“Forget every other down puffy you’ve ever worn—this will beat them all,” one tester declared. The 750-fill down kept us warm in single-digit temps throughout the West. “Belay puffy, around town, skiing… I wore this every day this winter,” another tester said. The superior warmth and airy feel of this 23-oz. jacket (men’s M) was the foundation of our testers’ obsessions, but it was the climber-centric features that sealed the deal. Microfleece strategically lined the knuckle-side of the hand-warmer pockets, while slick nylon on the palm-side protected gnarled tips from snags. The same fleece lines the chin guard and around the face for warmth and comfort, and an elastic “forehead band” kept the hood from flying off on gusty days. A long torso and water-resistant Repeloff coating round out the climber-friendly features. Nitpick: Two-way zippers would have made this exceptional jacket even better. $299; sportiva.com

Expanding your repertoire to include snow climbing opens up a tremendous trove of new objectives, including those alluring lines called couloirs that drop like ribbons down mountainsides. While the masses choose the path of the choss field to gain the summit, you’ll ascend couloirs in record time by the addictive rhythm of kicking steps in the snow. It’s truly hypnotic. Best of all? Snow climbing doesn’t necessarily mean winter conditions. Prime time for many couloir climbs is spring and summer, when the snow is consolidated and blue skies, stellar views, and warm temps abound.

It doesn’t take much to learn the basics of an ice axe, crampon travel, self-arresting, and snow hazard analysis. Getting out with a guide for a day will help you gain a solid foundation, as will the old standby, Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills ($40, mountaineersbooks.org). As a beginner, you’ll want to start out conservatively because snow can change dramatically, even on the same route in the same day. An appreciation and understanding for snow’s variability will come with time. Here are six off-the-beaten-path couloirs that lead to some of the West’s most killer summits. Bonus: most are perfect for developing skills—not epics!—for those just starting out.

The Hidden Couloir on Thor Peak highlighted by the rising sun. Photo by Conor Miller

Hidden Couloir (Grade III, AI3 5.6)
Thor Peak (12,028′), Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

The Black Ice Couloir on the Grand Teton gets all the hype as one of the area’s best alpine climbs, but why ascend a melting gauntlet when there are so many other options to choose from? As the name implies, this couloir is, well, hidden. Most people get their first glimpse of it from the summit of Mt. Moran. It’s an unforgettable perfect strip of snow, folded into the eastern flank of Thor Peak.

First ascensionist Paul Horton, who climbed the route in 1975 with Renny Jackson, remembers the first time he spotted the line: “I first saw it from the top of Mt. Moran where it jumps out at you. I was surprised it hadn’t been climbed.” The route is a beautiful, searing diagonal line, mixing snow, ice, and rock. Fantastically consistent, the couloir maintains a 45- to 50-degree angle for approximately 1,200 feet. An initial 300 feet of rock climbing gets you all warmed up.

• Guidebook: A Climber’s Guide to the Teton Range, by Leigh N. Ortenburger and Reynold G. Jackson ($40, mountaineersbooks.org)
• Season: Late spring through midsummer
• Get there: From Jackson, take US-189 to the Moose Entrance of Grand Teton National Park. Take Teton Park Road to the Leigh Lake parking area. You could undertake a bruising bushwhack, but the more efficient (and fun) choice is to rent a canoe at Dornan’s in Moose ($48 per day/$40 per day multi-day) and paddle across String and Leigh lakes. Tie up your boat at the outlet of Leigh Lake Canyon and hike up-canyon approximately 1.75 miles to a steep, scree-filled gully leading to a snowfield at the base of the east face.
• Gear: Light rack and screws
• Stay there: Pick up a free bivy permit at the ranger stations. From January 5 to May 15, you can reserve online ($25, nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/bcres.htm) and pick up in person.
• Descent: Come down via the South Slopes (class 4).

The Grinnell Couloir runs parallel to the popular South Ramp Route (to the right). Lake Josephine sits below. Photo by Anders Olsen

Grinnell Couloir (Grade III), Grinnell Point (8,855′)
Glacier National Park, Montana

Considering that the crumbling consistency of Glacier National Park’s peaks is not that conducive to rock climbing, snow climbing is an ideal way to get the eagle’s eye view of mountains that stretch out forever, jeweled by lakes milky with glacier silt. “Grinnell Couloir provides an opportunity to do a seldom-climbed, alpine ascent in the heart of the ‘Crown Jewel of the Continent,’” says mountaineer Ryan Schuster, who grew up spending his summers in the park.

This couloir parallels the popular South Ramp Route (class 3) and offers a fun, offtrail romp up the piercing dagger of Grinnell Point, one of the park’s most prominent features. Plus, for history buffs there’s the added intrigue of starting your route next to the abandoned Josephine Mine, named for the opium-toking, bootlegging dance-hall girl Josephine Doody who once lived in the area.

At a maximum of 40 degrees, it’s not too difficult of a climb—just make sure to hit it while there’s still ample snow in early summer. Grizzly bears aside, rock fall is one of Glacier’s biggest hazards, so don your helmet, strap on your crampons, and cruise up this fun line. From the top of Grinnell Point, climb another 1,250 feet up an easy ridgeline to the summit of Mt. Grinnell.

• Guidebook: A Climber’s Guide to Glacier National Park, by J. Gordon Edwards ($15, rei.com)
• Season: Mid-May through June
• Get there: From Babb, take US-89 toward Many Glacier and drive 12 miles to the end of the road at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn. Two trails access the Swiftcurrent Nature Trail—one at the Grinnell Glacier Picnic Area, the other south of the Many Glacier Hotel. Follow either trail for about a mile until reaching the North Shore Lake Josephine Trail. (If you’re feeling lazy, just take the boat ride across Swiftcurrent Lake for $24.25 per person.) After passing a small pond on the left below Grinnell Point, keep a lookout for a large, sheer cliff with a waterfall beside the trail. This signals your exit via a choose-your-own-adventure hike through cliff bands and grassy ledges to the base of the couloir and 2,600 feet of 40-degree snow climbing to the top.
• Stay there: Camp in the Many Glacier Campground, sleep in style at the Many Glacier Hotel (glacierparkinc.com/many_glacier_hotel.php), or bed down at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn (glacierparkinc.com/swift_current_motor_ inn.php). Take note: The campground ($20/night) is very popular and does not take reservations.
• Descent: From the summit, descend via the Swiftcurrent Glacier to the Highline Trail.

Y Couloir (Grade III, AI2 or Grade III, AI3 M3)
Mt. Ypsilon (13,514′), Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Hidden deep in the heart of Rocky Mountain National Park, Mt. Ypsilon has a sheer 2,000-foot southeast face that wraps around a steep cirque. Framed by the well-known Blitzen Ridge (5.4) and Donner Ridge (class 2/3), the face is split by the white thread of the Y Couloir, running up to Mt. Ypsilon’s summit.

The left branch is a Grade III line with a moderate angle (50-degree snow) and a difficult cornice at the end. “It’s a really striking line in a remote location,” RMNP climbing ranger Jess Asmussen says. “You see it from so many places in the park; it’s one of those things you look at forever, which makes it so special to climb.”

If you’re looking for more of a challenge, the steeper right option (Grade III, AI3 M3) travels through a tricky chimney, which, depending on conditions, may be choked with ice. Before getting sucked too deep into the chimney, move left for approximately two rock pitches before moving back into the couloir on a grassy ledge. The snow steepens to 55 degrees before hitting the headwall, where you can exit left to bypass 70-degree snow; depending on snowpack and season, you may hit a fifth-class scramble or lower-angled snow.

• Guidebook: Rocky Mountain National Park: The Climber’s Guide: High Peaks, by Bernard Gillette ($30, earthboundsports.com)
• Season: A large, dangerous cornice often remains at the top of the route until the beginning of July (depending on the snow year). Be aware of hazards, like collapsing snow bridges, wet slides, cornice collapses, and exposed manky slabs that occur as temps rise. Get an early start to stack the odds in your favor; come September, the route is usually melted out. But time it right, and you’ll tick this challenging route.
• Get there: From Estes Park, drive to RMNP’s Fall River Entrance Station. Take Fall River Road to the Lawn Lake Trailhead. Hike 1.3 miles on the Lawn Lake Trail, then cross the Roaring River on a spur trail that heads to Ypsilon Lake, approximately 3.5 miles away. At Ypsilon Lake, take the climbers’ trail—stay on the northern branch that parallels the waterfall, working your way up the obvious gully—ascending 800 feet up to Spectacle Lakes. From the upper lake, the couloir is obvious.
• Gear: If opting for the right branch, bring a light rack for rock and snow protection.
• Stay there: Bivy permits ($20 during peak season) are available in person (or via snail mail) at the backcountry permit office near Rocky Mountain National Park headquarters.
• Descent: Come down via Southslope (class 2) or Donner Ridge (class 3).

The obvious "Y" split of this couloir on Mt. Conness beckons to climbers (and skiers!) of all abilities. Photo by Mike Schwartz

Y Couloir (Grade III)
Mt. Conness (12,649′), Inyo National Forest, California

Perched on the boundary of Yosemite National Park and Inyo National Forest, Mt. Conness is composed of the classic, clean granite famous to the region. But its east face is also home to a series of beautiful couloirs. This Y Couloir has easy access and a moderate angle that doesn’t require anything more technical than an ascending traverse. “It has a lower angle with minimal rock fall hazard, as the peak is that solid, gorgeous Sierra granite. No stress,” Conness veteran Adonia Curry says.

Once you reach the Conness Glacier, look to the left for a finger of rock poking its way onto the snow, bordering the Y Couloir. The couloir quickly branches into two chutes, the left side being the more popular of the two. Kick your way up 1,200 feet of 45-degree snow to the summit plateau, and then continue on mellower ground to the top of Mt. Conness. If you select the right branch, be forewarned that it often develops a cornice, and up top you’ll need to exit left to avoid a cliff band, unless you want to up the ante by scrambling on rocks.

• Guidebook: The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, Trails, by R.J. Secor ($33, mountaineersbooks.org)
• Season: Keep tabs on Tioga Pass, which doesn’t get plowed until spring, and the road to Saddlebag Lake, which is plowed even later. Check with both Inyo National Forest (fs.usda.gov/detailfull/inyo) and the California Department of Transportation (dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi).
• Get there: Travel up Tioga Pass Road/Hwy 120 to Campground Junction. Turn north on Saddlebag Lake Road to the trailhead at Saddlebag Lake. Hike northwest around Saddlebag Lake, then south along Greenstone Lake. Hug the southern slopes of North Peak, ascending to Upper Conness Lake. Hike south to the toe of the Conness Glacier for a total of six miles. The Y Couloir will be visible on your left.
• Stay there: Most climbers take advantage of the multiple campgrounds en route to the trailhead (fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo) and make this a day mission, rather than camp in the backcountry. If you’re craving a little more luxury, there’s the Tioga Pass Resort (tiogapassresort.com).
• Descent: Walk off via the East Ridge Route (class 3).

Hiking on the ridgeline of Mt. Tuk, on the edge of the Southwest Couloir. Photo by Jack Brauer

Southeast Couloir (Grade III)
Mt. Tukuhnikivatz (12,483′), Manti-La Sal National Forest, Utah

Snow climbing in Moab? That’s right! What better way to break up your desert sojourn than an excursion into the La Sal Mountains to cool off and practice your snow skills? Mt. Tukuhnikivatz, aka Mt. Tuk, commands attention with its pyramid profile rising high above the surrounding red desert. The second-highest peak in the La Sal range, Mt. Tuk’s Southwest Couloir is a popular ski descent, but wait till the snow firms up—as early as March if it’s a shallow snowpack with a lot of wind, but May on average—and you’ll have a 3,000-foot climb to boast about. This is a perfect route to develop mountaineering skills while giving your hands a break from crack climbing at Indian Creek. Start your ascent in pinyon/juniper forest before transitioning into aspens, and then conifers.

“From the summit, you can see the San Juan Mountains in Colorado and all of canyon country: Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park—all the towers and arches. It’s amazing,” says local climber Brian Hayes. About one-third of the way up, you’ll encounter a small cliff band—work right or left depending on the snow year.

• Guidebook: Backcountry Skiing Utah, Second Edition, by Tyson Bradley ($17, falcon.com)
• Season: Spring
• Get there: From Moab, take US-191 south. Turn east on Route 46. From here, there are multiple ways to get to the departure point just below La Sal Pass on La Sal Pass Road—check with the Forest Service (435-637-2817) for current info on road closures and snow levels. The approach will depend upon how high you can drive, but from La Sal Pass, located between Mt. Peale and Tukuhnikivatz, the summit of Mt. Tuk is 2.2 miles away. Consult your map (NatGeo Trails: Manti La-Sal NF #703) and hoof it off-trail to the base of the couloir.
• Stay there: On National Forest land, no camping permit is required. Stay closer to town in the River Road/ UT-128 or Potash Road campgrounds (blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab/recreation/campgrounds.html).
• Descent: Take the path of least resistance down the peak’s eastern flank to the pass and travel off-trail back to your vehicle.

Kicking steps up the Northwest Ice Couloir on Eldorado Peak, Washington. Photo by Kevin Oberholser

Northwest Ice Couloir (WI3+)
Eldorado Peak (8,876′), North Cascades National Park, Washington

This high-quality mixed climb offers an alternate way to the top of the classic East Ridge (Grade II) on Eldorado. It’s deep in the backcountry, and the approach is convoluted, so many climbers turn this trip into an overnight outing.

This more technical route combines the best of both worlds: an eight-pitch run up a mixed snow and ice couloir punctuated by ice bulges and rock steps. The icing on the cake is the tail end of the infamous knife-edge ridge, which can vary from a narrow sidewalk to an overhanging cornice depending on conditions. Relish the views from the top of this iconic Cascade peak, dubbed the “Queen of the Cascade River” by local pioneer Fred Beckey.

• Guidebook: Selected Climbs in the Cascades: Alpine Routes, Sport Climbs, & Crag Climbs, Volume 2, by Jim Nelson and Peter Potterfield ($27, mountaineersbooks.org)
• Season : Early spring through early fall depending upon desired ice-to-snow ratio, as the snow increases following a storm cycle. If you’re craving ice, try fall.
• Get there: From Marblemount, take Cascade River Road to the Hidden Lake Peak Trailhead. The approach is complicated by long traverses and descents. Best to throw down and buy the guidebook.
• Gear: Ice screws, light rack, and pickets. Bring glacier travel rigs for the descent via the East Ridge.
• Stay there: Bivy sites abound with many climbers opting for sites at the base of the peak’s East Ridge. Pick up a free backcountry permit at one of the North Cascades National Park ranger stations (nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/permits.htm).
• Descent: Downclimb the East Ridge back to Eldorado Glacier.

Snow climbing: Gear you’ll need

The challenge and appeal of alpine snow routes is how much conditions can vary on any given day. In the summer, an ice axe and helmet may be all you need. Tackle that same route a few hours before sunrise, and you’ll likely be geared up with crampons for the bulletproof snow. Come back in the fall, and the route may be more of an ice climb requiring screws, mountaineering boots, and rock pro. And think about the approach: Depending on snow conditions and season, boots might suffice, but you may need snowshoes or skis to avoid postholing.

Unlike rock climbing, unroped snow climbing is the norm and what climbers strive for to move efficiently (within reason). But don’t let that lull you into foolishly leaving the rope and snow pro at home, including pickets and flukes, if you need them. Every year, multiple deaths occur across the country from falls, both roped while not using protection and unroped. Snow climbing doesn’t come with a recommended gear list the same way rock routes dictate what you’ll need down to the last cam. Always bring your self-awareness and do your homework by talking to locals, going online, and stopping at ranger stations to get the most upto- date weather and snowpack conditions.

All harnesses do the same things—keep you from hitting the deck and tote gear—but how they do it can be staggeringly different. Some are mega-plush, built for hours of hanging, while others are slim and trim for sending projects. Then there are those designed with special features for ice climbing or mountaineering. You’ll probably have your harness for years—you won’t replace it as often as a rope or rock shoe—which makes it all the more important to choose the right rig. We took a dozen new harnesses picking and kicking in Rocky Mountain National Park, sport climbing in Utah and Colorado, and plugging gear in Red Rock, Nevada. From the slew of new harnesses out in early 2013, we picked five that are guaranteed to fit your fancy.

Edelrid Orion ($115, edelridna.com)

Performance: “This is one of those unique pieces of gear that disappears from my mind because it just works so well,” one tester said. The Orion combines comfort, breathability, and function into one lightweight package. A four-inch-wide waistbelt—one of the widest in our test—distributes pressure evenly: “This harness cradled my midsection instead of trying to squeeze the life out of it,” another tester commented. Thin webbing straps on the outside are connected directly to the adjustment buckles, so when you tighten the buckle, you feel increased support across the entire span. But the width doesn’t come with weight or breathability penalties (the quarter-inch-thick foam has dozens of pencil eraser–sized perforations to cut mass and cool skin). Said one female tester, “This harness mimicked the shape of my legs and waist,” thanks to the 3D construction on the foam pieces, which were angled and cut to wrap around the body instead of simply lay against it. We tested mostly for sport climbing, and the four stiff, forward-angled gear loops “reloaded” the draws well. “The next draw is easy to grab with no fumbling,” a tester reported. Plastic lines the bottom tie-in point for added durability.

Cons: Pricey. And one tester found the adjustment buckles difficult to slide due to the tight overlap in the two-piece design. Minimalist sport climbers may find the wide waistbelt and leg loops bulky or clunky.

Conclusion: Innovative harness for everything from sport to ice, and for anyone who values comfort but doesn’t want to sacrifice utility—and doesn’t mind paying for it.

Mammut Togira Light ($85, mammut.ch)

Performance: “Hands down the best harness I’ve worn out of the 15 or so I’ve donned in the past three years of gear testing,” one female tester said of the women’s-specific Togira Light. “It sits on my body perfectly and stays in place; I’m not constantly adjusting it or pulling it up—a first for me.” Another selling point is the plastic-molded gear loops, which are angled instead of round, so it’s easy to carry an entire rack of doubles through a No. 2 cam and still be able to quickly find each piece. “This harness eliminated my need to carry a shoulder gear sling; raving about gear loops might seem mental, but these were the first I’ve found that were thoughtfully designed and truly useful,” another tester said. A 1,000-foot route in Red Rock (read: seven hanging belays) didn’t give one climber any pain or discomfort, and hot gym days didn’t leave any sweat spots thanks to the breathable and slim two-layer foam construction. We fell in love with this harness for long trad routes, but sport climbers will like its slim profile and svelte fit, too. New Slide Bloc buckles were easy to use: “It zipped right up!” praised one tester. Leg loops are detachable at the lower back so you can relieve yourself en route.

Cons: Fixed leg loops don’t allow you to adjust, so pay attention to sizing. They also restrict layered-up, cold-weather climbing. Dropseat hook attachment is difficult to take off/ put on while you’re wearing it.

Conclusion: “I’ve forsaken every other harness for this one.” Gear-pluggers and bolt-clippers alike will dig the comfort and fit of this harness. Best women’s harness we’ve seen in the past few years.

Black Diamond Momentum 3S ($60, blackdiamondequipment.com)

Performance: For trad routes in Joshua Tree, California, and sport missions in Maple Canyon and American Fork, Utah, this addition to the Momentum lineup has proven to be a comfortable and versatile harness with a few upgrades. Black Diamond redesigned the Speed Adjust buckles—which had little issues with slipping in prior testing—by shrinking the space for the webbing to pass through just enough so that the buckles bite firmly without being difficult to tighten and loosen. “I was impressed with the durability,” one western states tester said. “After more than six months of testing, including some burl-fest chimneys, it showed no signs of wear.” Open-hook seat attachments made it easy to drop trou when nature called, and full waist and leg adjustability was ideal for conditions and climbing from hot to cold. “Sport, gym, or trad, the Momentum 3S has been pure joy thanks to the comfortable webbing and foam insert construction,” one tester said. “Not to mention it’s a steal at $60.” Four pressure-molded gear loops were big enough for every route that wasn’t a big wall, but it maintains an airy weight at 13 oz., so it’s packable and doesn’t add bulk to any gear-intensive backcountry pursuits.

Cons: Sizing seemed small on this model (and other Black Diamond models), so try on before buying or size up with plans to cinch down. Word of caution for short people: Gear loops hang draws and other pro extra-low.

Conclusion: Full adjustability and do-everything design make this nearly perfect for everything on rock. It’s also the least expensive harness in the review, and one of the cheapest on the market.

Petzl Sama ($65, petzl.com)

Performance: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” was not the mantra of the Petzl designers. With significant waistbelt, buckle, and gear-loop upgrades, Petzl took our bolt-minded testers’ old favorite and made it hall-of-fame worthy. With wider sides and a narrower back, the new waistbelt scored top marks for comfort and freedom of movement. “The padded sides protected the sensitive parts of my stomach during falls at Shelf Road, Colorado, but I felt unencumbered when I needed to do twisting cross-through moves,” one tester said. Another favorite was the new waist adjustment system. “The wider webbing was easy to grab and pull, even when my fingers were torched, and the new DoubleBack Light buckle is the quickest auto-doubled-back buckle I’ve ever used,” he said. The front gear loops are rigid and stick out from the harness, which was great for quick, fumble-free clips; the rear loops are more flexible, so they lay flat and stay out of the way—perfect for wearing with a pack on long routes. Petzl updated four harnesses for both men and women with all these same features: Sama/Selena with fixed leg loops, and Adjama/Luna with adjustable leg loops for mountaineering.

Cons: A bit stiff at first, but broke in after a few wears. Although it is lined with wicking mesh on the inside, testers found the quarterinch- thick foam less breathable than others.

Conclusion: Built for working sport projects, this harness has the comfort for all-day wear in the waistbelt and the svelteness of a “sending only” rig with the fixed leg loops.

Mammut Realization Harness Short ($200, mammut.ch)

Performance: Building a harness into a pair of shorts might seem like unnecessary innovation, but each tester who tried the Realization harness shorts loved them. “No bunching or riding up made me feel more fluid on the rock; I moved with ease,” said one tester who recommended these board-short-like bottoms for gym days and summer sport climbing. Two plastic gear loops mean you can rack a full set of draws for single-pitch days outside, and abrasion-resistant material stands up to leg and butt-scumming. Four pockets—two in front, two in back—were functional for pre- and post-climbing time, as well as during (i.e., no annoying pocket-wrestling when reaching for lip balm). One tester praised the mesh liner (a cross between a bathing suit lining and boxer briefs), which “kept my contents in check” but breathed well in a “hot-as-hell gym.” Bonus: The Realization shorts didn’t hold any stink after sweaty sessions. While testers found the waist to be small for the size (our 31-inch-waist tester barely fit into a medium), the 11-inch inseam and style were ideal for at the crag and at the bar: “It’s a great-looking pair of shorts with a harness inside. Win-win.”

Cons: The greatest benefit (harness and shorts in one design) is also its biggest drawback— you can’t just take your harness off and be done; you have to change your shorts, too.

Conclusion: Ideal for gym days when you’re hopping from the lead wall to the bouldering cave. The combo was comfortable to climb in, but we’d recommend taking off after climbing.

Safety Standards

When buying a harness, look for a model with a CE or UIAA label. This signifies that the manufacturer has met or surpassed design or strength standards established by the European Community and the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation, respectively. The crucial areas in harness testing are the tie-in points, waistbelt and leg loop buckles, belay loop, and the waistbelt itself. The tie-in points and belay loop must be rated to at least 15kN, and the waistbelt must be rated to 10kN for side-to-side strength. In a fall, the waistbelt and leg loop buckles can’t slip more than 20mm. Other parts of the harness (like the haul loop or gear loops) might be strength-rated, but they are not designed to be used when belaying or tying into the rope.

Background footage about the making of the film Change, based on Adam Ondra’s ascent of the route of the same name— the first 5.15c in the world.

Lucho Rivera and Cedar Wright, both plagued by gangs and drugs in their adolescence, sought “rock therapy” in Malaysia in 2012. Raising money for Big City Mountaineers, Rivera and Wright made the first ascents of several climbs on spires called the Dragons’ Horns on Tiomen Island.

Australian climber Thomas Farrell flashes Camorra (V12) in Zillertal, Austria.

French climber Alizee Dufraisse talks about her passion for climbing, and the physical and mental challenges of climbing at her very limit. She spends a lot of time climbing in Spain, where she’s done numerous 5.14d ascents.

When many people start trad climbing, cams become their new best friend. They’re easy to use and contract to fit a variety of crack sizes. But don’t underestimate the benefits of their counterpart: the nut. With no moving parts (hence, “passive protection”), nuts are inexpensive, lightweight, sturdy, and it’s easy to judge a placement by eyeballing—many will fit a variety of spots because they can be positioned in four different orientations. Plus, thousands of nut-only first ascents were completed before cams were even invented. Here’s a rundown of how to use these amazing tools.

A typical set of nuts, also called wires or chocks, consists of 10 to 12 pieces that start small—less than .25” wide—and go up to about 1.3” for wedgeshaped nuts and 3.5” for six-sided hexes. These are “standard” sizes to look for when first building your rack. There are much smaller nuts, like RPs, and much larger ones, like hexes (see page 28 for more info on specialized passive pro). Because nuts cost much less than cams, it’s common to double up on the small sizes of the standard nut range for gear-intensive routes. Plus, it’s cheaper to leave nuts behind than cams if you have to build an emergency rappel anchor.

Good nut (left): securely set in a constriction, oriented downward, with full width of both sides touching. Extended with a quickdraw. Bad nut (right): Sides sticking out of crack, set in fractured rock, and not extended.

Rack ’em

Rack a standard set of 10 to 12 nuts on two carabiners, organized by size, and clipped to a gear loop on your harness or a shoulder sling. Don’t be tempted to cram them all on one biner—this will make it harder to find the piece you need, and if you drop this biner, you’ll lose all your nuts.

Place ’em

As with any removable protection, placing nuts takes practice. Work on technique with your feet on the ground at the base of a cliff or boulder, or practice slotting nuts on toprope. Follow trad routes as often as you can. This makes you a proficient cleaner, and you’ll see how a more experienced leader places all types of gear.

Principles of placement

1. Rock quality. Make sure the rock is solid with no loose blocks or flakes that could easily pull off under force. A nut placement is only as good as the rock surrounding it.
2. Direction of pull. Place the nut so the cable is oriented in the direction it will be pulled if you fall. This depends on how high above the piece you are when you fall, but generally you can place nuts so the pull is mostly down and slightly out.
3. Constriction. Basically, nuts and hexes work by wedging into a tapered crack. Look for a crack that widens with height: Slot the nut into the wide part and wedge it down into the narrower section—this constriction will hold it in place. Avoid placements where the rock flares outward or downward, and beware of cracks that widen just below or behind your placement—if the nut shifts slightly, it could pop out of the wider spot.
4. Surface contact. The more, the better. The nut should sit squarely in the crack.
5. Set it. Once you’re satisfied with the placement, set it in place. Clip a sling or quickdraw to the wire, and give the nut a gentle tug to make sure it doesn’t pop right out. (Pulling hard on a nut that pops immediately could cause you to lose your balance and fall.) Then deliver a sharp, downward pull, so it settles into the constriction. 6. Extend it. As you move above a nut, tension on the rope can pull up on the cable, possibly yanking the nut out of its placement. To minimize this danger, always clip a quickdraw or runner between the nut cable and the rope.

*It helps to remember #1 to #4 as the mnemonic RDCS: Running Dogs Chase Squirrels.

Clean ’em

Observe how the nut was moved into its position, and then remove it in reverse. You might be able to gently push the nut up and out; if not, wiggle the cable to try to unseat it. If it’s still stuck, use a nut tool and tap the piece from below until it comes out of the crack. If possible, avoid yanking up on the cable, or you risk damaging the wires. If a nut seems hopelessly stuck, remember they are inexpensive to replace; don’t risk your safety to retrieve it.

Advanced techniques

Use two pieces to protect horizontal cracks by slotting the nuts, and then connecting them with a sling under light tension.

Horizontal cracks: Sometimes you can place a nut in a horizontal fissure by poking it into the crack and moving it sideways into a constriction that will hold it in place no matter what direction the pull comes. However, more often a nut placement will only work in one direction along a horizontal crack (just as many nuts in vertical cracks only protect against a downward pull). You can still use a nut that will only hold a sideways pull by placing another nut in “opposition.”

Camming action: Hexes can sometimes be placed in parallel-sided horizontals, much like a cam, by orienting it so the cable or sling points up and out of the crack. If the cable comes under load, it will cam the sides of the hex against the rock and hold it in place.

Find good placements so the two nuts’ cables are oriented toward each other; in other words, they will hold pulls in roughly opposite directions. Now, connect the two nuts with a sling: Clip a sling to one nut with a carabiner, and then thread the end of the sling through a biner clipped to the other nut, back up through the two strands of webbing, and back through the carabiner on the second nut. Clip a biner or quickdraw to the end of the sling, pull it to tension the sling and hold the two nuts in place, and clip the end to the rope.

Thread ’em: The skinny wires on nuts can be fished through holes where no sling could ever fit. Thread the clipping end of the wire between limestone solution pockets or around chockstones wedged into a crack, and then clip a quickdraw to both ends of the cable for a natural piece of pro.

Fit two nuts together, one right side up, the other upside down, to create a placement when you've run out of larger nuts. Use a keeper sling in case the placement fails, and connect the sling to the rope.

Stack ’em: Say you’re completely out of cams and large nuts, and you desperately need a piece to protect the final move on the pitch. In some cases, you may be able to stack two smaller nuts by holding one upside down against one side of the crack, and then wedging the other one, right side up, between the first nut and the rock. Give a good tug to set the pieces, and thread or clip the upside down nut to the second nut so you won’t lose it if the placement fails. It doesn’t often work as the placement can be tricky, but when it does, it’s a lifesaver.

Don’t forget

1. Pay attention to shape. Some nuts are curved, so one side is concave and one is convex. You want the nut’s taper and curve to match the rock’s shape, wrapping around bends or irregularities in the crack. Sometimes you can simply flip the nut to get a better placement.
2. Consider all options. Tapered nuts can be placed sideways in a crack—broad side facing out, narrow sides against the rock— which gives you more options when you’re getting low on gear. However, such placements may be less stable than the “normal” position. Hexes have many placement options—keep experimenting to find the ideal position. Nuts only protect a downward force.
3. If there’s a chance of an upward pull or a sharp sideways force, consider a cam, which protects in all directions. At the start of a pitch, always place a solid piece of pro that will resist outward and upward pulls. This will prevent a rope from “zippering” out the gear if it comes under tension.
4. Small pieces can be fussy. It can take more time to place a nut than a cam because you might have to try multiple sizes to wedge it just right. Get a solid stance before you start fiddling.