Rock climbing is especially dangerous without clear communication between the lead climber and the belayer. Time and time again every year at cliffs around the world, usually at sport climbing areas, climbers are seriously injured or die when they make inconsistent and wrong climbing commands to their belayers.
Look Out for Your Partner
Climbing requires teamwork. We go climbing with a partner, belaying each other while climbing, lowering each other down sport routes, and looking out for each other. When we’re at the crag, maybe I will ask you to check my tie-in knot or if we’re on a ledge getting ready to rappel down, I will ask you to take a quick look at my rappel set-up, “Hey, does this rig look right to you?” You eyeball it and say, “Yep, you’re good to go.”
Let Your Belayer Know Your Intentions
Clear climbing communication and commands are part of the same teamwork. The first rule of safe climbing communication is to let you, my belayer, know my intentions before I leave the ground to lead a route. I might say to you, “Okay buddy, when I get to the anchor I’m going to clip in and thread the rope through the bolts and then I want you to lower me back down. Don’t take me off belay. Okay?” You respond back, “Got it. I’ve got you.” Let your belayer know if you plan to be lowered back down, if you are going to rappel off, or if you are going to walk-off from the cliff-top.
Never Say “Off Belay!” if You Intend to Lower
Never ever say “Off belay!” when you reach the anchor unless you are planning to clip into the anchor, thread your rope, and rappel back down. Never say “Off belay!” if you intend to be lowered back down. Do you hear that loud and clear? Never ever say “Off belay!” unless you are absolutely sure that you want to be free from the belay and the safety rope. By saying that command you are telling your belayer that you are clipped into the anchor and that you are safe and that he can take your rope from his belay device. If you say “Off belay!” and lean back, thinking that you are actually still on belay, you will be screwed because there will be nothing and no one to hold the rope and to keep you from hitting the ground.
Belayer Keeps the Leader Safe
While the burden of the correct climbing command and action is on the lead climber, if you are belaying then you can also take steps to make sure that your climbing partner is safe before you take him off belay. If your buddy reaches the anchor and yells down “Off belay!” when you were expecting him to be lowered by you back down the route, then do not take him off belay by removing the rope from your belay device until he lets you know that he plans to rappel or walk-off. Give him a minute to clarify to you what his intentions are and then if you are still not sure what he plans to do, yell up to him and ask him what he plans to do. Always keep him on belay until you are totally sure of his plans. Also make sure you yell up to the leader, "Belay off!" before you actually take him off belay.
Chain of Actions and Commands Before Lowering
If you are sport climbing, then the correct chain of climbing voice commands and actions if you plan to climb and lower back down is:
- Discuss your plans with your belayer before leaving the ground. Tell him that you are leading and then lowering and to keep you on belay throughout the entire climb.
- Lead the route to the bolt anchors and then clip into the anchors with a sling and carabiners, quickdraws, or personal anchor system.
- Either thread the anchor bolts or chains on the bolts with the rope or clip the rope through slings with locking carabiners or quickdraws if you plan to top-rope the route.
- Before unclipping yourself from the anchor and putting your weight on the rope, yell down to your belayer, “Take!”, which means pull the rope up tight. Make eye contact with your belayer and make sure that he pulls the rope tight against your harness. Make sure that he still has you on belay and that he isn’t distracted by visiting with the women climbing next to you or talking on a cell phone.
- Next yell down to your belayer, “Lower!” or “Lower me!” Grab the belayer’s side of the rope to make sure there is tension on the rope from the belayer pulling it tight through his belay device.
- Lastly, enjoy your safe ride back down to the base of the route. If your belayer is lowering you too fast, ask him to slow you down. Also ask him to pay attention to the end of the rope on long pitches to make sure that it doesn’t slip through his belay device and drop you to the ground.
Two More Communication Safety Tips
Here are a couple more safety tips for communicating while sport climbing:
- If it’s busy at the cliff with lots of climbers, use your partner’s name when yelling commands, like when you’re ready to lower you can yell, “Joe! Take and lower me!” Keep all commands and names simple and easy to understand.
- If the route is high and you will be out of sight by the time you reach the anchors or the cliff is in a canyon filled with the roar of a creek or river, then it is very important that you talk to your belayer about your intensions when you reach the anchors before you leave the ground and start climbing. Also talk about using some prearranged rope signals or pulls in case the belayer can’t hear you far above.
