Winter skills 3.6: topping out on winter climbs

Expert tips for winter climbing. Topping out on your climb:
Get a rock belay near the top if possible
Prepare map, goggles etc in advance
Anticipate poor communication when you reach the plateau/shoulder
Discuss signals and order of events
If all else fails, pay out all rope and climb when it goes tight
Don't overlook final rock runners
Low anchor usually requires sitting stance
Add your partner's name to shouted calls
This is one of a series of instructional films produced exclusively for BMC TV in association with AMI (the Association of Mountaineering Instructors), Lowe Alpine and DMM.
www.ami.org.uk/
lowealpine.com/
dmmclimbing.com/
We're the BMC. Climb walls, rocks, hills, ice or mountains? Join us. www.thebmc.co.uk/join

[@cpyrkosz2773]

A great set of instructional videos. Excellent.

[@gedheaton1415]

Cracking series of vids, thank you.She is also my hero.

[@davidparrott1763]

Amazing video a very clean lesson.

[@Laura147HLY]

This is an awesome instruction video!!

[@mohammadahmadi3015]

Thanks for sharing !

[@johnd8971]

Great stuff, many thanks

[@srossgower]

Great video!

[@Andy-lq6zw]

Outstanding series from BMC. definitely ex military 👍

[@k2thah286]

Good stuff.

[@paulmorrey733]

Thanks

[@jkillerwhale835]

someone should do this in one of those Masterclass series, that would be awesome

[@matthewganley5951]

The knot bit spun my brain

[@MrDAXY44]

Really good video and entire series. Thank you for doing this.

[@tanimowo]

and it’s crazy that it’s free! i luv the internet

[@doughobbs7706]

"go home for tea and medals" Love it!!

[@4316rodney]

Great video! Who's the guide? She's my hero!!

[@aleksanderparkitny228]

Second that question.

[@purplemonkeyelephant]

That butterfly knot is very nifty, so often your sling isn't quite long enough to do an overhand. Obviously not ideal as there's still a risk of shock loading but the next best thing!

[@rushthezeppelin]

I just found out about that one recently....some people call it the shelf without a master point or SWAMP for short.

[@julianroffman6483]

That knot is a hero! Just make sure that the knot is not facing the rock side, it might damaged if it's rubbing against the rock.

[@1981stonemonkey]

Clear communication by means of storytelling or tugs can still be optimized by means of walkie-talkies attached to your pack at mouth level. Saying 'Joe, I'm safe. Over' as if Joe is standing next to you is enough. Same with the next rope commands. Tried and tested in wind and weather.

[@Frillar]

and if they run out of battery in the cold? it's better to learn without.

[@tylerengle4540]

What happens if you’re toward the top and your belay partner gets snapped away when Thanos snaps his fingers?

[@hankg6955]

what model Rab gloves are these please?

[@kylefleetwood9572]

She should have clipped in before unclipping in the beginning

[@richardschofield2201]

Time stamp 3:06 Maybe. But if you know you're safe, and you know there's a moment when you are not clipped in it's a calculated risk to save a bit of time. It's down to the individual and what they are comfortable with.

[@1981stonemonkey]

NB holding the dead rope while belaying Joe the way you do nullifies the braking function of your belay device! The braking hand should be moving all the way back to your hip to let it brake in the event of a fall. That's why I use a half hitch while belaying from above (associated rope tangling can be avoided).

[@richardschofield2201]

Bit unnecessary. Assuming you are experienced there's always time to pull the dead rope into the locked position if the live rope goes right. The additional effort of braking with each pull of the rope would be a waste.

[@valerijkozlov4890]

Why not use ice tool for belay at the top? Is it Scottish thing?

[@poacher5131]

Look at the depth and quality of the neve up on the plateau, there's never even close to enough for a buried axe.

[@olddirtydoggy]

The picture quality is disgraceful.

[@blueomni30]

It was a free video. Go make your own

[@rushthezeppelin]

You do realize it was super foggy on that day right? Not exactly ideal filming conditions.