Tips for moving fast on multi pitch climbs

Other than just getting better and being able to climb faster at a certain grade, what are some tips/techniques you use to be faster and more efficient when it matters?  

You nailed it.  You can either climb fast or you can't.  Tips/tricks can increase the risk of a serious mistake.  Just keep it simple(KISS).

Bruce Hildenbrand wrote:

You nailed it.  You can either climb fast or you can't.  Tips/tricks can increase the risk of a serious mistake.  Just keep it simple(KISS).

What's the second S stand for? 

Throw the cordalette away, leave the alpine draws at home.  Both are huge timewasters.

Hector Luevano wrote:

What's the second S stand for? 

Stupid

kevin deweese wrote:

Stupid

Well that's uncalled for, I was just asking a question. 

Drederek wrote:

leave the alpine draws at home.

This is not good advice. Long slings are indispensable on many routes, especially on easier ground that tends to wander more. Extending placements reduces rope drag and helps when linking pitches, both of which save time. 

Everything you do when climbing single-pitch at the crag translates to climbing multi-pitch as well. If you are content to spend all day climbing 3 pitches and do more socializing than sending, you will have a hard time switching to a faster pace on a long route. The people that climb 8 or 10 pitches every time they go cragging are the ones moving fast on multipitch too. Have a plan. Always be doing something productive towards getting the next person climbing. Use clear, concise communication.

There are no shortcuts to climbing, placing gear, or building anchors faster, just many miles of practice. Keeping anchors simple and clutter-free is tops. One of the most important aspects that can be improved quickly is rope management. Learn how to stack the rope neatly over your tie-in point. Depending on whether you are swinging leads or leading in blocks, stack big loops to small or small loops to big (then flip). An sling can be useful for the follower to hang the stacked rope from their gear loop to make belaying easier. Taking an extra second to keep the rope organized and tangle-free is always worth it.

Another aspect that will be honed over time is bringing just enough gear and not too much. This is hard to gauge, but whenever you finish a route, take a quick inventory of what you used and what you didn't. Were there pieces of gear on the rack that didn't get used or others you wish you had? Could you carry slightly less water or food next time? Was it cold and you wished you had a belay jacket? Did you need the backpack or could everything be clipped to your harness or stashed in pockets? At least one headlamp for the party is always a good idea.

Gear management, rope stacking and gear racking. As well as taking the right gear and using it when needed.

I have studied this question in-depth, probably far too in-depth. I have filmed people doing the various elements that make up a long climb and exacted the timings. I have also climbed in many parts of the world with guides and climbers from various parts of the world, so been exposed to a variety of ways of doing stuff.

1. on the whole people climb (i.e. move) at about the same speed. The big difference is how long they spend not climbing. i.e. how long they take to place a piece, work a move out, build a belay, switch the rack over.

2. so, if you think you are slow, film yourself and extract the timings - do it on a easy route and if possible one you haven't climbed before. This is so easy to do these days with a go pro or camera on the ground. A 2 pitch route is all you need. If you don't do this, you will not know WHY you are slow!

3. once you have the timings for the various actions, see if they are what you might expect. Some people find that doing stuff with the cams and ropes is taking longer than the climbing. See where you could improve before you even consider how you could improve.

4. now look into various ways of doing stuff (I will of course recommend my book and website, but there are other sources of info). Practice these ways. At first some may seem strange and slow, but once practiced prove the opposite. understand that there is no one way. Different climbs in different places lend themselves to different ways. Ditto climbers, some like various ways and not others, the key is to only make a conclusion based on experience, and to admit that if others concluded differently for themselves, then there is probably a good reason for this. For example they climb on sea cliffs or routes without long cracks, or all their belays are bolted in the same way, or they just love knots, or hate them; they really want to move fast and are happy to add risk, or just what to go at a sensible pace.

All the best,

D

Run it out.

Change overs at the belay / pitch is a good time sink to work on..  10min ea, 6pitch = 1hour added to you climb...

Organized & simple will help cut that hour.

Kevin MP wrote:

This is not good advice. Long slings are indispensable on many routes, especially on easier ground that tends to wander more. Extending placements reduces rope drag and helps when linking pitches, both of which save time. 

You can still carry slings with a biner over the shoulder to extend your placements.  Saves time both during the placement and when you have to re-rack compared to alpine draw.

The single biggest time suck on multi-pitch routes is building the anchor, setting up the belay, and,  after the second arrives at the belay, gear transfer and  transition to the next pitch. Building the anchor and setting up the belay should take no more than a couple of minutes*, as should the changeover. Yet I've seen parties spend 15 minutes on the first and another 10 on the second. Learn how to build an anchor with just the rope. Get rid of the equallette or quad.  And ffs, don't wait till you're on belay to put on your damned shoes. Even better, wear shoes that you don't need to loosen or take off at each belay. Don't sit or stand around doing nothing unless there really is nothing to do to keep the enterprise moving, which is doubtful.

*: Yes, there will be situations where building the anchor is problematic for any of a number of reasons and those will take longer - that's why you strive to be as fast as possible at it in the easier situations. 

"leave the alpine draws at home."

Disagree.   Why are they so horrible?   Learn how to handle them, and it's quick (not to mention fun).  As for other time-sucking things, can I add rappelling?   So much messing around.  Usually takes longer than the climb itself.  

Be familiar with the climb, make bomber anchors fast, have good communication and a plan with your partner, and designate where you will take breaks and only take breaks there.  

The follower should rerack gear onto a racking sling in an orderly fashion, so that it can just be handed off and used as-is (or if you're swapping leads, just used). Really this applies to single-pitch too; it's annoying to receive a jumble of disorganized trad gear in any situation.

David Kerkeslager wrote:

The follower should rerack gear onto a racking sling in an orderly fashion, so that it can just be handed off and used as-is (or if you're swapping leads, just used). Really this applies to single-pitch too; it's annoying to receive a jumble of disorganized trad gear in any situation.

Carrying two gear slings seems pretty unnecessary and inefficient (in the alpine certainly).  And from my experience organizing your rack goes a lot quicker on a nice big belay ledge rather than pumping out mid climb.  And then you still have all the leftover gear on the leaders rack to reorganize anyways.  So Im not seeing how this would work/improve efficiency unless the leader uses every piece of his gear.

Time Savers - 

When swapping leads - While belaying from on top, take left over gear and place on a sling so that when the second comes up you can just hand them the sling with the remainder of the rack for them to organize.

If belaying direct off the anchor, when the second gets up, they hand you their belay device so that you can put them on belay right away for the next pitch while they clean the other belay device.

Try and set belays so that you can see the leader climb for the next pitch.

Have a good tug method for communication.  Along with communicating that the follower to start climbing if the leader uses the full rope length to simo a little if needed.

Study the approach + route ahead of time (MP Pics and description, guide books)  (I usually take pics with my phone of everything)

Drink a bunch of water before leaving the ground.

Let me echo Cor's advice.  Most people have no idea how much time they waste on belay transitions.
Take a stopwatch and time your switch overs.  Aim to keep every one under 5 minutes.  It's not too hard if you're dialed and efficient.

I'd highly suggest this book: https://www.amazon.com/Alpine-Climbing-Techniques-Mountaineers-Outdoor/dp/0898867495 if you're looking for some tips on how to improve your multipitch efficiency. 

Minimizing time that you spend together at the  belay is the easiest way to cut down on your overall time. Learn to build anchors quickly. When the leader builds the belay, he/she can take into account who is going to lead next. Have a simple plan in place for how the second is going to clip into the anchor, the gear trade off, and how the leader of the next pitch will get out of the belay station and proceed. When the second cleans, he can rack the gear and slings separately, in some sort of organized manner. That is better than straightening things out at the belay station (which is often cramped and awkward when both people are there).

MHostetler wrote:

I would love to leave the cordalette at home but it seems necessary when not switching leaders.

An option is to have the follower come up with 3-4 biners and have them clove in to each piece on their end of the rope so that you can take yours down.  Still have to reflake the rope though.