s_allshorn
Active member
I ask these question as I fear I may have pulled through into a minimalist anchor placement echo chamber that might not reflect how cavers expect anchors to be installed.
Generally, I work to a set of principles for anchor installations for new caves (caves where there are currently no resin bonded anchors) to ensure minimum placements to enable a safe descent, aiming to avoid hazards (water, loose rock etc as much as possible).
So initial questions I ask myself in this order:
1 Is there a suitable natural belay?
2 Is there a suitable natural belay that can be improved with a hammer (normally knocking sharp edge off a flake or similar)?
3 Can I drill a hole?
4 If the above can?t be done placement of anchor/s should be as few and high as possible to enable a safe approach, descent and ascent of a pitch.
So if you can safely and comfortably approach a pitch head where there are no natural belays this would require two anchors. A short but exposed traverse or rift would have two anchors back from the start going out to two further anchors to descend a pitch. Assuming of course there are no natural belays.
a. Now can these principles be retrospectively applied to a cave that has resin bonded anchors already installed under the BCA scheme, or should something different be used?
b. An example might be there aren't two anchors at the start of a traverse, should/can one be added?
c. If there is a better or drier hang to be obtained further out should more anchors be placed to use it?
d. If there aren?t two anchors to initially go out over a drop or an anchor was installed potentially only as a hand line and has always been treated as such, can/should one be added?
e. Can/should anchors be placed to make it easier to pull through, there are already anchors that allow a safe approach for hard rigging but aren?t great for pulling through?
f. If an anchor or series of anchors are loose can they be removed, assuming the original anchor placement wasn't damaged when removing them. Then place new anchors in better location i.e. higher up?
g. If an anchor or series of anchors aren't loose can they be removed. Then place new anchors in better location i.e. higher up?
h. I assume no one has issue with the removal and replacement in the same location of a loose resin bonded anchor?
i. Can/should resin bonded anchors be added to existing traverse or route to make it easier more user friendly?
j. Is there a point at which resin bonded anchors should no longer be installed?
I would invite replies from as broad a range of experiences as possible. If you don't wish to reply to this post feel free to PM me.
Generally, I work to a set of principles for anchor installations for new caves (caves where there are currently no resin bonded anchors) to ensure minimum placements to enable a safe descent, aiming to avoid hazards (water, loose rock etc as much as possible).
So initial questions I ask myself in this order:
1 Is there a suitable natural belay?
2 Is there a suitable natural belay that can be improved with a hammer (normally knocking sharp edge off a flake or similar)?
3 Can I drill a hole?
4 If the above can?t be done placement of anchor/s should be as few and high as possible to enable a safe approach, descent and ascent of a pitch.
So if you can safely and comfortably approach a pitch head where there are no natural belays this would require two anchors. A short but exposed traverse or rift would have two anchors back from the start going out to two further anchors to descend a pitch. Assuming of course there are no natural belays.
a. Now can these principles be retrospectively applied to a cave that has resin bonded anchors already installed under the BCA scheme, or should something different be used?
b. An example might be there aren't two anchors at the start of a traverse, should/can one be added?
c. If there is a better or drier hang to be obtained further out should more anchors be placed to use it?
d. If there aren?t two anchors to initially go out over a drop or an anchor was installed potentially only as a hand line and has always been treated as such, can/should one be added?
e. Can/should anchors be placed to make it easier to pull through, there are already anchors that allow a safe approach for hard rigging but aren?t great for pulling through?
f. If an anchor or series of anchors are loose can they be removed, assuming the original anchor placement wasn't damaged when removing them. Then place new anchors in better location i.e. higher up?
g. If an anchor or series of anchors aren't loose can they be removed. Then place new anchors in better location i.e. higher up?
h. I assume no one has issue with the removal and replacement in the same location of a loose resin bonded anchor?
i. Can/should resin bonded anchors be added to existing traverse or route to make it easier more user friendly?
j. Is there a point at which resin bonded anchors should no longer be installed?
I would invite replies from as broad a range of experiences as possible. If you don't wish to reply to this post feel free to PM me.