Rock climbig Anchors: A Comprehensive Guide

355 Pages·29.4 MB·English

by  Luebben Craig.

ROCK CLIMBING ANCHORS
A Comprehensive Guide
American Mountain Guides Association
The author Craig Luebben has undergone internationally recognized training and certification exams
in the highest levels of professional guiding. Although the content of this book does not officially
represent American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) guiding techniques, the AMGA does endorse
the author, who is a certified guide, and the content of this book which provides the most current
techniques used in the craft of technical mountaineering.

ROCK CLIMBING ANCHORS
A Comprehensive Guide
Craig Luebben
THE MOUNTAINEERS BOOKS
is the nonprofit publishing arm of The Mountaineers Club,
an organization founded in 1906 and dedicated to the exploration,
preservation, and enjoyment of outdoor and wilderness areas.
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134
© 2007 by Craig Luebben
All rights reserved
First edition: first printing 2007, second printing 2008, third printing 2009, fourth pri and efficientho { font-size: nting 2011
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, without permission in writing from the
publisher.
Manufactured in the United States of America
Acquiring Editor: Christine Hosler
Project Editor: Mary Metz
Developmental Editor: Christine Clifton-Thornton
Copy Editor: Colin Chisholm
Cover and Book Design: The Mountaineers Books
Layout: Mayumi Thompson
Illustrator: Jeremy Collins
Photographer: All photographs by the author unless otherwise noted.
Cover photograph: Karissa Dunbar prepares to clip on Angular Motion (5.12a), Carver, Oregon.
© Brian Stevenson/Aurora Photos
Back cover photograph: Guides Bill Libertore, Matt Wade, and Joe Crocker rappelling off Frigidaire Buttress, Red Rocks, Nevada
Frontispiece: Topher Donahue spicing it up on Lock of Rages (5.12R), Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Luebben, Craig.
Rock climbing anchors : a comprehensive guide / by Craig Luebben. — 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-59485-006-6
ISBN-10: 1-59485-006-2
1. Rock climbing—Equipment and supplies. 2. Rock climbing—Safety measures. I. Title.
GV200.15.L84 2006
796.522'3—dc22
2006024760
Printed on recycled paper
ISBN (paperback): 978-1-59485-006-6
ISBN (eb
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
CHAPTER 1
Anchor Basics
Top-rope anchors
Rapem; margin-bottom: 0.05em; margin-left: p for lowering pel anchors
Sport climbing anchors
Belay anchors
Lead protection
Aid and big wall climbing
Clean climbing
Forces on climbing anchors
How many anchors?
How important is equalization?
Pre-equalized anchors
Self-equalizing anchors
V-angle
Pulley effect
Multidirectional anchors
Climber attachment to the anchors
Belaying the second
Belaying the leader
Rock type and rock quality
CHAPTER 2
Natural and Fixed Anchors
Natural anchors
Fixed anchors
CHAPTER 3
Chocks
Evolution of climbing chocks
Wired nuts
Hexagonal chocks
Tri-cams
Sliding nuts
Expandable tubes good surface contact. impact force
Size and strength
CHAPTER 4
Cams
Cam evolution
Setting and removing cams
Good and bad cam placements
Cam testing
Cam design
CHAPTER 5
Top-rope and Rappel Anchors
Slingshot top rope
Top belay
Rappel anchors
CHAPTER 6
Sport Climbing Anchors
Clipping bolts
Rigging top anchors for lowering and top-roping
Multipitch belay anchors
CHAPTER 7
Traditional Belay Anchors
Belay station
Belay rigging methods
Cordelette craft
Minimalist rigging with slings
Rigging with the climbing rope
CHAPTER 8
Trad Leading
Protecting the climb
CHAPTER 9
Climbing Forces
Newton’s laws of motion
Potential and kinetic energy
Impact force
Impulse and momentum
Strength of climbing gear
Appendix 1: Webbing, Cord, and Carabiners
Appendix 2: Knots
Appendix 3: Equations