Anchoring at the Top of a Cliff
Mike's Question:
I'm into climbing outdoors and have experience creating top rope anchors where the belayer is below the climber. However, on the North Shore of Lake Superior there are routes where the climber rappels down and then climbs up. The anchor and belay stay on top of the cliff. I am just interested in how all of that would work from the anchor set up, belay anchor, protecting the rope from the edge, going from rappelling to climbing, etc . . .
Thanks for any advice you may have,
— Mike Gruba
Don's Answer:
Mike,
The top belay that you describe is a common one, though often neglected if the cliff is less than a half-rope length and access to the bottom is easy. There, the so-called"slingshot" belay, with the belayer on the ground, is usually preferred.
Taking your concerns one at a time:
Anchoring at the top
I hope there are natural anchors, like trees, where you climb. All you need to do is attach yourself via the climbing rope or webbing. Remember to be redundant in any anchoring system. Never trust your fate (and that of the climber below) to a single anchor. If you tie in to your end of the rope, as if you were climbing, then all you have to do is clove hitch (or eight-on-a-bight) yourself to slings on the tree or trees. The clove hitch is preferred because it allows an exact length—very important so that you don't get dragged out of position or over the edge. The longer the distance between the belayer and the anchor, the greater the potential for stretch. Keep this in mind, especially if you are using rope instead of webbing.
The forces generated by the top belay can be surprisingly strong, much more than with a sling-shot belay, which absorbs a lot of the impact as the rope passes over the pulley carabiners. Have your climber take a good hard jump near the bottom so that you can get a feel for the potential impacts to come. Realize, however, that the closer the climber is to the anchor, the less shock absorption offered by the rope. Thus, the test fall is actually less of a shock than a fall right near the top of the cliff.
You have the option to belay through your harness (via the power loop) or right off the anchor, transferring the impact to the trees.
To stand or to sit?
A standing belayer is easily pulled down on his face (every guide has a confession here) during a hard fall, since the downward impact stresses the legs more than the anchor. If you still decide to stand, lock your knees and be especially vigilant. A seated belayer might get dragged a bit on his butt as the anchor stretches, but unless he catches his fingers (or thighs or any other personal flesh) under the rope at the moment of impact, he's in a good position to catch a fall and hold a resting climber.
Another option is to belay facing uphill, passing the rope through doubled biners on the anchor. This simulates a slingshot setup, pulling the belayer up toward the anchor. Experiment with this as well.
Rappelling
It's best to hang a rope down the cliff and have the climber rappel single line, all the while being belayed by the second rope from above. This protects the climber as he rappels, and even as the rappel gear is detached, the climber remains safe as he begins his climb. If it's a short cliff, one end of the rope can be the rap line, while the other serves as the belay.
Protecting against a sharp edge
Good idea, but since the rope is a moving one, not fixed in one place, the wear is spread out over the length of the rope as the climber ascends. Severing a rope in this manner is very unlikely. Wearing a rope out prematurely, however, is always a concern. My favorite pad is a small square of carpet (rubber bottom for stickiness), placed on the cliff edge. Remnant rugs are often free at carpet stores.
The summary
Anchor well, compensate for stretch, and expect a much harder impact than in the familiar slingshot. Practice, practice, practice.
—Don
from Away.com
