Top Managed Belayed Rappel

Single Point Anchor System

John Marshall Adv Rock Climbing Leadership Mr. Ryan Campbell April 22, 2010

Needed Equipment
One full length dynamic climbing rope, min. 60m One 50ft length of static cord or rope, min. 8mm Five locking-type carabineers One ATC-type belay device Two climbing harnesses

Single Point Anchor

Upon arriving to the site, assess the desired climbing route Are there suitable natural anchors available? Will you need to place protection gear to establish anchor points? Is the route perpendicular to your anchors so as not to cause excessive friction to your rope, or can you create a perpendicular masterpoint from your anchors?

L.E.A.D.S.T.E.R.
Use the principles of LEADSTER to build your anchor and asses your anchor site: L Limited E Extension Limited Extension refers to limiting the length of slack if an anchor should fail or direction of pull change. A Angle Angle refers to the angle between legs of anchors, no > 60. D Direction Direction refers to the anchor taking force in the direction of a fall. S Solid Solid means that the anchor will not fall out or pull away easily. T Timely Timely, you should be able to setup with minimum time spent. E Equalized All anchor points will equally take the forces in case of a fall. R Redundant Should one point or piece fail, the whole anchor will not fail.

Primary Anchor Point

From the desired route you locate a large tree directly behind the cliff edge.
You observe that it has a large diameter, is still living and is rooted well into the soil/bedrock.

Primary Tie-In Using the length of static rope or cord, tie a flat over-hand knot with both ends and a over-hand backup. This creates a loop, bring the bight to the knot and wrap the cord around the tree.

Flat Over-hand Knot

View from the Tree

The cord is extended from the tree towards the cliff edge or desired climbing route; here the cliff edge lies at the leading edge of the sidewalk.

Masterpoint
Pull the two bights created by the looped cord together and create the masterpoint using a figure-eight on a bight.

Figure-Eight on a Bight

Completed Masterpoint Tie-in

Clip into the masterpoint with a locking carabineer. Tie a figure-eight on a bight on one end of the rope and tie into the rope with a clove hitch on your harness for a safety line.
Measure out the needed length of rope to the base of the rappel, it does not need to reach all the way to the ground, but should be 3-4ft short.

This allows for rope stretch and the climber then does not need to disconnect anything at the bottom, just feed the rope through the belay device.

Secure the climbing rope to the masterpoint with a munter hitch and lock the carabineer gate. Then create a munter-mule, a load releasable hitch that will allow you to perform an intervention should the climber become stranded mid-rappel.

Munter-Mule

Create a loop with the standing end under the load rope. Make a bight and insert it through the loop.

Bring the ropes together, parallel , and then make a overhand knot with the loop. Cinch the mule knot up tight to the munter hitch.

Munter-Mule and Spare Loop

Payout approximately 6-8ft of rope to create the spare loop. Tie an over-hand on a bight and clip into the masterpoint. This is what will be used to lower the climber on the munter hitch.

Flake the rope, from standing end to load end, this allows you to inspect the full length of rope and stack it for ease of feeding to the climber, also managing your desktop work area of your belay station.

With the long end from the spare loop, the belayer ties in with a clove hitch on his harness. This will allow him to approach the edge, adjusting on the clove hitch to observe the climber.

Belay Station

Belayed Lowering
Clip-in to the top shelf with a locking carabineer and put the sharp end of the rope on a munter hitch. This will be the belay station where the belayer will lower the climber while they rappel.

Climber Ties In

Taking the rope the climber ties into his harness, through the leg loop and the waist loop and ties a retraced figure-eight.

After tying in, the climber connects his ATC belay device and rigs for rappel.

The belayer communicates to the climber that he is ready and to approach the edge while he feeds out the lowering line/belay.

The climber acknowledges the belayer and steps to the edge controlling the rappel with his brake hand.