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Tips and advice for staying safe in the mountains.
Safety and a fun experience are top priorities in the mountains. At its core, safety means the adherence to important rules of conduct and instructions, as well as accurate tour planning and adequate equipment.
Climbing is ideal for those who want to strengthen their mental and physical fitness while having fun and enjoy a sense of community. That being said, climbing can be dangerous. Learn the skills you need the right way by taking a climbing course.
10 recommendations for a positive climbing experience
1. First things first: Perform a team check
- Ascertain weight differences, take appropriate measures
- Consider people’s securing skills and condition on the day
- Agree rules of communication
- Check climbing equipment
2. Do a partner check before each climb
- Roping up knot and roping up point
- Safety carabiner and belay device – blocking test
- Harness and harness fastenings
- Rope end knotted
3. Only secure yourself with trusted equipment
- Semi-automatic devices provide additional security
- Braking hand principle: one hand always holds the brake rope
- Maintain correct position of the braking hand
- Your carabiner, rope and belay device fit together
4. Pay full attention when securing
© Georg Sojer
»No rope slack
» Choose an optimal location close to the wall
» Observe your partner closely
» Safety help to keep focussed
5. Clear the fall zone
© Georg Sojer
»It is best to overestimate any possible danger zones where collisions might occur
» Leave enough distance on the ground for the climber’s fall line
» Keep sufficient distance to other climbs in the route
» Be aware of pendulum falls
Was ist im Notfall zu tun?
Notruf wählen
140 - Alpinnotruf (Bergrettung)
112 - Europäischer Notruf
133 - Polizei
144 - Rettung
6. Clip in all belays properly
- Clip in from a stable position
- Avoid falls when clipping in – risk of falling to the ground
- Ensure proper rope running through the carabiner
- Do not climb behind the rope
7. Only use a top rope with the top anchors provided
- No top rope in a single carabiner
- In very overhanging routes only use a top rope with the belays clipped in
- Check that the right rope strand is in the belay device
8. Take care when abseiling
- Lower your partner slowly and evenly
- Ensure landing area is clear
- Never put two ropes in one top anchor
- Communicate at the top anchor point
9. Warm up before you start!
- Slowly increase the intensity
- Relax at the end of the climb, cool down
- Give injuries time to heal
10. Take your responsibility seriously
- Be self-critical and open to feedback
- Address mistakes, including those made by others
- Stay up to date
- Be considerate of others
Equipment
Basic equipment checklist
- Wear appropriate outdoor clothing including a change of clothes (waterproof trousers or gaiters)
- Sturdy hiking or mountaineering boots with non-slip, treaded sole
- Hiking poles (height-adjustable)
- Sun protection (sunglasses, sunscreen, lip protection, hat)
- Rain and snow protection (rain jacket/poncho, backpack cover)
- Cold protection (hat, gloves)
- Food & drink (sufficient liquids and snacks) – check for potential refreshment stops in the trail descriptions
- First aid kit incl. emergency blanket, bivouac sack and headlamp
- Mobile phone with a fully charged battery
- Hiking map, route description and information materials
- ID, insurance card, cash
Climbing equipment checklist
- Climbing harness
- Belay device both partners are familiar with
- 10 to 15 quickdraws (depending on the area)
- at least 1 webbing sling per person
- at least 3 locking carabiners
- Climbing helmet
- Climbing rope of a length to suit the climbing structure/crag/climbing garden
- Climbing shoes
- Chalk and chalk bags
Multi-pitch: additional gear (slings, carabiners, nuts (metal wedges), friends, etc.) depending on the tour
Tips:
» A rope bag helps protects the rope and increases its life span
» Tape can be useful for smaller cuts/abrasions
» Mark the halfway point of your rope to prevent too little rope being left when rappelling.
Tour planning checklist
- Chose your preferred tour based upon your skills, ability and current conditions? (Make an honest self-assessment based on your physical and mental condition)
- Checked the local conditions?
- Time planning! Start early – the risk of thunderstorms increases rapidly from midday in high summer; it gets dark early in the autumn!
- Choose the right equipment!
- Check weather forecast and note current weather conditions!
- Do you have accident and mountain insurance? Have you installed and tested Tirol’s Mountain Rescue emergency-call app on your Smartphone?
Grading systems
| UIAA Scale | France | USA | Australia | Great Britain | |
| Adjectival | Tech | ||||
| 1 | 1 | 5.2 | |||
| 2 | 2 | 5.3 | 11 | ||
| 3 | 3 | 5.4 | 12 | ||
| 4 | 4 | 5.5 | VD | 4a | |
| 5- | 5a | 5.6 | 13 | ||
| 5 | 5.7 | 14 | HS | 4b | |
| 5+ | 5b | 15 | 4c | ||
| 6- | 5.8 | 16 | VS | ||
| 6 | 5c | 5.9 | 17 | HVS | 5a |
| 6+ | 6a | 5.10a | 18 | E1 | |
| 7- | 6a+ | 5.10b | 19 | 5b | |
| 7 | 6b | 5.10c | 20 | E2 | |
| 7+ | 6b+ | 5.10d | 21 | 5c | |
| 7+/8- | 6c | 5.11a | 22 | E3 | |
| 8- | 6c+ | 5.11b | 23 | ||
| 8 | 7a | 5.11c | 24 | E4 | 6a |
| 8+ | 7a+ | 5.11d | 25 | E5 | |
| 8+/9- | 7b | 5.12a | 26 | 6b | |
| 9- | 7b+ | 5.12b | E6 | ||
| 9 | 7c | 5.12c | 27 | 6c | |
| 9+ | 7c+ | 5.12d | 28 | E7 | |
| 9+/10- | 8a | 5.13a | 29 | ||
| 5.13b | 7a | ||||
| 10- | 8a+ | 5.13c | 30 | E8 | |
| 10 | 8b | 5.13d | 31 | ||
| 10+ | 8b+ | 5.14a | 32 | 7b | |
| 10+/11- | 8c | 5.14b | E9 | ||
| 11- | 8c+ | 5.14c | 33 | 7c | |
| 11 | 9a | 5.14d | |||
| 11+ | 9a+ | 5.15a | |||
| 11+/12- | 9b | 5.15b |
Today
2020-10-30
6 °C
- 5° Valley
- 4 km/h
- 8° Mountain
- 55 %
Tomorrow
2020-10-31
14 °C
- 3° Valley
- 4 km/h
- 14° Mountain
- 0 %
The day after tomorrow
2020-11-01
13 °C
- 1° Valley
- 4 km/h
- 12° Mountain
- 10 %
2020-11-02
2020-11-02
15 °C
- 5° Valley
- 5 km/h
- 13° Mountain
- 15 %
Please note that the information provided regarding safety in the mountains is a recommendation only on behalf of Tourismusverband Wilder Kaiser. All information is subject to change without notice.