Good book for multipitch beginners?

[badvoodoo]

Any recommendations for a book for someone looking to start doing multipitch routes? Specifically belay anchor setup and leader belay technique?

[cluck]

Uhhh...Freedom of the Hills.

[neversummer]

John long

Climbing Anchors

[fenderfour]

John Long

More Climbing Anchors

[Greg_W]

All three books...read 'em, go practice, then come back and read them again. The second time it will make more sense because you've seen it and touched it already. Here's an interesting fact: there was a study done that concluded that a human must see, say, touch, and hear something at least 6 times to retain 62% of the information. It seems like I re-read (or peruse) John Long's books every season. Having someone take you, who knows what they are doing, is great too.

[ketch]

Definatley become well acquianted with climbing anchors. John Long and Craig Lubens have a book out called Advanced Rock Climbing. It has some pretty good sections on belay stations and rope management. Practice that up front it is no fun when the belay turns into a rats nest.

[Redoubt]

All of the above suggestions, plus another really excellent book is "Traditional Lead Climbing: Surviving the Learning Years" by Heidi Pesterfield. Lots of good info and doesn't treat you like an idiot. Highly recommended. Wilderness Press, 2002, ISBN 0-89997-255-1.

[miller]

badvoodoo,

 

the books mentioned above are great resources and are indispensable.

 

my recommendation would be a nice addition to those books and the extent of its value depends on where you live or where you plan on travelling to climb - im not sure where "the end of the leash" is... =)

 

but if you ever climb in the front range of colorado i would highly recommend "serious play" by steve dieckhoff. its the only book of its kind that ive ever seen - its a beta-intensive instructional guidebook - youd have to check it out to see what im talking about.

 

even if you dont plan on climbing any of the routes in it, you will definitely learn something from all of the little hints and tips he includes.

[badvoodoo]

Sweet, thanks for all the recommendations everyone.

[cracked]

Long.

[badvoodoo]

Long.

 

Are you coming on to me, cracked?

[Dru]

if you know how to create a multi-directional belay anchor, which you should already know if you are leading single pitch climbs, there is nothing really you need to know extra for multipitch. just go out and do it.

[lummox]

charles bukowski: tales of ordinary madness.

[Redoubt]

if you know how to create a multi-directional belay anchor, which you should already know if you are leading single pitch climbs, there is nothing really you need to know extra for multipitch. just go out and do it.

Yeah, good point. Except maybe for one or two things that generally don't apply to single pitch climbs, like reracking and organizing and making sure the leader has all the gear including the slings, possibly reflaking the rope, maybe reinforcing the anchor now that all the gear is available, dealing with the pack and making sure you get anything out of it you need before leaving, how to handle the changeover if you are leading in blocks vs swinging leads, making sure the next leader has the autoblock belay device if you're using one, making sure the belayer has the nut tool if you're sharing one, making sure the leader has the topo, making sure the leader uses part of the anchor as a first clip if appropriate, making sure the leader places something soon to protect against the factor 2 fall, maybe repositioning and resetting stuff to belay a leader instead of a follower, and a few other minor details. But yeah, it's mostly just about building a multi-directional belay anchor. Just go out and do it. Or do some reading and shorten your learning curve.

[Dru]

well ya wtf do i know i swapped leads on 7 pitch route for my first lead ever. if only i had read a dozen books on how to do it first.

[jkrueger]

Except maybe for one or two things that generally don't apply to single pitch climbs, like reracking and organizing and making sure the leader has all the gear including the slings, possibly reflaking the rope, maybe reinforcing the anchor now that all the gear is available, dealing with the pack and making sure you get anything out of it you need before leaving, how to handle the changeover if you are leading in blocks vs swinging leads, making sure the next leader has the autoblock belay device if you're using one, making sure the belayer has the nut tool if you're sharing one, making sure the leader has the topo, making sure the leader uses part of the anchor as a first clip if appropriate, making sure the leader places something soon to protect against the factor 2 fall, maybe repositioning and resetting stuff to belay a leader instead of a follower, and a few other minor details.

 

 

Yeah, you should probably learn to place gear and lead trad first ...

 

Multi-pitch sport routes will get you off the deck, though.

[badvoodoo]

Yeah, you should probably learn to place gear and lead trad first ...

 

Multi-pitch sport routes will get you off the deck, though.

 

That actually poses an interesting point. Should I be focusing on leading trad before even jumping up sport multi-pitch? I know I've heard many people reference placing gear even on bolted multi-pitch anchors... I'm sure there's plenty of room for the "just fuckin do it!" approach between the two, but if you had to choose, would you prefer to have your trad down for backing up on sketchy bolts/ledges, or just start on sport routes to get in the practice?

[johndavidjr]

I think "More Climbing Anchors" is barely okay & not well-done compared with "Climbing Anchors" which I think is good. David Faluso's "Self Rescue" is quite good, though slightly mis-titled & maybe a tad overkill. "Glacier Travel & Crevass Rescue" has a few bits applicable to rock also, & is very well-done.

[eric8]

just climb

 

and freedom of the hills does a very poor job of anchor setup when you compare it to long's book

 

there a thousand ways you could start out, you could climb a mutlipitch sport route, you could climb a multipitch trad route with fix anchors, you could climb a multipitch route with no anchors but big ledges..... bottom line do what is comfortable for you and only you can answer that question hence the just climb comment

[NYC007]

I think the book redoubt mentioned is the best bet

[Tyler]

I'm assuming your first multipitch will be a sport route rather than trad? That makes a bit of a difference...

 

Yeah, I don't think there's going to be a good book to help you out with your first multipitch, but it is helpful to equip yourself with a good set of skills (along with lots of practice) found in Long's climbing anchor books among others.

 

See if you can do your first multipitch with someone more experienced who can give you some guidance and pointers. Doing a sport multipitch first is pretty good experience; it will help you get used to rope management, setting up a belay station, switching leads, etc all while you're off the ground.

 

Do you happen to live in or near Eugene? If you're planning on your first trad multipitch, you could use the columns as practice. I've know people that have practiced setting up a multidirectional belay anchor in the middle of the route. It's a good place to practice, and you're not too far off the deck if that's a concern.

[shapp]

The Book of Life: go find an experienced partner and get off the couch. Book learning is for math not for climbing.

[Bill_Simpkins]

Turn single pitch climbs into multipitch, for practice.

Another good place to practice is at the top of Mt. Erie, on top of the summit wall. There is a big flat section were you can walk around and do "mock" multipitch, setting up anchors, placing gear, cleaning, belaying, swinging leads etc. It looks stupid but I taught a friend that way. We did like 8 pitches of belayed leading/walking!

My first multi pitch was Banana Peel. The runout was terrifiying then. Me nor my partner were very experienced. At the second to last pitch on the fun 5.4 lieback'in, I ran out of rope (50m). This is before I knew about simulclimbing, hehe. I had to set up a gear belay with a red tricam, a curved hex and a stopper. This was before I owned cams. I would barely even weight the anchor, I just held on to the rock whenever I could. I was terrified! It worked out though. Ah, the good old days. High adventure is relative!

[sk]

I suck at rope management. I have read long's anchors and more anchors.... I have seen well organized climbers in well managed multi pitch climbs.... is there any thing that can help me or am I doomed

[Billygoat]

Muffy, read "Love is a Dog From Hell" by Charles Bukowski

 

Then go climbing with Dru