UKC

What sort of etiquette should I follow when multi-pitching? More specifically, if there is no walk-off should I not bother starting to climb if I see other climbers on higher pitches? What if we get to the top, look down and see climbers below? Do we rappel past them somehow?

In reply to Fenda:

Depends on the circumstances really. I usually let people get a over a pitch ahead before I start to avoid crowding stances on the way up.

The last route I did with an ab descent had dedicated rings on their own line, so descent didn't really interfere with the climbers going up the route. That's fairly common if the way up isn't dead straight.

So long as you warn people before you throw ropes down and make an effort not to collide with them then it is usually OK. If you do have to share stances then be polite, be prepared to wait and ask before clipping into things. Most people are OK about it.

In reply to Fenda:

Common sense tends to cover most things. First off try talking to the people on the route if you can. Personally I'm more than happy for other parties to climb as close as they want behind me but I'd be royally pissed off if their abseil antics got in the way of the climbing as commonly witnessed at Tremadog.

In reply to Fenda:

If we are talking trad multi-pitch then it is really rare that there is no walk-off.

If we are talking sport multi-pitch abroad (can't think of any in the UK) then get on in! Leave a pitch between you. If it's an ab descent then you and they will cope.

And, for sure, if you are on a route that requires an ab descent and there are climbers below you then you ab past them.

In reply to Fenda:

In Uk its normally queue up, stand and wait till they've finished the pitch or climb. Or choose another route.

In Europe its normally start climbing, clip their gear, stand all over your ropes and push on through.

In reply to Fenda:

If they're a pitch above you it's OK.

Depending on the nature of the climb, it can be OK to set off when e.g. the second is finishing the first pitch, if you think you're going to be going slower than them and they're competent enough not to be bombing you with gear on the way up.

Communication is the key really.

My main concern is to keep away from potential hazard of falling climbers. Stay well behind so if a climber falls he wouldn't land on you. Rappel is generally easy because it is controlled way of going down and then getting close to a climber let him know about your intentions. Ask to hold and wait if it gets dangerously close. In most cases it is possible to rappel on the side of the climbing route. But if not communication is the key.

Sometimes it happens that one party is moving much faster than another. If you notice that ask to get way or offer to go first. It really has to be said, don't expect that another party will notice that they are blocking the way. For them it is irrelevant so initiative naturally should come from party behind. Of course you can wait or be a dick and overtake on a pitch.

In reply to Fenda:

If you need to rappel past someone rather than chucking ropes down you can wrap the dead rope around your body dropping 4-5 coils, descending 5m then dropping another 4-5 coils. This way you can place the rope exactly where you want. Although permission should be granted first... unless there is a very good reason not to.

Thanks everyone! Definitely feel more at ease going into multi-pitches now.

In reply to nutme:
The makes me think of Vertical Limit with the exploding bolts on the trad route.

youtube.com/watch?v=uxtg7raPDYo&

In reply to JoshOvki:

forgot just how sh1t that film was