I saw a post on UKC asking how MIA (Mountaineering Instructors) set up to teach leading. There are a few suggestions in the Red MLT Handbook, I have to admit to never using any of them exactly how they have them rigged. There are several reasons for this, which at the very least I feel should be out there for debate, afterall if you are going for your MIA or you have passed, you should be able to read and understand my arguments of why I use various techniques over others. Although the changes I make are minor, I happen to think that they are making the system safer.
This first set up is extremely standard for reasonably steep slabby ground or featured vertical terrain. The other advantage to using this jumar and gri-gri, is that I can if necessary descend on the gri-gri a short way, leaving the jumar behind, before reascending back up to it. As it is set up the friction is OK, however if you are doing day after day of teaching with this method, then the friction can lead to repetitive strain in both elbows and shoulders. To be honest if you are going to only do the odd day then this method is fine, I have at times done about 10+ days of this work in under a month, and need to help make it more efficient.
I have two ways to do this, one is using a full weight pulley and the other is using a DMM revolver screwgate, however you need a mallion, as the revolver doesn’t fit through the bottom clip point of the Jumar. I really like this second method, as its lighter. Similarly, if you are going to be doing this day after day, consider swapping hands round each day, by alternating between a left and right facing jumar (Yes they come in left and right, my preference is for a left handed jumar)
The next big discussion I have had with several people, is where to put the clipper leash that we can use to make a client safe if they get scare or are about to fall. I call it the “I’m a celebrity, GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!” leash, in that I mainly aim through route selection to make a falling or freaking out climber extremely rare. This is in part due to fear destroying the clients ability to learn. Another really important point is that you as the instructor should know the route, this allows you to manage risk in a few ways, first you can help the client break the route down and route find, and secondly you can reduce the risk by choosing routes with appropriate gear (having a client running it out on chop routes is just stupid!) and thirdly you can judge better the suitability of a route that you know against the ability of the client.
In the Red MLT Handbook, and on my MIA training course I have seen the clipper leash put on the top jumar in the set up that I have shown above. This is something that I actually disagree with, in that if you talk to anyone involved with IRATA or testing jumars in dynamic falls then you will know that these two things don’t mix. In that a jumar will fail at the equivalent force of about 450kg of weight, that kind of force is extremely likely in a dynamic fall. What’s even more alarming is that rather than failing the rope can be ‘chopped’ in a dynamic fall onto a jumar, and given you are attach below it, and the consequence that may arise from it, I simple avoid the chances of a dynamic fall onto a jumar.
Of course the other argument is that you should not under any circumstance let a climber take a dynamic fall onto the chicken leash, for this very reason. However if the leash is needed they simply may not be enough time to take the slack in before a client falls. Similarly the leash needs to be clipped direct to the belay loop on the climber harness, and not used as a runner, as this effective doubles the potential load.
I have taken now instead to clipping my leash into the carabiner that attaches the gri-gri to my belay loop. The reasons I do this is that a gri-gri is designed to safely take dynamic falls. When I do this I make sure the sling is trapped on the back bar side of the carabiner, meaning the carabiners gate will never get loaded.
Other top tips when fixing a line is to re-belay every 25 metres, this reduces the amount of stretch in the system, especially if you are jugging next to clients on dynamic ropes. Always take a small rack with you, and some quickdraws incase the client runs out of certain size of gear or quickdraws. I like having long quickdraws with me to help them straighten out the gear to reduce lifting of gear and reduce rope drag.
On really steep ground, where this method can be made easier by adding a foot loop to the top jumar. This effectively gives you a solid foothold to push up on. I think I have only resorted to a foot loop a couple of times in my working career, as most clients simply can’t learn skills on steep, sustain and difficult terrain. If they want to get into this climbing, I often revert to using sports climbing, as it reduces the need to worry about gear, but allow the clients to realize the extra physical effort it takes.
Other set ups that have there place, is the single jumar. This is great on very easy angle slabs. I tend to only use this on Tryfan Bach in North Wales. Again IRATA people will shit a brick with the idea of only one jumar. However these route are extremely easy, and I am more using it to prevent a slip becoming a fall. Similarly on this terrain, it is extremely unlikely that the client will either fall or get scared. If they do get scared the chance are they can stand there long enough for you to get the slack in.
I have seen people recommend using a French prussic to back the jumar up. Again I have never used this, as the main worry is the jumar cutting the rope, and it is simply not going to work as an effective back up. This method does have a place in our work, but an extremely limited one. Another big disadvantage is that moving down is extremely problematic.
To make your life easier, I often have a gri –gri clipped to my harness and the jumar extended on a 120cm sling. This way I can quite get my gri-gri on the rope, and detach the jumar to descend.
My main points are:
- Avoid using a jumar for the chicken Leash
- Avoid taking dynamic falls on Jumars
- Re-belay every 25m at max
- Think about reducing friction if you value your shoulders and elbows
- Consider switching hands to avoid repetitive strain injuries
- Pick suitable routes for clients to lead