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Like much of climbing, these skills are not to be taken lightly. My first ever multi-pitch climb was this aptly-named ramble in Boulder Canyon. And if you happen to live in an area where there’s some approachable multi-pitch sport climbing nearby, lucky you - you have an easier, less-committing venue in which to learn. If you’re a competent single-pitch trad climber, you’re likely well on your way.
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Learning to place gear and build anchors is beyond the scope of a single article (despite a plethora of books on the subject, the debate on anchors continues to rage).
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#Belay from above atc guide how to#
We’ll cover the basics of what you need to get going: how to prepare, what gear you’ll need, the step-by-step process of multi-pitch climbing, and other logistical issues. In most areas, multi-pitch climbing unlocks new cliffs and vast amounts of new terrain. One of the magical parts of climbing is that it takes you places where only the birds and the bugs normally go - and for the really tall stuff, you’ll need more than one rope-length to get there.
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You’re ready to start multi-pitch climbing. You know what an anchor is, you’ve learned how to rappel, and you’re feeling pretty good about your single-pitch self.īut you’re seeing all these Instagram photos of climbers dangling hundreds of feet of the ground, rappelling off of giant cliffs, and topping out huge lines.
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