Minimal Climbing Commands

Like up rope instead of take because of the syllables. Slack and take sound similar if muffled. Rock is also one syllable but should be repeated as adrenaline proscribes. 

I’ll confess: I still yell though we’re usually prepared if verbal comms fail.

BUT, we don’t go for anything that would approach a short discussion. Saw how that went down on my second multi for another party nearby:  Leader loudly complaining about the rope drag, asking the belayer if he can do anything like unclip the first draw, etc.; up from below floats “You’re off belay!”

Edit: Still, don’t let a bad experience with someone dictate to you that there is only one true way to communicate.  Primary is to know our partner, or at least to have discussed the “what if”s

30m pitch  you  have  visuals  so  hand signals.   NEVER  use a  3 tug system as it can be accidentally replicated  by unforeseen  climbing  situations.  Just  pull up all the  rope and  keep  hoisting  un they  start  climbing.  

Greg R wrote:

So it’s a 30 meter pitch with a 70 meter rope and the belayer has to feed 40 meters of rope through their device to avoid yelling off belay?

On a more serious note, when the leader asked how much rope left and he hears  ….ty feet. I prefer the response to be something like “rope-three zero”

Yes, feed out 40m of rope, it's not difficult but at 30m good chance you will see each other and hand signals will be fine.

Quit with the "HOW MUCH ROPE IS LEFT?", either make your belay right there or what I do is tell my belayor on a long pitch that I may need them to simul briefly to reach the belay, so when they run out of rope they just start climbing. 

Tradiban wrote:

Quit with the "HOW MUCH ROPE IS LEFT?", either make your belay right there or what I do is tell my belayor on a long pitch that I may need them to simul briefly to reach the belay, so when they run out of rope they just start climbing. 

Lol...not all of us are that badass, or climbing on routes we feel confident enough to simul on.

Definitely been in situations where the leader is out of sight or earshot.  If you're unsure, keep the climber on until all the rope is gone, give them a pause to get you on,.and start moving up before fully breaking down the anchor.  If they pull up your slack, you're on...

TBlom wrote:

Lol...not all of us are that badass, or climbing on routes we feel confident enough to simul on.

Definitely been in situations where the leader is out of sight or earshot.  If you're unsure, keep the climber on until all the rope is gone, give them a pause to get you on,.and start moving up before fully breaking down the anchor.  If they pull up your slack, you're on...

Not really a true simul, there's probably a bunch of gear between belayor and leader at that point. As the leader I make the assessment prior to starting the pitch if that would be an appropriate action based on the climbing off the anchor and the skill level of the follower. 

Tradiban wrote:

Yes, feed out 40m of rope, it's not difficult but at 30m good chance you will see each other and hand signals will be fine.

Quit with the "HOW MUCH ROPE IS LEFT?", either make your belay right there or what I do is tell my belayor on a long pitch that I may need them to simul briefly to reach the belay, so when they run out of rope they just start climbing. 

So feeding 40 meters of rope through a device unnecessarily is better than saying off belay. May be a few people that disagree.
If I’m on an unfamiliar route and my choice is to set up an uncomfortable garbage belay or continue to that nice ledge if there’s enough rope  I’m not opposed to talking. But please don’t follow that if it offends you. Simul climb through a marginally protectable crux if it pleases you. 

Tradiban wrote:

Not really a true simul, there's probably a bunch of gear between belayor and leader at that point.

So you're saying you don't know the definition of simul-climbing.

And it's "belayer".

"SAFE"

That's about it. The rest can go without words or signals, if you know each other well enough and have an established routine.
Even when there is something unexpected (looking for the route, messing with the rope, dealing with rope drag etc...) patience on the belayer side is all that's requiered.  

Depending on your partner, you can just use a 'Safe' word.

"PEPPERONI!!!"

Nick Goldsmith wrote:

  NEVER  use a  3 tug system as it can be accidentally replicated  by unforeseen  climbing  situations. 

Life saving info right here.  I can’t tell you how many times, while leading, I gave the rope a huge, giant yank, paused for a second or two, gave the rope another huge, giant yank, paused for another second or two, gave the rope a third huge, TITANIC tug, then fell to my death because my partner took me off belay while still on lead.  It happened so many times, I bought walkie talkies.

Seriously, those that think rope tugs don’t work probably have issues in the bedroom, too. If your partner can’t feel your tugs, your doing it wrong.

To do it correctly you need to think, imagine that.   How much friction is in the system, how much rope is in the system, how much slack might be in the system, how can I effectively get a signal all the way down to my belayer.  To do it properly, sneek a few feet of slack out of the system, maybe your belayer doesn’t notice, then yank like you are trying to start a lawnmower that hasn’t been started in 5 years.  You likely will here your gear clanking. Your belayer will here your gear clanking. Pause for a full second. Repeat three times.  Not rocket science. 

Greg R wrote:

So feeding 40 meters of rope through a device unnecessarily is better than saying off belay. May be a few people that disagree.

Yes, feeding is easy and the incessant yelling is obnoxious and potentially dangerous.

Some posting in this thread insist on what the experienced set wants:  NO YELLING AT MY CRAG!  But what is actually needed?

A prime example is an inexperienced leader calling out for how much rope is left. Two possible reasons: a) can I lead through this next difficult bit before running out of tope? and b) how close is the next advertised belay ledge - above, below or quite close?

Sure - over time, yelling becomes less and less of a helpful thing. But to insist it isn’t needed for any leader whatsoever is quite myopic.