Re:Building Climbing Anchors - When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail!

Many new climbers learn how to construct a climbing anchor using a cordalette (which is a good system that I often use myself) but it isn't the only or necessarily the best anchor construction method depending on the situation.

When climbing I'm often reminded of something I heard (or read) years ago to the effect, "When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail!!" As it pertains to climbing, if the only anchor system you know is the cordalette, you will use it all the time whether or not the rock/the pro/the situation deems it best/safe/reasonable.

There have been times that I have climbed with new leaders who have spent huge amounts of time at the belay anchor trying to get their cordalette to "fit the anchors" rather than having the anchors/anchor site dictate the best anchor scheme, because the cordalette is the only anchor building method they know.

For an interesting article about cordalettes (including some "history" as to when and why it was devised) take a look at www.psychovertical.com (under "Technique/Ropework" section) entitled "Is it time to say good-bye to the Cordalette?"

Each type of anchor system has its pros and cons. Some are faster to set up, some are more flexible (works for both close spaced and widely spaced anchors), some are more redundant, some are more "equalized", some utilize less gear/slings, some are less expensive, some schemes are better for swapping leads, some are better for one leader leading all the pitches, some systems lend themselves for easier removal from belay/self rescue, and the list goes on (feel free to add to the list). 

One of the positive attributes attributed to the cordalette is that it is supposedly faster to set up. An interesting (but very informal) test was done years ago and posted on rockclimbing.com where they timed how long it took to set up the cordalette vs. using the rope and one or two other anchoring schemes. The surprising conclusion (at least to the author of the internet post) was that the cordalette was a slower set up than using the rope. After setting up the three pieces of rock pro, he started his stopwatch - i.e. remove cordalette from harness, untie cordalette, string cordalette to pro, tie masterpoint on cordalette and then reverse operations, untie master point on cordalette , remove cordalette, retie cordalette and return to harness vs. using clove hitches and the climbing rope to connect to the three pieces of pro. 

The ultimate integrity/strength of your anchor depends on the pro placement - NOT the anchoring scheme. Tying marginal pro together with whatever scheme you use (i.e. cordalette, equalette, sliding X, etc.) is still a marginal anchor - 3 or even 4 "bad" pieces of pro all tied off together does not turn marginal pro into a good/safe anchor.

Having said that, there are lots of different anchoring schemes (and assorted variations). Here are some of the more popular/established (and I'm sure you can think of others):

- Cordalette
- Web-o-lette
- cordalette tied off as a web-o-lette (can be used in either mode without re-tying)
- Trango alpine equalizer
- Alpine Cock Ring
- sliding 'X'
- climbing rope tied off as a web-o-lette
- 3 clove hitch tie off (for 2 bolt or two bomber anchors)
- climbing rope used with clove hitches to connect pro 
  (belaying off either harness or anchor)
- rope-a-lette (2 variations - pro closely spaced/pro widely spaced)
- climbing rope "walked" around large tree/boulder tied off with big honking knot
- climbing rope tied off around stout tree using double bowline with Yosemite finish to provide master point
- bowline on a bight 
- combinations of above schemes - i.e. sliding 'x' connected to cordalette
- various "equalizing" knot variations (bowline, figure 8)
- various sling combinations
- others???

The important point here is not necessarily trying to identify the "best" method (because there is no "best"; they all have their pros and cons), but to identify the most appropriate method and not try to make one anchor building scheme fit all situations.

A proficient trad climber should be aware of and be capable of using more than one anchor scheme. Pick your "poison" for your "go to" anchoring scheme, but be aware of some of these other options. They can prove to be useful, time saving, or dare I say "better."