When getting ready for a big climb, we work on cardio fitness, we work on strength, we work on technique. But, if the climbing is really pushing our comfort zone, are we going to be able to get into and out of our systems when we are exhausted and stressed? Does practicing systems play a role in training? New climbers and those going on expedition often will, but is there room for say-to-day upkeep of critical system skills?

Monolithic climbing anchors - anchors built from a single, unquestionably strong tree or rock - can be simple and timely while also being incredibly safe. But making them safe means we need to evaluate our chosen terrain feature well and understand a few nuances that can come with our rope, sling, or cordelette configurations.

When moving quickly through moderate terrain, we might be using the rope but not be using standard climbing anchors. When we aren't pitching it out, we can still have a climbing fall that might require us to escape the belay in order to hold our partner in place while we render aid. How can we do that when we are using terrain or body belays? Well, the principles of any belay escape still apply.

This last spring and summer, my kids finally had the experience, technique, and the physical size to utilize appropriate equipment that allowed them to climb steeper couloirs - snow gullies - safely. But those things are only part of the equation. Being aware of different risks and mitigation tactics are necessary, as well. So, here are eight tips that helped us, and may help any other new climbers, approach snow climbing season with care.

There are occasions when we may want to use the climbing rope as the soft good in our climbing anchor. And there are occasions when we might want the same lead climber to climb multiple pitches in a row (block leading). What happens when we want to do both? How do we overcome having the rope we need to take up with us being used in the anchor that is keeping us safe?

The Flat Overhand Bend, also called the Offset Overhand Bend, has gotten a bit of a bad reputation, sometimes being called the European Death Knot. But reputable organizations, like the American Mountain Guides Association, actually recommend this knot for double-strand rappels. So, what are the pros and cons of this knot, how do we tie it, when can we use it, and for what applications might it not be as good of choice?

When we have a damaged section of our rope and need to rappel (abseil) off the route, we can either go through a procedure to pass the knot while on a double-strand rappel, or we can switch to a single-strand rappel and avoid the knot pass altogether. But our setups into a single-strand rappel come with tradeoffs. Here are four methods along with some pros and cons for each.

Because our entire family of four are climbers (to varying degrees), we have climbed as a team of four, on occasion. This is an unusual occurrence for most climbers, but for families with two kids of similar age, it happens fairly regularly. The same methods that can efficiently get a family of four up a multi-pitch route can get any other four-person team up a route when splitting the team into two twosomes is not an option.