The Guide Who Could Have Killed Them
The guide was right about the loose boulder, but wrong to jiggle it.
Climbing Anchors
Climbing Anchors
Belaying Outside is Different From Belaying in a Gym. You’d Better Know the Difference.
Uneven stances, hanging belays, anchors, roots and rocks your rope can snag on...belaying outside is full of hazards that aren't replicated in the gym. Here are some strategies to keep both the climber and belayer safe and secure.
Don’t Do This: American Death Triangle Entire-Rope Anchor
They were trying to be safe, but in their zeal they neglected to follow three tenets of basic anchor construction.
Lessons Learned from an Unhitched Climber
If I'd hopped off the ledge or tried to weight the sling, I would've fallen a few hundred feet to the ground. I felt sick to my stomach for a couple weeks after that one.
No Holiday For Danger: A Potentially Deadly Way To Thread The Rope
Always thread the rope through the anchor, not around it.
These Kids Used Parachute Cord For Slings …. Said They Learned It From The Boy Scouts
They needed to be prepared for disaster. Fortunately, a real climber stepped in.
Yet Another Dangerous Belay That’s Hard To Believe
A true story that could have ended any number of ways.
Make Multi-Pitch Climbing Safer and More Efficient With the Clove Hitch
The versatile clove hitch has a myriad uses. Here's yet another one.
How to Build a Quad Anchor
Use a long cordelette or sling to create a fast, safe, and self-equalizing quad anchor
Learn to Trad Climb: A Beginner’s Guide
Want to enhance your rappelling skillset? Build better anchors? Perfect your gear placements? Crush your first multi-pitch?
Unbelayvable: An "Interesting" Anchor
Check out Matt Samet's author page.
Mixed Metals and Galvanic Corrosion: Why Our Bolts Go Bad
Check out Bruce Hildenbrand's author page.
Editors' Choice 2019: Edelrid Aramid Cord Sling Review
Our top climbing gear picks of 2019
Learn This: Build an Organized Big Wall Anchor
Check out Alexa Flower's author page.
Learn to Evaluate Trad Anchors With This 12-Point Rubric
Assign point values to each piece in an anchor to assess overall reliability
Unbelayvable: Oh, You Were Using That Anchor?
SCARY (AND TRUE) TALES FROM A CRAG NEAR YOU
Learn This: Belay Extensions
Improve multi-pitch communication by adjusting belay position
Learn This: Build a Climbing Rope Anchor
Carry less gear by building a solid anchor with the rope
Unbelayvable: A Bad Anchor is Worse Than No Anchor
SCARY (AND TRUE) TALES FROM A CRAG NEAR YOU
Learn This: The Double Figure-Eight Knot
Check out Julie Ellison's author page.
How to Build Bomber Ice Anchors
Build a maximum-strength anchor in ice with two pieces
Learn This: Build a Snow Bollard Anchor
Learn how to use snow as an anchor
Unbelayvable: Bad Anchors And Bad Parents
Check out Kevin Corrigan's author page.
Essential Skills: Cleaning Sport Anchors
Check out Julie Ellison's author page.
Bolted Toprope Anchors
Setting up a simple yet bomber anchor