Introduction
WARNING! You need to read the TRS version of this first as you will be TRSing or on rappel and the corresponding dangers will be listed over there. As for LRS specific dangers? Read-on!
This document is more of a list for now. The counter-measures are explained through the course. Eventually I want to have more counter measures explained here. Also the residual risks. A lot similar to the Edelrid article mentionned below.
My list here will be 100% adapted to LRS climbing. Focus will be on items different from partnered lead climbing.
You will notice a great similarity between this topic information and the article by Edelrid about LRS risk assessment, but a lot is common between TRS and LRS. You can read their article I annotated here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DSA-mOJtLoDVmNZPHaBgcGy_xAnf43UjRvRDoQMxUvo/edit?usp=sharing
Or check their video here: https://youtu.be/mTTDRX6RTWc?si=aaNJBQYoFJPoxN2E
Sources of danger
Dangers come from different sources. We will organize the dangers in families of the source of danger:
- Wilderness Risks (LRS)
- Health Risks (LRS)
- Attaching the rope to the anchor point (LRS)
- Attaching the belay system to the harness (LRS)
- Function of the belay system (LRS)
- High impact forces
- Rope backfeed
- About the rope (LRS)
1- Wilderness Risks (LRS)
1.1 Breaking a Hold
Breaking a hold might make you fall unexpectedly. The consequences of a fall when being alone can be much more dramatic than when with a partner.
2- Health Risks (LRS)
4- Attaching the rope to the anchor point (LRS)
5- Attaching the belay system to the harness (LRS)
6- Function of the belay system (LRS)
7- High impact forces
In a partner-climbing situation: 1- the belayer can give a soft catch, 2- f the fall factor is high, it will pull the belayers body that will absorb some force, 3- there is more rope in the system in a lot of cases.
7.1 To Reduce Impact Forces
Find a bottom anchor strategy that introduces more rope in the system. The rope is excelent at absorbing the force: there has been 50 years of research and development on them to save climbers from the harshness of the catch! I often use an achor further from the climb to do that. But make sure the belay chain is still bomber as it can change the direction of pull. Also, make sure the rope is not in the way when you fall early on the climb! Use the ‘What If’ method to evaluate the belay chain. For example, ask yourself: ‘What if this climbing anchor fails?
In a big wall, someone can use the haul bags as a counter weight to soften the catch. Note that the end of the rope must be attached to the belay anchor!! (Don’t trust just the bags!) The end of the rope is on the bottom belay anchor, then attached to the bags, then goes to the climber self belaying LRS. Clip some progression anchors ASAP to prevent a factor 2 fall. IMPORTANT NOTE: do NOT use your bags like this unless they weight at least (maybe) 70% of your weight. Imagine a bag weighting 25% of your weight: this system will just lengthen your fall and not slow you down!! Don’t do that method if you have doubts on how to set it up. Contact me!
On multi-pitch climbs, you can use the “pluss clip” method where you continue leading past the top belay anchor and go clip one or more progression anchors (you can back-clip them, think about it!), then climb / rappel back down to the belay anchor. Clean the pitch and now you face the next pitch with pre-clipped anchors! You never exposed yourself to a factor 2 fall!
Use the Derek Averyl bungee absorber pack as described in the course. The forces might be similar (see my testing, free access on YouTube), but the feeling of the fall is much better!
8- Rope backfeed
9- About the rope (LRS)