Communication with Belayer

How do you communicate with your second when there isn't a way to establish a line of sight, and for various reasons (wind) you cannot use vocal commands?

I know some people work out a series of rope tugs to indicate on/off belay, but I'm hoping some of you have a better system than this (and I don't want to start dragging 2-way radios up with me).

I use mental telepathy or just start throwing big rocks down. one way or another they'll start moving.

Putting the second on belay is easy -- the rope comes tight to the second's harness, if the rope moves with them, you're good to go; if not then wait at the anchor/ledge/ground until the rope moves with the climber.

The off belay is tough. If in doubt, belay it out.

Stay tied into the rope and belay to the end of the rope. Remove your belay device. Wait a minute or two, break down your anchor (if you've got one). Start climbing; don't fall. That's what I do.

--Marc

Small Two way radios are awesome. I take them on long routes and it makes it so easy to communicate with your second. In Fact I have a friend that saved his wife's life because he was able to tell her to move to avoid a huge piece of falling rock. Radios are small light and easy to rig for climbing. Having done all the tugging and yelling types of communication radios are sweet.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. It's obvious enough what to do when everything is going fine, but it sounds like 2-ways might have to be the way when pushing the limits and out of voice-range.

I especially like the "don't fall" suggestion... I'm working on it!

Yea i've got a set of radios. They are very nice at times. For certain partners it's unnecessary (rope tug system well understood) but they can be handy for new followers on long pitches, out of sight, windy etc.

Often times it amounts to telepathy. I know you said you want a better way then rope tugs... but it will take out the guess work if you plan out a system. For me, its three HARD tugs means off belay. I then wait about 15-20 seconds then repeat. then I pull up the rope, put them on belay and three HARD tugs again mean that they are on belay. then just keep pulling until they start climbing. I have tugged a succession of 3 or 4 times in order to communicate to take me off belay, but my partners usually add a safety factor of at least 2 tugs. they'll come up to the belay and say " I knew what that the first three tugs meant off belay, but I wanted to be sure."

Its a moderately cumbersome system, but climb with the same people enough and it becomes second nature.

Mark Nelson wrote:I use mental telepathy or just start throwing big rocks down. one way or another they'll start moving. Putting the second on belay is easy -- the rope comes tight to the second's harness, if the rope moves with them (as the second), you're good to go; if not then wait at the anchor/ledge/ground. The off belay is tough. If in doubt, belay it out.

Mark-
The last time we climbed together, I got your telepathic message to take you off belay as soon as you were out of sight. Worked like a charm, even though you only pulled up rope about 6 feet at a time with pauses here and there.... :0)

sweet -- we should do ice, I can use 20'-30' intervals there

when the leader gets to the belay have him give three very obvious tugs on the rope. As the belayed it is usually good to pause and make sure than these pulls were intentional. (usually at this point the leader has stopped moving to set up the anchor). The leader can reiterate this command with another three tugs. after that the leader can pull up all the slack and put the second on belay. another three tugs signal the second can start climbing...

this has worked for my partner and I

When you have only a little verbal communication, I'm a fan of Paul Petzoldt's syllabic system. "On belay", "climbing", "climb."

when you're at the top of your pitch and you're ready to belay,

its "on belay,"
the follower replys "climbing"
then belayer "climb"

As long as you get some communication, the syllables and intonations are still decipherable. "blah-blah, blah" followed by "blah blah" then "blah." If you and your partner are prepared with this pre-established pattern, you can communicate over a strong wind.

This is no help if the situation is completely non-verbal. I've never tried radios before, but I'm interested. The 3,2,1 pattern could work for strong rope tugs as well.

Back in High School I used to climb sometimes with this GI named Barry Slack. It was hard as hell to get any extra rope out of him: "Slack!" "? What?"

Try using a really big mirror. :)

I'm trying to get away from the telepathy/rope tugs/pictionary game too.

I've switched from "off belay" to "secure" because it reduces the chance of "off belay" and "on belay" for your second being confused.

Other than that, I use,
"on belay"
"climbing"
"off rappel"
"take" and "f###ing take"

I like "I'm secure" (the standard signal in Canada) instead of "Off Belay" too. Less chance of confusing with "on belay" plus has the same blah, blah-blah cadence as "off belay."

With regular partners though, I usually use the system described by Mark and Marc.

For any climb/pitch that might be at all complicated though I really prefer to carry radios. Being able to convey complex messages has made my life easier and safer more than once. These days you can buy a set of basic radios for like $20-30 that weigh next to nothing.

I'll probably go with the radios- there's too much room for confusion with my reasonably new climbing partner to use rope tugs.

The wind in Boulder Canyon last weekend completely drowned out all attempts at verbal communication, and I'd rather not go through that again.

Thom Ward wrote:I'll probably go with the radios- there's too much room for confusion with my reasonably new climbing partner to use rope tugs. The wind in Boulder Canyon last weekend completely drowned out all attempts at verbal communication, and I'd rather not go through that again.

Do it- you'll be glad. Motorola makes some tiny-tiny radios- maybe 3"x2"w/ a clip and 1mi range. Very handy and lightweight. U can use them off the rock too. Remember to turn em off when u dont need em' to save battery life. The way to go over all the manual types. However, have a backup plan just in case they breakdown or get dropped! Have fun.