Stances in mountaineering and climbing activities: an analysis and a proposal for an improved equalized anchoring

In climbing on a long rock or ice route, mountaineers are tied by means of a rope. The climb is subdivided into “pitches” by “stances”, i.e. places where anchoring points are available for security and for the mutual belay of the partners. In this paper, the problem of setting up a stance by connecting two or more anchor points is addressed. The methods for achieving the highest safety in this connection are discussed. In past work, this type of analysis is generally performed for cases where the free fall line is aligned to the stance midpoint; this paper shows that the best understanding of the phenomena is achieved by investigating falls with an “offset” from the stance midpoint. The two most important cases of the current best practice are compared: the mobile and the fixed connection of the anchor points. The analysis was conducted by means of experimental and analytical investigations, to a detail that was never achieved before. The assessments are based on the dynamics of the events, not on static tests as reported in the majority of the literature. The comparison of the two practices of connection is the major task of the paper. It was conducted to such a detail as to allow the readers to form their judgement on the issue. An improved stance arrangement, which increases the stance reliability of 20 % still keeping an easy arrangement, is proposed.