Minimal Climbing Commands

I often climb multipitch routes where my partner and I can move along whether we hear each other or not with no issues. However, in general I still use verbal commands but like to keep them to a minimum.  Below is my list of primary commands, what are yours?  

CLIMB - informs climber that they are on belay and it is safe to climb
CLIMBING - alerts belayer that the climber is ascending and expects their full attention
OFF BELAY / BELAY OFF - informs belayer that the climber doesn't need their assistance with the rope management
TAKE - pull in the slack and hold the rope
SLACK - put more rope into the system
FALLING - climber is departing the rock
THAT'S ME - courtesy call to inform the leader that no more rope slack is in the system
ROCK - falling object
OFF RAPPEL - rope is free for next person to rap

Note I do not use ON BELAY because it is too much like OFF BELAY, same number of syllables too, I just yell CLIMB instead.

UP ROPE - take slack out of the system but not all the way.

I also use TENSION interchangeably with TAKE

With most of my new partners, my command of UP ROPE is met with silence and then either an "What?" or "Uhhh..."-- and it leads to me being angry and barking at them.

At the base of a multi:

Climbing -> Climb on

On the climb:

Take - take up all the rope ima hang dog all over this.

Slack - give me more slack you’re pulling me off this balance crux.

At the belay:

Off Belay - remove the rope from the belay device

Belay Off - the response to off belay

Thats Me

On Belay - this is done after pulling the rope up and three strong tugs to indicate that the belay is on. Usually with those three in combination you know you’re on belay.

Climbing - 9/10 times this is not necessary and I omit. Usually the belayer begins pulling up the rope and the climber knows they are on belay.

STOP YELLING! IT'S NOT NECESSARY! 

TELL YOUR BELAYOR TO PAY OUT SLACK UNTIL IT'S GONE, THEN LET GO OF THE BELAY DEVICE AND JUST CLIMB!

THAT'S ME!!!    THAT'S TOPHER!!!

I was taught to use my name, at least anytime there's traffic in the area. Much less chance to screw up "THAT'S TOPHER," imo... that said, this is obviously clarified with the next 2 commands.

Tradiban wrote:

STOP YELLING! IT'S NOT NECESSARY! 

TELL YOUR BELAYOR TO PAY OUT SLACK UNTIL IT'S GONE, THEN LET GO OF THE BELAY DEVICE AND JUST CLIMB!

I agree with this, there is actually no need for verbal communication, although using some can reduce confusion and increase safety.

The often emotional Command- 

WATCH ME!

WATCH ME!

"That's ok buddy I've already done this climb!" was the answer from Wild Bill.

Usual commands over here in UK are pretty much then same.

ON BELAY CLIMB WHEN READY : on belay you can climb, sometimes shortened to CLIMB WHEN READY, not exactly minimal.

CLIMBING: response to above

SAFE: when secure at stance/top and can be taken off belay, very often it is a lie   also you will sometimes hear SAFE.........ISH when anchors are proper dodgy

OFF BELAY: response to above, never heard belay off.

TAKE/SLACK: despite the obvious issue this is pretty universal.

THAT'S ME: Please stop pulling in the rope for the sake of my nuts.

BELOW: When rock etc drops, I know logic would be above but I believe it is short for 'watch out below'

ROPE BELOW: When dropping a rope.

PUB: I have had enough let's call it a day and go beer.

Biggest difference seems to be the SAFE/OFF BELAY  instead of OFF BELAY/BELAY OFF, which I imagine could cause hiccups with vistors over the different meaning to OFF BELAY.

Rope tugs are a beautiful thing.

Cory N wrote:

I agree with this, there is actually no need for verbal communication, although using some can reduce confusion and increase safety.

VERBAL COMMUNICATION CAN ALSO INCREASE CONFUSION AND DECREASE SAFETY. THE TRICK IS KNOWING WHEN TO USE IT AND WHEN NOT TO USE IT.

IF THERE'S ANY CHANCE MY PARTNER WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR ME I TELL THEM AT THE BELAY I WON'T BE YELLING AND TO JUST DROP THE BELAY DEVICE AND CLIMB WHEN THE SLACK RUNS OUT.

Topher Dabrowski wrote:

Note I do not use ON BELAY because it is too much like OFF BELAY, same number of syllables too, I just yell CLIMB instead.

This dangerous similarity can be largely resolved if only the belayer starts with the word “belay” meaning only the climber starts with “on” or “off”

Topher Dabrowski wrote:

CLIMB - informs climber that they are on belay and it is safe to climb
CLIMBING - alerts belayer that the climber is ascending and expects their full attention
OFF BELAY / BELAY OFF - informs belayer that the climber doesn't need their assistance with the rope management
TAKE - pull in the slack and hold the rope
SLACK - put more rope into the system
FALLING - climber is departing the rock
THAT'S ME - courtesy call to inform the leader that no more rope slack is in the system
ROCK - falling object
OFF RAPPEL - rope is free for next person to rap

Note I do not use ON BELAY because it is too much like OFF BELAY, same number of syllables too, I just yell CLIMB instead.

Pretty much it. If I am second and there is an excess amount of rope coiling around my feet I will yell UP ROPE. 

Of course, most of these commands are not heard if there is a river anywhere near, and the leader is more than 20 feet away.  Tugs on the rope can sometimes substitute for CLIMB after you establish an anchor and a ready to belay up the second.

Tradiban wrote:

VERBAL COMMUNICATION CAN ALSO INCREASE CONFUSION AND DECREASE SAFETY. THE TRICK IS KNOWING WHEN TO USE IT AND WHEN NOT TO USE IT.

IF THERE'S ANY CHANCE MY PARTNER WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR ME I TELL THEM AT THE BELAY I WON'T BE YELLING AND TO JUST DROP THE BELAY DEVICE AND CLIMB WHEN THE SLACK RUNS OUT.

Tradiban: Hemingway at the crag, Dickens on Mountain Project.

(Also, good point-- in a noisy environment, any extraneous command has less positive value and greater negative value in its chance misinterpretation.)

The American Alpine Club has an article on the topic:

https://americanalpineclub.org/resources-blog/2017/1/19/4xm1fcsag6b7xqf1p1w1qp7vdpp1ha

Derek DeBruin wrote:

The American Alpine Club has an article on the topic:

https://americanalpineclub.org/resources-blog/2017/1/19/4xm1fcsag6b7xqf1p1w1qp7vdpp1ha

<3, perfect share. Thank you!

Also, this gem from the article:

Well we always used

Avalanche On! 

and

Avalanche OFFFFFFFFFFFFffffffffffffffffff....................

Rope tugs upward from the belayer above makes sense, but not as a leader. Rope tugs from below, or as the lead climber makes no sense. Say there's a tricky move and you fall 3 times in a row fairly quickly... I guess you'd be off belay at the crux!

Christian Hesch wrote:

THAT'S ME!!!    THAT'S TOPHER!!!

I was taught to use my name, at least anytime there's traffic in the area. Much less chance to screw up "THAT'S TOPHER," imo... that said, this is obviously clarified with the next 2 commands.

That works well, unless your name sounds just like "Take" from a hundred feet up. One time Climbing with my wife early on she was following up a multipitch route and I could hear her yelling "Jake! Jake!" to which I kept replying, "What?" 

She was pretty mad when she got to the top and asked why I wouldn't "Take" 

I was taught to say "I'm secure" when I'm ready to be taken off belay at the anchor. I like it because it differentiates from "Off/On belay"

Tradiban wrote:

VERBAL COMMUNICATION CAN ALSO INCREASE CONFUSION AND DECREASE SAFETY. THE TRICK IS KNOWING WHEN TO USE IT AND WHEN NOT TO USE IT.

IF THERE'S ANY CHANCE MY PARTNER WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR ME I TELL THEM AT THE BELAY I WON'T BE YELLING AND TO JUST DROP THE BELAY DEVICE AND CLIMB WHEN THE SLACK RUNS OUT.

Tradiban, you know I'm always a fan.

But you're breaking the first rule of the Internet here.