Rock climbing course - day 3



On this day we practiced multi-pitching. When you climb long stretches of rock, you rope might be too short. Therefore climbing is done in parts, or several pitches. The leader climbs the first pitch, attaching the rope as he goes. At the pitch top, there is anchor, to which the leader attaches himself. Then he starts belaying his partner. The partner is now secured and climbs a regular top rope climb, except that his belayer is at the top. After that, both climbers are at the same anchor and the process repeats at self to the next pitch. Going down is done as in abseiling, where you go down on your own without a belayer.

Practicing on ground the procedure at the anchor took us most of the morning. Then our guide split a grade 5 climb into two pitching by creating an anchor at the middle. The other two guys practiced it and it was already time for lunch. After lunch I went up with the guide. Initially I didn't want to lead after the previous day's experience, but the first pitch seemed easy enough so I decided to give it a try. Important note: It always looks easy when you look at it from below. It is a completely different world when you are actually climbing and your field of view is quite limited, so you don't see all possible hand holds and foot holds.

And so I lead the first pitch (nerve racking!!!), attached myself to the anchor and got the guide up. He led the second pitch and I followed. Initially I didn't believe I could climb it, but I guess I started to get a bit the hang of it. The stress created by your legs is sometimes enough to keep you standing on 'impossible' ledges in the rock. Relieved I went through the whole procedure again and started abseiling down, stopping on the way for a photo. When I touched mother earth's soil, I released the rope, sat on my knees and kissed the ground.

The other guys continued leading and climbing other grades but I was content for the day and settled with just watching and clapping hands. So, I had fun this day, which is a good way to end the course.