Sport Climbing Basics - VDiff Climbing Sport Climbing Basics - VDiff Climbing | Página 8

Descending Part 2: Lowering
Lowering is faster than abseiling. It is the
most common form of descent whether
you have cleaned the anchor or not.
Best Situations To Lower
- If someone else will climb after you.
- If you need to remove the quickdraws.
- If you need to set ‘directionals’ on your
descent.
Removing Quickdraws
If you have cleaned the anchor, but your
quickdraws are still in the route, you’ll need
to retrieve them on your way down.
This is easy on a straight-lined, vertical
route. Simply lower down and unclip them
from the bolt and the rope.
The belayer will need to stop lowering you
at each bolt so you have time to do this.
On overhanging or traversing routes it can
be more difficult. To make it easier, clip one
end of a quickdraw to your belay loop and
the other end to the rope. This ‘lowering
quickdraw’ keeps you in the same line as
the route while you descend.
On your descent, unclip the lead
quickdraws from the rope and then from
the bolts.
Learn more: www.vdiffclimbing.com
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