How to Extend a Top Rope Anchor

Safety is essential to enjoying the physical challenge, amazing views and other rewards of climbing. Also, since climbing gear is expensive, preventing undue wear on critical components saves money. Proper rigging of a top rope anchor will produce the best safety margin while saving the gear from wearing out and eroding the rock face unnecessarily. Extending the top rope anchor is the best option where suitable anchors are set back a long distance from the cliff face or edge.

Things You'll Need

  • 2 Lengths climbing anchor webbing or cordelette
  • Locking carabiners or 2 non-locking carabiners
  • Climbing rope
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Attach webbing or cordelette to at least two anchor points using a double bowline, figure of eight, or girth hitch. Choose the appropriate knot so that there is enough remaining webbing to meet each other at an angle less than 45 degrees.

    • 2

      Orient the free ends of webbing towards the anticipated direction of loading to keep the anchors equalized. Anchors with unequal loading will fail at much lesser loads than properly equalized anchors.

    • 3

      Bring both strands of webbing together and treat them as one. Tie a figure of eight knot and make sure the the knot will hang past the edge of the cliff. Ensure that the knot will not contact any sharp points or edges.

    • 4

      Tie the master point. Back the free strands of webbing back through the figure of eight knot to create a double figure of eight on a bight. The two loops create a redundant, equalized anchor that maximizes safety.

    • 5

      Clip the locking carabiner into the master point, or orient the gates of two non-locking carabiners opposite to one another and clip them both into the master point. In either case, orient the carabiner or carabiners to keep the gate or gates away from the rockface.

    • 6

      Clip the climbing rope into the master point. Locate the approximate midpoint of the rope into both non-locking master point carabiners or the single locking carabiner and lock the gate.

    • 7

      Double check the rigging of the completed top rope anchor. Check the knots at each anchor, the master point knot and its location, and the orientation of the carabiner(s).