Steep+ground

outdoors home > hazards toc =Steep ground = This page does not cover climbing in any way; its focus is safe - unanticipated - travel over steep ground for walkers.

**For leaders (and others) without experience and competence on steep ground, there is only one way of managing parties on steep ground: avoidance .**

**Do NOT attempt to lead a group in an area where you may encounter steep ground unless you are trained and equipped to deal with it.**



This page does //not// provide comprehensive coverage of this topic - it aims to highlight some of the key issues. **If any of this is not familiar to you then you should undertake formal training before taking groups into areas where these skills may be needed** !

From ML syllabus:
Candidates should be familiar with the following: a. suitability of different types, sizes and lengths of rope. b. rope management. c. appropriate knots. d. appropriate methods of belaying, including choice of safe anchors. e. use and limitations of the rope alone:  i. to protect descents and ascents for the whole party.  ii. to safeguard a single party member.

Rope & rope management
(inlcudes material from adventure qualifications network)

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">30m of rope that is strong enough, has some stretch, is thick enough to grip and is resistant to abrasion is needed. Specialist advice should be obtained when buying rope and **second-hand rope is best avoided**.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The rope is best kept uncoiled but untagled in a rope bag in the top or bottom of the rucksack - the end can then be lulled out if needed. It may be easier to have a loop pre-tied in the end of the rope.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Care of the rope

 * <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 110%;">Check the rope regularly for wear; discard it if in doubt.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 110%;">Never use the rope for caving or for any purpose other than mountaineering.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 110%;">Dry a wet rope in loose loops in a well-ventilated place. Never dry it near fire.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 110%;">Do not store a rope wet or in a damp or hot place.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 110%;">Never stand on the rope.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 110%;">Do not allow one rope to run across another, since nylon rope has a comparatively low melting point.

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Discard a rope:

 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 110%;">When it has been damaged mechanically by stonefall or rock edges.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 110%;">When the mantle is badly worn through abrasion.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 110%;">When it has come into contact with chemicals (gasoline, grease or battery acid).
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 110%;">When it has held a severe fall.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 110%;">When it is older than five years.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Knots
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">There is a separate area covering knots needed for safe travel over steep ground.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Use of a single rope
media type="youtube" key="ciVs6VzE3mo" height="390" width="640"

Abseiling using only a rope media type="youtube" key="LBGOd8psA5I?version=3" width="615" height="345"

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Attaching a rope to a party member
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">A rope can be attached as an improvised harness to arrest a fall. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The leader must check that the knot used is tied properly, with a safety knot if necessary. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The knot used will depend on how many people need to use it. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Options include: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Bowline (MUST have safety knot if used) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Slip knot with stopper knot (good if want to be able to use on a number of people without spending ages tying and untying knots) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Thomson knot

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Confidence roping
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The rope is attached to the party member with and end loop (as above) but the rest of the rope stays in the leader's rucksack, with 1 - 2 m rope between them. The rope is not fixed to any anchors so this technique can be used only on terrain that the leader is comfortable to cover without using their hands.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Confidence in the system is increased if the rope between the leader and the part member is kept under some tension.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The leader should say vertically above the party member.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">A loop can be palced in the rope at the point where the leader wants to grip it - their hand does not go through the loop but if they place their hand next to but on the far side of the loop it is easier to maintain tension.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The first time you use confidence roping should //not// be "for real". Practice the technique first in safe terrain. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[|What can go wrong with confidence roping]

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Belaying and anchors
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">A belay system is only as good as its weakest part.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">When belaying, only one party member moves at a time. They are protected byt the belay system which includes the belayer - usually the group leader.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Anchors
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">An anchor (belay point) is the point at which the belay system is attached to the ground - if this is not secure the whole system is likely to fail in the event of a fall. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Examples of anchors are spikes/boulders, around which a rope can be tied, a chockstone or trees.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The anchor, belayer and climber/scrambler should lie in a vertical line - the movement up the steep ground should be directly below the anchor.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Links
[|Safety on steep ground] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[|Scrambling (BMC)] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[|Climbing outside] (BMC) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[|Mountain advice (MRC)] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[|Scrambling technique]