Multi-pitch climbing is the ascent of climbing routes with one or more stops at a

belay Belaying is a variety of techniques climbers use to create friction within a climbing system, particularly on a climbing rope, so that a falling climber does not fall very far. A climbing partner typically applies tension at the other end of t ...

station. Each section of a climb between stops at belay stations is called a pitch. The

leader Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets v ...

ascends the pitch, placing gear and stopping to anchor themselves to the belay station. The general purpose of these stops is to allow the second climber to ascend to the point of the

lead climber Lead climbing is a climbing style, predominantly used in rock climbing. In a roped party one climber has to take the lead while the other climbers follow. The ''lead climber'' wears a harness attached to a climbing rope, which in turn is connected ...

while collecting the protective gear from the route in the course of the lead climber's ascent. At the belay station, the protective gear is collected, possibly exchanged to a new leader, and the leader of the next pitch ascends the route.

Reasons for invoking stops

Climbers invoke stops either by choice, convention or necessity. Examples include: *The rope is too short to do the entire route in one pitch. *The leader has run out of protective gear. *There is a convenient protectable ledge, or fixed bolts placed by previous climbers, at the location for a belay station. *The leader chooses to rest or exchange leads before the next pitch.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Multi-Pitch Climbing Types of climbing

Reasons for invoking stops

See also

References