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​Multi-Pitch Tips: Two ATCs


By Stefani Dawn
Be it trad or sport, multi-pitch climbing is one of my favorite types of climbing. Like anything, if you do it enough, you develop your own approaches and preferences. One of my preferences is to carry two ATC-style belay devices, both capable of guide mode and at least one being an assisted brake device like the Mega Jul.
 
A light-load purist would probably laugh at my redundancy, but I have good reasons for doing this. (By the way, the Mega Jul is quite light!)

  1. Having two devices saves time – Time efficiency is important for multi-pitch climbing, especially with longer climes. A 10 pitch climb with a 4-minute delay each pitch is 40 minutes – that could be the difference between being benighted or exiting with sun to spare. Having two ATCs saves time because when swinging pitches (where each person takes turn leading) you never have to take the new-leader off belay and the new-leader never even needs to tie into the anchor. Here is why/how:
    1. Leader 1 leads the first pitch, sets up the anchor, places the second on belay using the guide-mode on the non-brake-assisted device (if one device is not brake assisted).
    2. The second arrives at the belay station and is ready to lead pitch 2 (now referred to as the new-leader). Leave the new-leader in the guide-mode belay. Place the assisted brake ATC through your belay loop (the regular belay set-up) and place the new-leader on belay through the assisted brake ATC. The leader is always on belay and there is no need for the new-leader to tie into the anchor using a PAS.
    3. When the leader is ready to go, remove the rope from the guide-mode ATC. The new-leader is on belay and can climb right away.
  2. Redundancy – If you (or your partner) accidentally drop a belay device you have a spare. Having both devices be ATCs capable of guide-mode, the climb can continue safely. You also have a device capable of rappelling (unlike if one of your devices is a GriGri).
 
Why have at least one of the ATCs be a brake-assisted device?

  • For best safety, the device you use in “regular” belay mode (belaying from the harness belay loop not in guide mode) needs to be brake assisted on a multi-pitch. There are two reasons for this:
    1.  Multi-pitch climbs require more rope management. There are many times when you might need to take your brake hand off the rope to help feed/manage/untangle the rope.
    2. Multi-pitch climbs often carry more risk of rock fall. Should the belayer get knocked unconscious, the climber is protected (and in some scenarios the belayer is also better protected).  

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  • Home
  • Writing
    • All Writings (List)
    • Adaptive Climbing >
      • El Capitan: Enock Glidden
      • My Journey to Adaptive Rock Climbing
      • Planning for Mt. Rainier: Adaptive Climbing
      • Resources - Adaptive Climbing
    • Alpine >
      • California Still Has Untouched Climbing Wilderness
      • Mt. Ogden Spanking
      • Mt. Whitney Whipping
      • My Common Alpine Epic
    • Equipment (writings) >
      • 8 Reasons I Carry a Full Rack on Every Trad Climb
      • Carabiner Strength Ratings
      • Climbing Shoes Fit
      • Guide Book Follies
      • Rope Buying 101
      • The One Item to Stockpile
      • Which Way Should I Carry My Trad Rack?
      • Why GriGris Suck
    • Facebook Feature >
      • FF: Trees & Climbing
    • Grades, Styles, & Types >
      • Bouldering-Falling
      • Bouldering Grade Advancements
      • Grading Climbs at the Gym
      • It's a F-ing Chimney
      • Onsight vs Flash vs Etc...
      • Top 10: Increase the Climbing Grade When...
      • Trad Climbing is for Chicken Sh*#s
      • WTF 5.7?
      • 18 Climber Types: Which Are You?
    • Kids >
      • Family Stages
    • Legends >
      • G - Todd Gordon
      • H - Hugh Herr
      • J - Saxon Johns
    • Other/Misc >
      • Climbing, Community, and the U.S. Presidential Election
      • Climbing Drinking Games
      • Climbing Gyms: The Gateway Drug
      • Climbing Hands
      • Climbing Resolutions
      • Demented Dirtbag
      • Don't Take Granite for Granite
      • Dorothy, We Aren't on Havana Anymore
      • No Health Insurance Changed How I Climb
      • Snakes and Ladders
      • Starting Over
      • The Bane of Northwest Climbing
      • Things of Stone and Wood
    • Poetry/Prose >
      • Anti-Social Climbers
      • Ice is Nice
    • Mental-Physical >
      • 12-Weeks to Onsighting a 5.8
      • How Auto-Immune Disease Affected My Climbing
      • Mastering Joy on Easy Street
      • Mind, Body, and Soul
      • Of Cartoons and Quickdraws
      • Push and Pull
      • Sorcerer and the Kidney Stone
      • The Devil's Game
      • The Taste of Climbing
    • Social/Social Media >
      • Climbing into the Fold
      • Diversity in Climbing is Not a Bandwagon
      • My Husband Climbs Stronger than Me
      • Fuck "Gumbies" and "Noobs"
      • Social Network Rescue
    • Safety and Skills >
      • Bolting and Ground-Fall Potential
      • Euro-Death Knot is NOT
      • Multi-Pitch Tips: Two ATCs
      • Sketchy Anchor Bolts
      • Sliding-X Anchor
      • Three Ways to Use a Stick Clip
      • Top 10: Climbing Best Practices
    • Themed Editions >
      • Joshua Tree Articles >
        • Bouldering: JTree Made Me Do It
        • Improv at JTree: Bad Bolts
        • JTree: Bolting Pressure Cooker
        • Joshua Tree: Heinous Approaches
      • Developers and Guidebook Authors >
        • Kevin Powell
        • Rock Star Groupie
        • Tony Calderone
      • Exploring Our World >
        • AUSTRALIA - Photographer - Diego Perez
        • AUSTRALIA - Profile - Julie Anderson
        • Book Review - Climbing Rock
        • CHINA - From Yangshuo, to Getu, to Liming
        • FRANCE - Verdon in Winter
        • GREECE - Meteora
        • ITALY - Dolomites
        • MEXICO - La Huasteca
        • SPAIN - Artist - Karmelo Onate
        • UTAH - This One Makes You Taller
      • Overcoming Boundaries >
        • Photographer - Brook Anderson
        • Profile - Louise Shepherd
        • Profile - Megan Banker
        • Profile - Shawn Axelrod
        • Rock Type 1
        • The Tape Job
      • Women's Edition >
        • Editorial - Women's Edition
        • Climbing is My Art
        • Mt. Logan Solo
        • Photographer - Michelle Ranee Johnson
        • Profile - Caitlin Schokker
    • Travel Stories >
      • Bliss: Climbing in the Blueys
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina Crag
      • The Legend of the ‘Unclimbable Cliff’
      • Vedauwoo, WY
      • Zone of Craptitude
  • Marketplace
    • Store
    • Climbing Addicts Colored Chalk
    • Climb-On Maps
    • Permagumby (formerly Crusher Climbing)
    • Dynamite Starfish
    • Hero Clip
    • Neilico
    • NW Alpine
    • Rockytalkies
  • Reviews
    • Books >
      • Advanced Rock Climbing Book Review
      • Adventures at the Edge of the World
      • Hangdog Days Book Review
    • Equipment/Gear >
      • Belay Device Review >
        • Edelrid Mega Jul
      • Harnesses >
        • ArcTeryx-FL-365
        • Misty Mountain Cadillac
      • Packs and Bags >
        • Sukoa Chalk Bag Review
        • Trango Crag Pack
      • Personal Anchor Systems >
        • Camp-Daisy-Twist
        • Petzl-Dual-Adjust
  • Photographers
    • J - Michelle Ranee Johnson
    • N - Tiffany Nardico
    • P - Diego Perez
  • Locations
    • 2019 U.S. Rock Climbing Festivals
    • 'Round the World >
      • 20 World Destinations for Adventurous Climbing
    • Australia >
      • Queensland, Australia >
        • Kangaroo Point Photos and Beta
        • Kangaroo Point Review
      • New South Wales Australia >
        • Blue Mountains >
          • Blue Mountains Photos and Beta
          • Blue Mountains Review
        • Nowra >
          • Nowra Photos and Beta
          • Nowra Review
    • Mexico >
      • Potrero Chico Photos and Beta
      • Potrero Chico Review
    • United States >
      • Climbing Area Check List - U.S. >
        • Climbing Area Check List Part 1: Alabama to California
        • Climbing Area Checklist Part 2: Colorado to Michigan
        • Climbing Area Checklist Part 3: Minnesota to New Mexico
        • Climbing Area Checklist Part 4: New York to Wyoming
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          • Trout Creek Photos and Beta
          • Trout Creek Review
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        • Gun Club
        • Keyhole Canyon
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          • Red Rock Canyon Review - Yeahs and Neahs
          • Red Rocks Photos and Beta
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        • Rumney, NH
      • New York >
        • Gunks Review
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        • Ferguson Canyon >
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          • Ferguson Canyon Review
        • Ibex >
          • Ibex Photos and Beta
          • Ibex Review
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          • Maple Canyon, Utah Photos and Beta
          • Maple Canyon Review
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          • Moab - Main - Photos and Beta
          • Moab -Main - Review
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        • Ten Sleep
  • Contributors
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        • Dave Barnes Extended Bio
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      • P - Emilie Pellerin
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      • R - Juan Rodriguez
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      • T- Frothy Thomson
      • T - Matt Tredway
      • W - Lani Wilson
  • Contact and Submissions
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    • Mailing List Request
  • About Common Climber
    • Why I Started Common Climber
    • Welcome Dave Barnes!