Page 44 - Rappelling

Webbing looped
around a precariously
perched block.
Although the block is
fairly massive, it is
not well situated, and
weighting the slings
will pull the webbing
into the “pinch” under
the boulder. What I
teach students in my
anchoring classes is
to seek rock structure
that is “connected to
the planet,” rather
than a block or boulder
“sitting on top of the
planet.”

A granite thread with
two separate slings
to guard against
abrasion. While this
particular anchor is in
reliably strong quartz
monzonite granite, the
same size thread may
be marginal in soft
rock like sandstone or
volcanic rock.

Rappel Anchors 33

Rappelling_i-174_3pp_CS55le.indd 33 7/24/13 10:15 AM