Simul-climbing

{{Short description|Technique used in climbing}}

{{See also|Rope team}}

{{Multiple image|perrow=2|total_width=370 | header=Examples of simul-climbing

| image1=Simul Climbing Aiguille d'Entreves Traverse.jpg|caption1=Traversing the Aiguilles d'Entrèves (AD 4c)

| image2=Giovanni Ongaro San Lorenzo.jpg|caption2=Ice climbing up a couloir on the north face of Monte San Lorenzo

}}

Simul-climbing (or using a running-belay) is a climbing technique where a pair of climbers who are attached by a rope simultaneously ascend a multi-pitch climbing route.{{cite web | magazine=Climbing | url=https://www.climbing.com/skills/advanced-techniques-simul-climbing-and-short-fixing/ | title=Advanced Climbing Techniques: Simul-Climbing and Short-Fixing | first=Miranda | last=Oakley | date=23 December 2022 | accessdate=8 July 2024}} It contrasts with lead climbing where the leader ascends a given pitch on the route while the second climber remains in a fixed position to belay the leader in case they fall. Simul-climbing is not free solo climbing, as the lead simul-climber will clip the rope into points of climbing protection as they ascend. Simul-climbing is different from a rope team (which can involve larger groups) and {{ill|short-roping|fr|corde tendue}} (used by guides with their clients), which are used for flatter terrain that doesn't typically need protection points.{{cite book | publisher=American Alpine Club | title=Accidents in North American Climbing 2018 | chapter=Know the Ropes: Safer 4th Class Climbing | url=https://americanalpineclub.org/news/2020/4/8/7emfrby0qk8mew5spzimu4ckm7deb6 | first=Tico| last=Gangulee| date=September 2018 | accessdate=8 July 2024 | isbn=978-0999855614}}

Simul-climbing is an advanced and potentially dangerous technique.{{cite web | magazine=Climbing | url=https://www.climbing.com/news/climbers-killed-simul-climbing-dolomites/ | first=Owen| last=Clarke| date=24 September 2024 | accessdate=19 October 2024 | title=Two Italian Climbers Killed Simul-Climbing in the Dolomites}} A fall by either climber is serious, and a 2019 article in Outside said "That's why there's a simple rule of simul-climbing: don't fall."{{cite web | magazine=Outside | url=https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/emily-harrington-fall-el-capitan-yosemite/ | date=26 November 2019 | accessdate=8 July 2024 | first=Grayson | last=Schaffer | title=Inside Emily Harrington's Scary Simul-Climbing Fall on El Capitan}} In simul-climbing, the strongest climber goes second. Contemporary simul-climbers use progress capture devices (PCDs) at some of the protection points so that if the following climber falls, the PCD will lock the rope holding the falling climber and preventing the leader from being pulled off.{{cite web | website=VDiff Climbing | url=https://www.vdiffclimbing.com/simul-climbing/ | title=Safe Simul-Climbing | date=2024 | accessdate=8 July 2024 | first=Neil | last=Chiltern}} While PCDs can control the consequences of a fall, no manufacturer of PCDs recommends their use for simul-climbing, and the falls from simul-climbing can place greater forces and stresses on the rope and/or the PCD than they were made to handle.{{cite book | title=The Science of Climbing and Mountaineering | publisher=Routledge | edition=1st | date=2016 | isbn=978-1138927582 | first1=Ludovic|last1=Seifert | first2=Peter|last2=Wolf | first3=Andreas | last3=Schweizer | chapter=Chapter 18: Simul-climbing progression and falls analysis}} The second climber will also use an assisted braking device as a belay device which will auto-lock in the event of a leader fall.{{cite book | title=Advanced Rock Climbing: Expert Skills and Techniques | first=Topher | last=Donoghue | date=December 2016 | publisher=Mountaineers Books | edition=1st | page=218 | isbn=978-1680510126}}

Simul-climbing is most commonly used by experienced alpinists on very long alpine climbing routes so they can move quickly on terrain that both climbers are very comfortable with, but which is sufficiently exposed to require protection.{{cite web | magazine=Climbing | url=https://www.climbing.com/skills/how-to-alpine-climb/ | first=Julie | last=Elison | date=4 July 2022 | accessdate=8 July 2024 | title=Techniques for Alpine Climbing}}{{cite web | website=British Mountaineering Council | date=7 May 2002 | first=Rich | last=Cross | accessdate=8 July 2024 | title=French style: moving quickly in the Alps | url=https://www.thebmc.co.uk/french-style}} Examples are long sharp alpine ridges or aretes or easier-angled rock slabs and couloirs (see images).{{cite web | website=The Mountaineers | url=https://www.mountaineers.org/blog/simul-climbing-pros-and-cons-for-an-advanced-skill | first=Steve | last=Smith | date=9 April 2018 | title=SIMUL-CLIMBING: PROS AND CONS FOR AN ADVANCED SKILL | accessdate=8 July 2024}} Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell considered their ability to simul-climb grade 5.10 rock climbing routes as critical to their award winning traverse of Cerro Chaltén Group in 2014.{{cite web | magazine=National Geographic | url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/top-mountaineering-awards-announced-including-tommy-caldwell-alex-honnold | title=Mountaineering's Top Award Winners Announced—Including Rock Climbers Caldwell, Honnold | first=Andrew | last=Bisharat | date=15 March 2015 | accessdate=8 July 2024}} Simul-climbing has also been used in setting speed climbing records on big wall climbing routes such as on The Nose on El Capitan.{{cite web | magazine=Climbing | url=https://www.climbing.com/news/the-highs-and-lows-of-el-cap-speed-climbing/ | first=Julie | last=Elison | date=27 September 2018 | accessdate=8 July 2024 | title=The Highs and Lows of El Cap Speed: Are big-wall speed climbers pushing too far?}} Speed simul-climbers can reduce the climbing time by three quarters by using fewer points of climbing protection (known as "running-out"), but this has led to fatalities,{{cite web | newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle | url=https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/witness-describes-death-plunge-of-two-yosemite-climbers/ | first=Peter | last=Fimrite | title=Witness describes death plunge of two Yosemite climbers | date=10 June 2018 | accessdate=8 July 2024}} and concerns about the danger of the technique. A safer alternative to simul-climbing for steep big wall routes is the technique of short-fixing, where the leader effectively sets up a fixed rope for the second climber to ascend while the leader simultaneously continues up the next pitch using a rope solo climbing technique.