Navigating Multipitch Traffic: 12 Hours on 8 Easy Pitches?
Multipitch climbing is an awesome way to experience a mountain, sightseeing vertically. The problems start when everyone else wants that experience as well.
Almost any popular, world-class, or decently well-known/accessible location will have the same frustrating issue pulling climbers off the wall: traffic. Too many people of different experience levels trying to get up the same route, and if you're racing against daylight to complete a bigger climb, this is totally the last thing you want to deal with.
This August I set out with three other friends to bag the famous Chief via an epic 20-pitch linkup. It had rained a day prior, and on Monday, almost everyone was rushing to get some climbing in after that wasted weekend. Wet, seeping lower pitches, plus almost two parties per pitch caused ridiculously long waiting times at each belay station. By the time we reached the South Gully, we'd already wasted the whole day just trying to get past traffic on the 8-pitch Apron. We didn't get the summit this time, but those 12 hours on the wall taught me so much about climbing strategy in popular areas.
Here's a couple ways to navigate multipich traffic when climbing those must-do, mega-classic routes:
Start Early
Party of 3? Efficient Rope System
Block Leading
Passing Parties and Letting Others Pass You
Start Early
Like, earlier than you'd think. Getting to the base of your route before the usual rush of 'traffic' allows you to secure that crucial head start, and also optimizes rock conditions, as cooler temps and (hopefully) shade will make the climbing itself more enjoyable.
Depending on objective (backcountry alpine multipitches with multi-day approaches are a whole different thing), I would recommend starting between 6 and 7 am in peak season, maybe even earlier as far as daylight allows.
Party of 3? Efficient Rope System
The more people in your party, the longer transitions will take, and that can be the biggest deciding factor in how fast you're able to move. Dialing down an efficient rope system removes unnecessary gear faff, and everyone seems to be happier when moving quick.
I always find it funny when people try to multipitch in rope teams of four, even five - the less people attached via rope together, the faster you will move. (Never climb with four people in one system, break it into two groups of two! 😂).
Generally speaking, don't bring three people on a remote alpine route where time is a constraint - even numbers are better. If you must, multipitching with a party of three needs to be as efficient as it gets. Don't waste time bringing one person up at a time, instead, use a system called parallel climbing, also known as double rope configuration.
Parallel climbing: the leader ties into two ropes of the same length, and clips both ropes into protection pieces as they climb. At the belay, the leader uses an ATC Guide or Petzl Reverso (or any belay device that can feed two ropes, not a Grigri) to belay both followers at the same time. Followers climb about 5 metres or so apart, and the last climber will typically clean. This system cuts down a third of the time spent with a standard one-at-a-time multipitch system. It's also good to use when climbing with young children that cannot belay the leader themselves and need support when climbing.
Block Leading
Instead of swapping leads every pitch, let one person lead three or four pitches, saving a lot of time. It's generally easier to flip a rope rather than completely re-rack at each belay.
The climb "being too hard" shouldn't be an issue for this. Of course, climbing monstrous, high-grade multipitches is an art of its own, and many people enjoy it for that specific reason. But honestly, if your goal is to simply get up the mountain and enjoy the process, don't pick the hardest route. You should be able to move quick and efficient for long periods of time, and the grade should be far below your redpoint level.
Passing Parties and Letting Other Pass You
This one's big. Just like on the road, if someone is moving faster than your team is, just let them pass. Everyone will be happier in the end.
At the base: Get to your climb early to secure your spot "in line." It's helpful to pick a route with several linkup options that give you flexibility to start on something else and connect to the original line later, if your route was jam-packed.
My personal deciding factor is when there is more than three parties waiting at the base. That means at least another hour of waiting, and it's more worth it to hop on an alternative start to save yourself time (many trad multipitches, especially in places like Squamish, have "direct" options, generally a grade harder, and connect to the main line through ledge networks later).
On the wall: Popular, easy lines in places like Squamish, Yosemite, or Red Rocks become horrible bottlenecks during the day. Moving through packed routes involves a lot of patience, creativity, problem-solving, and waiting. LOTS of waiting.
Courtesy will get you a long way: I've seen many arrogant climbers decide to link pitches, rappel over busy routes, and refuse to let others pass. Ultimately, it's not about who gets to the top first, so justifying this kind of behavious is difficult and annoying. What you can do in this situation is to try and coordinate your plan with other climbers - luckily, most people realize they're in the same boat as you and are willing to cooperate.
Some ideas to navigate all that traffic...
Passing people: Only pass other groups if you're 100% confident in moving fast for the next few hours or so. If this is your first time on this particular route, or you're still learning to multipitch, it's not a good idea to rush ahead of others. Use your judgment: nobody is ever obliged to let you pass because you’re faster/more experienced. However, most people are okay with multiple ropes being on a pitch, or stepping aside to let you move ahead. Always communicate what you're planning to do and make sure everyone is on the same page.
Letting others pass: Yes, please do! Don't be that one horder who moves slow but won't move to the end of the line. If you're not sure what you're doing, look out for guides or locals who know the tricks and can help you navigate a system you've never used before.
Sharing belays: You will 100% need to share a belay with someone else, so practice keeping your gear sorted and confined to a small part of the anchor/ledge. If it's a gear belay, you might have to improvise and build something mid-pitch, to get your party up and off the pitch below.
Communication: USE NAMES! With so many people around you yelling different things, it's easy to get confused and that's when dangerous mistakes happen. Always shout, "(partner's name) Off belay!" Most people around you understand what's going on and usually won't mind to pass on a message if you can't see your climber, but they can. Or, the alternative is to avoid the shouting at all and use walkie-talkies - I've seen a growing number of climbers start using this convenient option.
The descent:
Walk-offs: Usually preferred for long, jam-packed multipitches. First of all, nobody wants to rap 10+ pitches to the ground, and second of all, it's rude and obnoxious to throw your rope onto someone's head when they're climbing. Sometimes walk-offs are faster, depending on the mountain, but be aware that guidebooks tend to sandbag them a lot, so a "walk down the backside" likely involves scree slopes, short-roping down slabs, and bushwhacking. Be aware.
Rappelling: Your emergency bail-out option, and sometimes, the only way down a mountain. Always carry your rap kit (ATC, backup: "third hand"/prusik/HollowBlock, carabiner, personal anchor/tether), even if the plan is to hike off. Most densely-developed areas have dedicated rappel lines, but these can be extremely busy. Ultimately, you will have to make this choice in the moment.
What if someone offers to link ropes together?
Lots of people do this on busy multipitches. Rapping double-rope can easily turn two, even three raps into one, and save everyone a lot of time.
My rules of thumb...
Never agree to this unless I've seen these people throughout the multipitch, observed their systems/gear handling/etc. It's insane how many people climb on worn-out ropes and rap without stopper knots.
Time is not an issue: Some people rappel fast, some don't. You will need to wait for twice as long as four to six people descend down your ropes.
Take the rap line if... You are 100% sure there are bolted anchors/cord to rap off, and this is a well-travelled line. You have a map/external source telling you this is a trusted way of descent. The line-up is short. The anchors are easily accessed: some rap lines have ridiculously dangerous bolts perched at the edge of sloping ramps. That's when it isn't safe anymore to even get to your anchors. The rap line does not descend the multipitch itself; never rappel over people climbing.
Take the walk-off if... It is faster than the rap (eg. 23 raps vs 2 hours descent trail). It is safer than the rap. It's a well-travelled trail that will take you back to where you started (some trails end up on the opposite side of the mountain!).
What are your thoughts about climbing busy multipitches?
There's been lots of discussion online about how "best" doesn't always mean "worth climbing," and I personally agree with this. Popular lines are often over-climbed and become too worn-down. When do you think is a multipitch not worth climbing anymore due to traffic?
Side note: The climb described in this blog post, Calculus Crack 5.8, is an amazing climb on the North Apron and isn't known to be this busy. Other Central Apron routes, such as Diedre 5.8 (Top 100) or Banana Peel 5.7 are generally far more packed, due to their easier natures and (mostly) bolted anchors. What happened to us was a hilariously unlucky combination of obstacles - weather, timing (day after Squamish's Arc'teryx Academy), and season - that made this route so busy. Hop on Calculus Crack for some amazing hand/finger jamming and break in those crack gloves!
-- Sophia 🫶
Awesome!
Love it