Short clips
Trailers to full length videos and stand-alone quick tips; everything we make that is under 60 seconds
Avoid This Mistake Climbers Make with Two Rope Rappels
When we are rappelling off of two ropes, we need to identify the pull strand and the rappel strand at each transition and then remember that designation when we reach the next rappel station. This simple trick can help us keep the full strand identified, even if we should forget.
Preview to: Can You Rock Climb Efficiently as a Team of Four?
Given how often I and my twin sons climb together, we've had to get fairly efficient at belay stance transitions. One such transition that (hopefully) happens almost every climb is the transition from climbing to rappelling down the route. If we can make these transitions fast and safe, we save time to climb more or more readily beat the weather or darkness setting in. The full video goes into detail on one climbing-to-rappelling transition that works for a team of three.
Is the Quick Link on My Climbing Rack Actually a Multi-Tool?
I like the cheap price and small aperture opening of a quick link to help create rappel anchors for alpine route descents. But the reasons I started carrying one, and the reasons I most frequently use one on a climb might surprise you.
Preview to: How Fast Can Three Climbers Go From Topping Out to Rappelling Down?
Given how often I and my twin sons climb together, we've had to get fairly efficient at belay stance transitions. One such transition that (hopefully) happens almost every climb is the transition from climbing to rappelling down the route. If we can make these transitions fast and safe, we save time to climb more or more readily beat the weather or darkness setting in. The full video goes into detail on one climbing-to-rappelling transition that works for a team of three.
What is This Warning for my GriGri Belay Device, and Why Should I Care?)
Our Petzl GriGri belay device instructions warn against using HMS carabiners for fear that they become cross-loaded. But we're not concerned about the forces breaking the carabiner, device, or harness belay loop. We are concerned about hindering the camming action.
Preview to: How Do You Know Your Multi-Pitch Climbing Partner Is Safe?
My twin boys are new multi-pitch climbing leaders. That means they need to trust each other and I need to trust them, as well. How did I enter them into this new climbing discipline? The full video goes into detail around some of the work around exposure to, practice of, and eventual attempts at leading multi-pitch that are relevant to any new multi-pitch leader.
Sidestepping Downhill Will SAVE Your Quadriceps
Descending from mountain summits can feel like an endless set of steps that can greatly fatigue our quadriceps (thigh muscles) above the knee. By switching up our plane of motion, we can recruit other muscle groups to help give our quadriceps a break.
How Fast Should We Ascend if We Want to Acclimatize? Preview to a Deep Dive
Whether going from sea level to moderate altitude or from moderate altitude to high altitude, our bodies need time - and water - to adjust and adapt to the reduced oxygen we will take in. The full video gives an overview of the physiology, the potential illnesses, and the preventative tactics that all come into play when we experience significant altitude changes.
Protect Your Following Climber on a Traverse Crux with This Important Tip
Traversing pitches bring risks that more vertical climbing does not. As a lead climber on a traversing pitch, we need to think not only about protecting ourselves on the crux but our follower, as well, and we each have different needs for gear placements.
1 of 3 Methods to Avoid Speed DESTROYING Rope Issues on a 3 Person Climbing Team
With twin boys, this dad spends a lot of time climbing in a team of three, and we most frequently use double ropes. Double rope systems can create tangles that can dramatically slow the team's progress. So, here is the first of three techniques that help us avoid or quickly resolve rope management issues. The other techniques are in the full length video.
Why Traversing Climbs Are Trickier Than You Think!
With twin boys, this dad spends a lot of time climbing in a team of three, and we most frequently use double ropes. Double rope systems can create tangles that can dramatically slow the team's progress. So, here is the first of three techniques that help us avoid or quickly resolve rope management issues. The other techniques are in the full length video.
Preview to: How and Why Climbers Use Tandem Rappels
I was asked if a tandem rappel could be done instead of a counterbalanced rappel because a tandem rappel is safer. In some circumstances, particularly in rescues, tandem rappels are used. But, while generally safer than a counterbalanced rappel, there are still too many safety and efficiency downsides for it to be a standard rappelling technique outside of emergency situations.
How To Tie A Barrel Knot For Safer Climbing
When we want to close our rope system, which is something we should do when rappelling or belaying - along with other circumstances, we often will choose a barrel knot. Here is how we tie one and some potential mistakes to avoid.
Preview to: High-altitude First Ascensionist Taught Me this Improvised Aid Climbing Technique
When we get into uncertain alpine terrain, things can change quickly. Terrain features can change, snow and ice coverage can change, and weather is more dynamic. Any of these changes could confront us with a pitch that might be too hard to climb given our current footwear and carried equipment. The full video provides an improvised gear and movement sequence that may help us continue on our climb.
Can I Make a Climbing Harness With Just a Rope?
I was asked to demonstrate making a climbing harness using only the rope while ensuring it had leg loops. So, here it is.
Preview to: Which Rope Block Systems are SAFER for Single Strand Rappels?
Like most things in climbing, what is "safer" depends on circumstance. In our full video we are looking at rope blocking options: knot blocks, carabiner blocks, and the Reepschnür hitch (and some of the modifications to it) in order to explore the security at the rappel (abseil) anchor point versus ease of retrieving our rope.
Should You Add a Stopper Knot to Your Figure 8 Retrace?
Do we need to add a stopper knot when we tie into the climbing rope with a figure eight retrace knot? Does it help? Could it be harmful in any way? Let's find out.
Preview to: Can You Make the Perfect Crevasse Rescue Anchor?
The short answer is, "no, you cannot make the perfect crevasse rescue anchor." The inherent tradeoffs between speed and anchor strength and adaptability mean that we have a series of risk-mitigating decisions we need to make before we ever start hauling our climbing partner out of the crevasse. The full video gets into those tradeoffs so that we can make the best choices we can should we ever really need to make them.
How Does the Swiss Miss Rope Trick Work?
When we are trying to move fast over moderate terrain, rope management can often be the difference in speed. So, when we need to bring two end roped climbers closer together to avoid rope dragging over loose ground or around corners of winding terrain, this technique is about the fastest way possible to shorten that rope.
Preview to: 3 Easy Ways to Change Lead While Climbing a Glacier
When we want to change lead climbers on a glacier, we have to do so in a way that still protects the team from crevasse falls. The full video provides three methods for getting a trailing climber into the lead position.