Follow these three basic sport climbing rules and you’ll avoid some of the most common accidents.
Sport climbing has become extremely popular since the 1980’s. With a growing population of climbers who often learn from friends, rather than professional training, accidents can occur. According to Bob Gaines, an AGMA Certified rock climbing guide and instructor at Vertical Adventures in in Southern California, most all off the accidents that can occur while sport climbing, can be prevented by simply applying these three basic rules.
Rule #1: The belayer should always tie into the end of the rope.
If your climb is more than half the length of your rope, there’s a chance the end of the rope can run though an inattentive belayer’s device and the lead climber can fall. If the belayer is tied to the end of the rope, this cannot happen.
Rule #2: Never place the rope between your legs, especially when moving off to the side of a bolt.
No rock climber wants to fall upside down, but that’s what will happen if you fall to one side and the rope is between your legs. This common accident can also cause fatal head injuries and can be avoided. If you clip into a bolt and traverse to the right , position your rope so that it runs over your left hip. Do the opposite when moving to the left.
Rule #3: When clipping the rope into a quickdraw, always position the rope bearing carabiner with the large end of the carabiner down.
This is a common mistake that if you fall, you don’t want the rope running over the gate of the carabiner. Always clip the rope from the inside out (rock to you) with the rope running straight up through the carabiner and postion the gate of the carabiner that you are clipping into AWAY from the direction you are moving.
Aside from respecting the environment, sport climbers would be wise to believe that not all bolts and anchors are solidly placed into the rock face. But by following these basic rules, you’ll avoid injury and be a much safer climber.