How to Tie a Rope to the End of a Bolt

Rock-climbing routes that are set use a series of anchored bolts drilled or placed into the rock. Ice climbing uses a series of ice screws that are removed at the end of the ice-climbing season, but remain up during the winter. As you begin to climb these routes you need to set your rope onto the bolts to minimize falls from the heights. Setting the rope into the anchors is less "tying" and more clipping. Do not go climbing until you have been properly trained on setting the rope and protection. There is no substitute for professional instruction.

Things You'll Need

  • Quickdraws
  • Carabiners
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Instructions

    • 1

      Climb to the level of the bolt. When possible, try to position yourself just to the side of the bolt where good hand and foot holds allow. Pull the rope up from the belayer so you have 1 to 1.5 feet of slack.

    • 2

      Remove a quickdraw off your climbing harness. Quickdraws are 2 carabiners (metal clips with hinged gates) connected by reinforced nylon webbing.

    • 3

      Clip 1 carabiner to the bolt itself. Most bolts have 'biner holes where the gate is slipped into the hole and then snapped closed, locking it onto the bolt. The carabiner needs to be placed "down and out." This means the gate needs to open facing out from the rock and down.

    • 4

      Clip the other carabiner on the quickdraw over the rope off your harness. Let the rope slide through the carabiner with no knots or tying off. You want the rope to slide through to allow you to continue to climb and prevent friction on the rope.

    • 5

      Set additional quickdraws on each bolt as you progress up the route. As you rappel down off the route upon summit, stop at each bolt, remove the quickdraws and place them back onto your harness.