Climbing Through on Big Walls

Hey,

What's the actual "technique" for climbing through slower parties on longer multipitch routes? I've always felt awkward/dickish climbing through, and haven't done it as a result, which has added hours and unnecessary headaches on some longer routes out west.

How do you actually do it without being rude? I know people will dislike it no matter how kind you are. At what point do you start up after them? Do you start up after the leader? Ask them to wait in a stance and motor by? What if they refuse? Ride the follower's ass and pass at the belay? Simul through? Link pitches through their belay? What are the logistics of passing efficiently, say for a NIAD?

Thank you

There's no exact answer for all situations. On a shorter multi pitch close to home it may be more worth it to just wait on a slightly slower party. However, in Yosemite that is completely different. When I'm wall climbing, especially speed climbing on El Cap, I'm charging and will not stop for more than a few minutes to allow someone to get to a good spot to pass. I've never had a problem passing anyone. Wall climbers know they are going slow and are generally more than happy to allow speed climbers to carry on. If they are mid pitch and it's going to be a while I would just start climbing the pitch behind them and pass them at some point. Some people in the valley even pull on other people's gear...they really don't give a fuck.

Casual confidence and a friendly conversation go a long way. I’ve had very few problems. The key is to not talk about passing at first and just set up to do it as smoothly as possible. Make casual conversation if possible with the other climbers and try to pass without interfering with their climbing.

Yup,  show that you're efficient and quick and most wall climbers will let you pass. There's always going to be those that don't want another party above them because of the higher risk of things being dropped (which is a legit concern) but offering to carry a line up the pitch for them so they don't lose any time (and actually gain time) by letting you pass tends to solve those issues. If that doesn't work then sometimes you just have to suck it up and wait as that sort of party is the type that'll tie off your lead line to the anchor  so you can't go up, but even then just short fix so that won't have an effect on your leading and let your second deal with the aftermath when they finish cleaning. 

I'm no wall rat but I've passed some parties on multi pitch routes. No one gets pissed about it if you are not a dick. People are usually pretty gracious about waiting a little bit for you while you pass so just try to minimize that time, and ask politely. It's better if you can pass on a variation to the route, or wait for a big belay ledge. Anywhere you move the belay is a great spot. Just don't pass unless you really are the faster party...

Not Hobo Greg wrote:

An experienced friend of mine told me “pass don’t ask!”

Ya exactly. I always say that by the time I even ask I'm already in the act of passing you. The question isn't a question, its a gesture, but in reality I'm already climbing through you.

Awesome guys, great advice.

More specifically, do you pass as the other parties leader is leading?

I’m trying to see if there’s a more concrete etiquette than “ask politely and climb through”

Good advice so far.

No, there is no concrete method, it’s very situational.

You need to pass with authority though. You can’t barely be faster than them and expect to pass, you need to blaze past them. Of course, in full on wall mode, it’s more difficult, in free mode it’s easier. 

My first time up El Cap I was leading the Great Roof when I felt some trouble with my lead line.I looked down to see a French climber doing the same pitch but using my anchors. VERY UNCOOL!

I said they could pass at the belay but if they blocked us I'd cut their rope.

.Sure enough their aiding sucked, but I didn't follow through

Mark Hudon wrote:

Good advice so far.

No, there is no concrete method, it’s very situational.

You need to pass with authority though. You can’t barely be faster than them and expect to pass, you need to blaze past them. Of course, in full on wall mode, it’s more difficult, in free mode it’s easier. 

Pass with Authority!

On the Shield about 100yrs ago there was a party behind us that had one climber much stronger than the other. The stronger climber would charge up his pitch and jump on our belay- fix and haul- the clustering was actually slowing us down really.. then his partner would clean slow and lead slower.. this went on for a bit before I had to tell the guy to F$ck the F$ck off unless they could make a serious effort to actually get past us, which they could not. They backed off.. 

I was soloing the west face of leaning tower last year- I was going up p1 linking 1+2 when a party fixing to Awahnee showed up- they just started leading the pitch.. it actually sort of threw me at first-  but I realize it was fine.. i decided to ease the tension by stopping at p1 anchor so they could motor to p2 and we’d be out of each other’s hair.. all good except he arrived at p1 completely out of quickdraws to clip the 20+ Bolts on p2.. 

I handed over 8 draws- and told him to go.. 

Point is- make sure that you know what you are doing and can actually execute the pass.. if you know what you are doing and are really capable of executing the pass- it will likely be very obvious to the other party 

Eric Marx wrote:

Awesome guys, great advice.

More specifically, do you pass as the other parties leader is leading?

I’m trying to see if there’s a more concrete etiquette than “ask politely and climb through”

I'd say not if you can avoid it. Let's say everybody is at a belay but their leader just started climbing. You could give him a minute or two, then start up after the leader if the route allows it. You might not pass him on the pitch but at the next belay if you're fast building your anchor and putting your second on belay, and your second starts climbing before theirs does (and climbs fast) then pass completed.

Eric Chabot wrote:

I'd say not if you can avoid it. Let's say everybody is at a belay but their leader just started climbing. You could give him a minute or two, then start up after the leader if the route allows it. You might not pass him on the pitch but at the next belay if you're fast building your anchor and putting your second on belay, and your second starts climbing before theirs does (and climbs fast) then pass completed.

No. 

This may work on freeclimbs where you can wander about a bit on lead but generally, unless there's a variation established on the pitch already, this is not a thing that will work well on a bigwall. Unless the pitch is a C1 splitter, the chances of there being enough placements for you to lead without needing to use any of the other leader's placements (don't ever do this without permission) are pretty low. 

On the nose last fall we passed a party a pitch below camp 5. They asked us to tag their rope up to the next anchor and fix it there for them. This worked out well since they were stopping there, and we were continuing up to camp 6. Seems like a good compromise for the non purists.