Setting top rope...

Ok folks... Looking to learn the ropes here... so forgive me if I don't know all the terms and stuff...

The other day I was out climbing with my wife, and leading a 5.7 climb. When I got to the top there were four bolts, which I was assuming for two climbs right next to each other.

The two out side bolts had nothing attached, and the two inside bolts each had a permanent screw type D ring. Do you know what I'm talking about?? Anyway, what I normally do with these is unscrew them and loop my rope through. This time however one D ring wouldn't unscrew. So I hooked a locking beener though and felt good about it. Later for cleanup, I tied off to the other bolts...

But this got me thinking about another route I had seen that had chain links and screw locking D rings on each bolt.

Do you run the rope through the chain links or through the screw locking D rings...

Is there a good site to learn this info from??

Thanks all

Junior

PS... What is Beta?

Junior,

If I may give a little constuctive criticism here, I would suggest you hook up with some one who is well versed in top rope rigging and anchor evaluation. Take a class, get some instruction before you get hurt or worse. There really is no one web site or book where you can learn this kind of hands-on stuff.

Beta is exactly what you need. It pertains to the dissemination of information some one else already has and can pass on to you.

Good luck and climb safe!

I agree with Lee, but I'll give you my $0.25 for this situation.

I wouldn't feel good about unscrewing the D-ring. I'll usually use a quickdraw in each anchor when leading the route. If they're chained anchors, I'll clip the draw into the chain somewhere. For D-rings or more conventional toprope anchors, I'll just clip the draws into the anchors or D-rings directly. There are safe and not-safe ways to do this, which you should learn hands-on in a class or from going out with someone who knows what they're doing. When cleaning the anchor, I'd just feed the untied rope through the D-ring or anchor bolt. In general, I wouldn't unscrew the D-ring unless I felt I had to: you're putting unnecessary wear on the anchor equipment.

As a side note, I haven't often seen screw-type D-rings as permanent equipment on an anchor.... where were you climbing?

As a general point of etiquette it's not considered a good idea to run a toprope through the fixed gear on the bolts. Always use a couple of quickdraws or rig up a locking 'biner/sling setup to equalize the two bolts. Toproping causes a fair amount of wear and tear on the fixed steel rings or screw gates, so it's best to only use them for rappelling.

I'm sorry, I don't think I had the correct name for what I was talking about...

After some I-Net research..

They were screw links... And there were two of these attached to the hangers...
img.photobucket.com/albums/…
As for the rest of the comments... I agree. My goal for the winter is to hit the climbing walls and hopefully even hook up with some more experienced climbers to really "learn the ropes"...

I do however like to do some preliminary reading, so I can find out what I don't know, so that I now know what to ask... mmmm think I lost myself there...

Thanks again...

Junior

Some speedy advice about bolt anchors with quicklinks. Funny, I also unscrewed the quicklinks on top of my first sport climb. Since then I have learned how to go about using these safely and extremely quickly. The less time you waste not climbing the more time you spend climbing!

Keep 2 quickdraws (longer style) with a locker on one end of each handy for the anchor. When you get to the top you can clip the non-lockers to the hangers (leave the chains free) and the lockers through the rope. You are now ready (very quickly) to be lowered off of this anchor.

When cleaning, the nice way is to rappel. Uncip one quickdraw from the rope and then onto yourself, then the next. Now you are secure. Tie the rope to something so you don't drop it. A quickdraw hanging from your harness will work. Untie the rope from your harness, thread it through the quicklinks that are free because you are anchored on the hanger. Once both ropes are down, set up for rappel and then unclip yourself from the anchor. Now rappel.

When cleaning, the fast way is to lower. When you get to the top, secure yourself as previously mentioned. Remain tied into the rope. Pass a bight of the rope near your tie-in knot through the quick links (won't always fit). Tie a figure eight on a bight in this and attach it to your harness with a locker. Now untie from your original tie-in point, unclip yourself from the anchor and lower. This is faster than rappeling but puts wear on the quick links.

Ensure that when you move to the next step you are attached to something at all times or more than one thing so you will not fall to the bottom. This is important, there can be a lot going on. Also as you can see it is important to give yourself more options by not putting your anchor through the quicklinks, use the hangers for that.

Junior wrote: Anyway, what I normally do with these is unscrew them and loop my rope through.

DO not unscrew these. They are permanent parts of the anchor and are made to be rappelled off of. The more people that unscrew them the looser the gate gets and the more chances to leave it open. They are a lot weaker with their gate open. They should be wrenched tight so that you can't get them open. What you need to learn is how to "clean an anchor." It is a relatively simple thing to learn but should be done in person, not on the internet. One little mistake could be deadly.

Josh

They are wrenched tight for a reason. Follow mschlocker's instruction, and never use them for TR anchors. Putting the rope through to rap/lower and clean is ok, but using it as a TR pulley system is not a good choice. Not only is it bad for the metal hardware, but usually the stock diameter of the D-Links are considerably smaller than that of a biner(s), and will unnecessarily wear your rope down.

Uncip one quickdraw from the rope and then onto yourself, then the next. Now you are secure.

Please do not use a gear loop. That is not what they are made for.
Use you 'crotch' loop, where you should already have a personal anchor/daisy ready to clip in as an anchor. That will secure you.

Good advice from all! I'm new on the forum, but any anchor to be permanently set is meant to be LEFT THAT WAY! I'm sure I would've made the same mistake without some beta knowledge, so no harm no foul.They are wrenched tight for a reason.

Junior, your life is worth the $150 it costs to take a tope rope anchors clinic from an AMGA or PCIA certified instructor,I'm sure there are a ton near you. Climbing is one sport where trial and error is a bad idea.

I think he got the answer he was looking for about 4 years ago...

Tim C wrote:I think he got the answer he was looking for about 4 years ago...

no lie

Though there is something in trying to hook up with a couple of beeners

mountaineersbooks.org/produ…

Mountaineering: Freedom of the hills, 7th edition

Build the library from there.