Escaping the Belay
How to escape from a belay is an essential skill to know, and really no one should go climbing without knowing how. If your climber is unconscious and has potential neck injuries, lowering them over ledges and overhangs can be very dangerous. It is much better to escape from the belay and get help, or if you are alone, to ascend the rope and set up a tandem rappel.
The concept is fairly simple: you need to set up an anchor and release yourself from your belay device so you can move away from your belay and not have to maintain a brake.
To do this, you will follow four steps (outlined below):
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1. Locking off the Belay
You will need both hands free to build an anchor, so your first step is to free up your hands by locking off the belay. First, locate an area for building an upward-directional anchor, and carefully let yourself in or out to a point where you can reach everything you need to build an anchor. Next, feed a bight of the trailing end of the rope through your locking carabiner attached to the belay device, coming from the braking side. Carefully pull the brake end of the rope until you are braking through the carabiner. Next, extend the bight and tie a Mule Knot directly above your belay device (watch the video above for a demonstration).Take out any slack in the rope, and pull the knot tight. Back it up with an overhand on a bight, with the rope running through the overhand. Test your system; you should now be free to let go of the brake end of the rope with the brake still activated.
2. Building an Anchor
If you are on the ground, you can look for robust trees, cracks or large boulders to build an anchor. It is imperative that your anchor be oriented in the direction of pull, and that it be relatively strong. Trees are a quick and secure option, and don't require much gear. If you aren't sure of the quality of a placement, be sure to back it up. Equalize your anchor and tie an Overhand or Figure Eight on a Bight. If you are using a cordelette, it is possible to use the cordelette to both equalize the anchor and tie a prussik to the rope. Practice this to figure out the best knot combinations in different situations. While you are building the anchor, try to not let out any slack in the rope, to make sure your climber isn't jostled too much.
3. Securing the Rope with a Prusik Knot
Your next step is to attach a Prusik Knot to the rope and to your anchor. If you are using the combination technique with a cordelette for your Prussik and anchor, tie the Prusik first, loosely. Otherwise, tie a length of cord to your rope with a Prusik Knot and attach it to your anchor with a locking carabiner. Lean back as far as possible, while simultaneously pushing the Prusik Knot as far up the rope as you can. The Prusik should take the rope's tension without letting out much slack. Test your system again; if everything seems secure, you are now completely free of your belay. The weight of the climber is now on the rope, the prussik, and the anchor - your belay device should be completely free of tension.
4. Anchoring with a Munter-Mule Knot
The Prusik Knot is very strong and will likely hold your partner interminably, but it is best to use a knot in the rope, backed up with the Prusik Knot. The best system here is the Munter-Mule Combination Knot. The Munter Hitch is a belaying knot that you can use to lower or even belay your climber. It locks off upwards, so you can actually belay from above the knot. This can be really useful in some rescue systems. Also, when combined with a Mule Knot, the Munter is very secure and easily released.
To use the Munter-Mule system, tie a Munter Hitch to a locking carabiner and attach it to your anchor. Pull the rope away from the anchor to get out any slack and to take some tension. Now, tie a Mule Knot above the Munter Hitch and back it up with an Overhand on a Bight. The rope should now be carrying some of the weight of the climber. Carefully loosen the Prusik to allow the entire weight of the climber to rest on the Munter Mule Knot. You will want to keep the Prusik as a backup system, but it should not be carrying the weight of the climber.
You are now completely free of the belay, and your partner is secure. You can now rappel down another rope to get help, ascend the rope to give your partner medical attention, rig a system to pull your climber away from the wall for a safe lower, or just sit down and think out a rescue plan.
The video above demonstrates how to tie these knots.
To use the Munter-Mule system, tie a Munter Hitch to a locking carabiner and attach it to your anchor. Pull the rope away from the anchor to get out any slack and to take some tension. Now, tie a Mule Knot above the Munter Hitch and back it up with an Overhand on a Bight. The rope should now be carrying some of the weight of the climber. Carefully loosen the Prusik to allow the entire weight of the climber to rest on the Munter Mule Knot. You will want to keep the Prusik as a backup system, but it should not be carrying the weight of the climber.
You are now completely free of the belay, and your partner is secure. You can now rappel down another rope to get help, ascend the rope to give your partner medical attention, rig a system to pull your climber away from the wall for a safe lower, or just sit down and think out a rescue plan.
The video above demonstrates how to tie these knots.
A note on Rescues
Rescues are largely improvisational. We cannot predict every situation and make a plan and system for each. Often you can get your partner down a climb safely yourself, but sometimes you will need help. You will need to think on your feet and plan carefully. Remember, the most important thing in performing a rescue is personal safety, so don't try any heroics, or you can turn a single injury into a Multiple Casualty Incident. You should definitely have basic plans for all types of injuries, especially if you are in an area with no cell phone service. This should include:
- A First Aid Plan - Treating injuries well enough to stabilize the victim
- A Retreat Plan - How you will get down from a climb, and how you will get back to the road for ambulance pickup
- An Overnight Plan - What you will do if you have to spend a night on the wall
