Cleaning an anchor

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In the context of single pitch climbing with a bolted anchor, if your partner is not going to climb or you are the last one up, you need to clean the anchor. There are two strategies, but for either strategy both bolts need to have rappel rings, chains, or hooks (with gates). Make sure you agree on which strategy you will use with your partner beforehand.

Keep track with this checklist!

Lowering off fixed gear

What you'll need

Personal tether
2 locking carabiners

Getting started

Attach yourself directly to the anchor. The anchor should be SERENE-A (you should be attached to both bolts). You will be on belay during the entire process.

Hooks

Simply clip the rope through both hooks. Call "take" to your belayer so you can test the system before you unclip your personal tether and clean the anchor.

Be very cautious of hooks which do not have gates. If you choose to lower or rappel off of open hooks, you need to consistently weight the hooks so the rope does not come out.

Chains/Rings

Chains/rings are big enough to feed a bight of rope through:

<span>1.</span> Attach directly to the anchor (redundant) and call for slack. — 1. Attach directly to the anchor (redundant) and call for slack.

<span>2.</span> Pull up some slack. — 2. Pull up some slack.

<span>3.</span> Feed a bight through the chains. — 3. Feed a bight through the chains.

<span>4.</span> Tie a figure 8. — 4. Tie a figure 8.

<span>5.</span> Clip to your harness belay loop with two opposing locking carabiners. — 5. Clip to your harness belay loop with two opposing locking carabiners.

<span>6.</span> Call — 6. Call "Take"! to test the system and unweight your tether.

<span>7.</span> After you've confirmed your weight is on the rope and rap rings, untie your original tie-in point. — 7. After you've confirmed your weight is on the rope and rap rings, untie your original tie-in point.

<span>8.</span> Pull the tail through the chains. — 8. Pull the tail through the chains.

<span>9.</span> Clean the tether and anchor and clip them to your harness. — 9. Clean the tether and anchor and clip them to your harness.

<span>10.</span> Ready to lower! — 10. Ready to lower!

Chains/rings are only big enough for one strand of rope:

This is a similar idea to the bight method above, but uses a single strand.

<span>2.</span> Pull up some slack and temporarily fix the rope to the anchor so you don't drop it. — 2. Pull up some slack and temporarily fix the rope to the anchor so you don't drop it.

<span>3.</span> Untie from your harness. — 3. Untie from your harness.

<span>4.</span> Pass the rope through the chains. — 4. Pass the rope through the chains.

<span>5.</span> Tie in again with a figure 8 follow through. — 5. Tie in again with a figure 8 follow through.

<span>6.</span> Undo the temporary rope fix. Call — 6. Undo the temporary rope fix. Call "Take"! to test the system and unweight your tether.

<span>7.</span> Clean the anchor. Ready to lower! — 7. Clean the anchor. Ready to lower!

Rappelling

Rappelling is an alternative to lowering off fixed gear. This places less wear on the fixed hardware and is the recommended way to descend in some climbing areas.

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