Prepare for an Alpine Multipitch: Off-Wall System Efficiency

Mom approaching the top of the cliff, ready to throw the rope. 💪 🔥

Are you preparing to climb an alpine multipitch? The training doesn't start in the mountains.

Everyone talks about the usual type of training: cardio, endurance, leg power, and so on. But what nobody actually talks about is how important it is to dial down the things your life depends on, and it isn't how many laps you can run.

I've been climbing for 6 years, and after climbing my first 10-pitch 5.7 at age 12, I knew pretty quickly that multipitching was the kind of climbing I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Here's what I learned, multipitch climbing as a tween:

How efficiently can you set up a rappel?

Are you able to identify chossy, dangerous routes from safer alternatives?

How redundant is your gear belay anchor?

Do you know the physics behind every piece of gear you're using?

How confident are you in rope rescue: would you be able to pull your partner up in case of emergency?

Are you aware of/can observe and identify potential hazards of moving on unpredictable terrain like glaciers/moats and bergschrunds/scree slopes and talus fields?

And what about weather? It's all easy on a sunny day in perfect temps. But add whiteout, rain or snow or hail, and finger-numbing temperatures, and we'll see how fast you'll set up your anchors then.

Answering these questions - including a lot more - comes with years and years of experience. But ultimately, you can start building on that experience right now: at the crag, in the gym, and even at your house.

My favourite way to practice my rap system: set a timer, and see how efficiently I can rig my rappel, complete a safety check, "descend" off the hangboard, and pull the rope. So far, the record is just under 2 minutes...

When I started multipitch climbing, nobody told me how important it was to be able to move quickly and confidently in transitions - not just when you're climbing. The biggest time concern with alpine climbing is rope management, re-racking, building anchors, and belay transitions.

Only too many times have I pre-built an anchor, climbed to the belay, and realized everything I made was useless because my system wasn't adjustable and the bolts/placements weren't how I imagined it. Your goal should be to minimize those readjustments and work on efficiency and effectiveness.

What does it mean to have an effective multipitch system?

• Both climbers have enough gear to: rappel (independently), set up an anchor, and clean the anchor. You shouldn't be sharing or swapping any gear except protection/draws/anything you use when climbing a pitch.

• Backups: extra belay device (lightweight one). Extra prusiks/cord. Extra slings: nylon, dyneema ("dynex"). More alpine draws than you need, 1-2 extra.

• Your anchor system/gear setup balances all of the above in a manner that is redundant, safe, and easy to use.

What does it mean to have an efficient multipitch system?

• Optimizing your effective setup to be able to move fast, smooth, and safe.

• You and your partner have gear, transitions, and route planning dialed down to the point where it's simply 'clip, check, climb, and repeat.'

• Your system balances redundancy with flow: it's easy to use, works no matter what, and is bomb-proof enough that you feel comfortable falling on it.

Dylan's redundant and strong anchor system on a local 4-pitch bolted outing - runout, muddy, but amazing 10b climbing!

Some ideas to start working on OFF-WALL SYSTEM EFFICIENCY...

1. Basic multipitch systems: These NEED to feel like second nature by the time you head out on your first alpine objective. Repeating the multipitch process over and over again, including assessing gear placements and rock quality, will make your life so much easier on the wall. Practice familiarizing yourself with your harness gear layout to minimize time spent transitioning at each belay. You wouldn't want to rebuild your entire system at a hanging belay in -1° C. Climb short, low-grade multipitches that you're familiar with to practice efficiency, or regularly venture out on new routes as the leader to get comfortable with route finding.

Local laps on my first 3-pitch trad route, age 12. This was my first time climbing in a system of 3 people, and that's something I wished I practiced beforehand as well.

2. Scenarios: What would you do if... the guidebook-sourced "tree belay" turns out to be a cracked dead bush? The clouds make navigation hard on the ridge? You run out of rope linking pitches, and there's nowhere to build an anchor? The belay bolts are rusty and loose? Your partner falls and is unable to move, and you need to get them up to your belay? (this is rope rescue). Going through potential worst-case scenarios with your climbing partners will help prepare everybody for the mountain - do this at the crag, gym, or even a dedicated 'trip prep session.'

   
   

3. Racking gear: I talked about this in #1. Figure out where you're going to keep all your gear on your harness/chest sling, so you don't spend time fumbling around looking for a cam/sling/anything when climbing or at the belay. This also minimizes risk of dropping things. I practice this at home: lay out all my gear, take a good look at it, practice building a variety of anchors so I'm prepared for all kinds of situations.

Smoke bluffs! First time in Squamish and I absolutely fell in love with it. September/October 2024, age 12.

4. Partner coordination: ...and not in the availability sense. Be sure that you and your partners are on the same page about:

   
   

   - Emergency plans (what will you do if... ?).

   
   

   - Communication ("when I'm on my personal, I will say... ___ secure/off belay/on personal" or "if it's too windy and I can't hear/see you, what will we do? *walkie-talkies, hand signals, etc.*).

   
   

   - Lead system: swinging leads (less rope management, more reracking) or block leading (flipping rope at each belay, rack consistent for # of pitches)?

   Depends mostly on the comfort level of both climbers and the difficulty of the climbing. For the most part, start by swinging leads, and climb with partners that are experienced enough to make valid gear-related decisions.

*Linking pitches: How long is your rope, how long are the pitches, and is everyone ok climbing past the anchors? Linking pitches together is considered rude and ignorant on busy, popular multipitches. Avoid in respect to other parties.What will you do if you run out of rope before the next anchor?

- Non-technical gear (will the follower carry a larger pack, or will both climbers have backpacks? Are you bringing approach shoes - walk off vs rappel? How much extra layers/food/water do we need?).

Assess terrain when deciding packing: chimneys and offwidths will mean big, bulky packs slowing down progress and making everyone uncomfortable.

Rapping off this cool roof 🫣

I so wish someone told me this earlier...

1. Don't pre-build your anchors! This is a bit of a controversial opinion, but you don't want to be stuck untying knots in your sling because the bolts/placements were different than you thought. Generally, it will save you a lot of time to keep all anchor material at hand on your harness, and make the decision of what anchor to build at the belay itself.

   
   

2. Climbing with a party of three? There is a way to do this efficiently... Use a technique called parallel climbing or double rope configuration. The leader ties into two ropes and clips both in when climbing (think: twin roping, but on thicker ropes 😂). The leader uses an ATC Guide or Petzl Reverso (any belay device that feeds two ropes, Grigri won't work) to belay both followers up at the same time, spaced about 5 metres apart. The middle climber simply unclips their rope from all pro, and the last climber cleans. This system reduces the time wasted with the standard one-at-a-time multipitch configuration, and is also useful when climbing with kids who need support on the wall.

I was able to efficiently multipitch within 3 years of outdoor climbing because I focused on the basics from the start. What came across as a surprise for you?

Photos 👇

Pitch 4 of 5 on this mixed 5.10+. (P1 trad, P2-5 sport. Bring loooooots of alpine draws for the wandery traverses!)

Just turned 12 and this was my first anchor set-up/lower off.

And this. Came back to this crag 3 years later to coach 6 - 10-year-olds in their toproping excursion.

My first (slabby, conglomerate, 5.10b) lead climb. 🤣

Thank you for reading!

-- Sophia