Ropes Can Cut, Learn to Climb with Two

Multi-pitch climbs and routes that have big traverses are sometimes best climbed with two half ropes

Gripped April 3, 2024

Michele Caminati was climbing Elder Statesman at Curbar Edge in U.K. when his rope was cut during a fall. The route is graded HXS 7a, which means it’s difficult, run out and dangerous. He landed on his belayer, hit the ground and broke his wrist and foot – watch below.

While it’s rare to have a rope cut, it can and has happened. In 2018, a climber died after his rope cut on a sharp edge while climbing a route on Yamnuska. While climbing with a single rope and trailing a tag line has become common practice for climbers on multi-pitch routes, there are climbs that are best done with two lead ropes.

Climbs that have pitches that traverse or meander are often best climbed using two ropes. Why? Not only are two ropes safer in the event of a whipper or rockfall, they can help reduce rope drag. One of the drawbacks of using two ropes is having an extra 60 or 70 metres of rope to deal with at belays, but with a little bit of practice you can ace the all important skill of rope management.

If you do plan to climb with two ropes, you’ll need to look at investing in half ropes – which you use to clip into alternating pieces of protection. Below are a few videos that can help you get started with using two ropes. For 10 tips to improve your multi-pitch game visit here.