Rock Climbing Anchors, 2nd Edition: A Comprehensive Guide (Mountaineers Outdoor Expert)

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(as of Mar 15, 2025 09:40:11 UTC – Details)

“[Rock Climbing Anchors] offers a complete and profusely illustrated course of instruction that will prove to be of life-saving value for all rock climbing enthusiasts from the absolute novice to the seasoned professional.” -Midwest Book Review
Seminal book updated by author of the acclaimed Advanced Rock ClimbingEasy-to-follow step-by-step instructions400 new color photos demonstrate techniques For this new edition of Rock Climbing Anchors, climber and writer Topher Donahue carefully reviewed each technique and lesson, making them even easier to understand and learn. Key updates include: Improved content hierarchy, reading efficiency, and technique emphasisPros vs. Cons comparison listsTechnological advances and changes in gear and standardsGraphic illustrations of forces, movement, “right” vs. “wrong” technique, and moreNew section on anchor considerations for the climbing gymNew distinction between “anchor” and “placement” or “piece”

From the Publisher

From Chapter One: Anchor Basics

One of the beauties of rock climbing is its amazing diversity. Sea cliffs, high alpine faces, desert towers, water-carved canyons, random crags in the woods: the geographical possibilities are endless. You can also change the angle, from tip-toe friction slabs to striking vertical faces to gymnastic roofs and caves; or pick a crack of any size, from fingertips to chimneys. You can pursue boulder problems, eighty-foot sport routes, multi-pitch gear routes, or massive walls.

Then you have the protection factor, ranging from no-commitment top ropes to athletic clip-ups, and from splitter cracks that devour pro to dicey, runout, rarely climbed test pieces. And how much effort do you want to spend? You can choose from easy romps, full-throttle on-sights, and multi-day redpoint projects. Given all this variety, one thing remains common: most rock climbing (besides bouldering and free soloing) relies on anchors for creating the safety system.

— Topher Donahue

Sample Lesson – Chapter Three, Chocks

In a pinch, you can set a nut endwise to fit a bigger crack, but it’s weaker. In solid rock, sideways placements are often bomber because the wide surfaces against the rock result in more surface contact.

In a horizontal crack, try to find an opening in the back of the crack that allows you to slide the nut toward a constriction on the edge of the crack. Such a placement can be bomber. The piece shown is good, provided it does not get pulled to the left.

The crack has no constriction to resist an outward pull, so the rope may wriggle the nut out, or the nut might pop out in a fall. Even worse, it has very poor surface contact with the rock. If the rock breaks a little, the nut will fail.

This nut could pull the fractured block on the left side loose. Be careful what you set your anchors behind. The nut also relies on a thin, fractured layer on the right side.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mountaineers Books; 2nd edition (April 1, 2019)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1680511408
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1680511406
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.25 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.8 x 0.7 x 8.4 inches