Page 64 - Rappelling

The American Safe Climbing Association

he American Safe Climbing Association (ASCA) has been very active in donating the neces-
T sary (and expensive) stainless steel hardware to climbers, like myself, who take on the task of
upgrading unsafe bolted rappel anchors with modern, stainless steel bolts and hangers. The ASCA’s
mission is to “replace deteriorating anchors on classic climbs in the U.S. and educate climbers and
the public about climbing safety.” Volunteers working with hardware donated from the ASCA have
replaced over 7,500 bolts across the United States. Replacing old rappel anchors takes time and
effort. If you’d like to donate to the ASCA, you can contact them at www.safeclimbing.org.

Pitons steps before using any fixed pin. First, assess the
A piton is a metal spike hammered into a crack rock structure and look at the crack where the
for an anchor. The blade of the piton is the part piton resides. Is it behind a block or flake, or is it
hammered into the crack, leaving the protruding in a straight-in crack with good structure? A good
eye into which you can clip a carabiner. Piton rap- piton should be driven in all the way to the eye,
pel anchors are something of a rarity these days, and should not wiggle when you clip into it with
but occasionally you’ll come across fixed pitons a sling and pull on it. The piton itself should not
(also called pins) at the top of a crag. Follow these be excessively corroded or cracked. (Look closely
at the eye of the piton, as this is usually where the

Pitons (left to right):
angle, horizontal,
Leeper Z, knifeblade.

Rappel Anchors 53

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