that far.

Just chains - Comes down to local ethic. 

• Raping is preferred..

Remind me to avoid those places.