Belay and self-insurance in mountaineering. Some nuances and typical mistakes

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Imagine Slavik. He went to the mountains with friends and, well, it happens that he broke his leg. We've come far, so getting out on our own is not an option. They uncovered the satellite phone and called a helicopter, which took Slavik to the hospital. There they collected his broken bone, put him in a plaster cast and billed him. The treatment cost $1,000, and the helicopter's flight costs were $3,000. The prudent Slavik insured his health, so it is not he who will pay, but the insurance company.

Helicopter over Komsomolsky pass. Photo by Taras Moiseev

How not to pay for treatment and rescue work

Slavik took out insurance so as not to pay for the work of rescuers and doctors if an insured event occurs, as the companies call it. The insurance company will pay instead.

When you agree with the insurance company, they will give you a policy - a document that indicates your first and last name, how much you are insured for and where to call if anything happens. An application will be given along with the policy. It contains the terms of insurance, how much they will pay if you break a finger or arm (more per arm), under what conditions they will not pay for treatment, and what to do if you get into trouble.

People take out insurance when they think something might happen or just in case.

Insurance policy of the Kazakhstan company NSK

How to get insurance and what to pay attention to

Insurance can be obtained at the office of the insurance company or via the Internet. I'm lazy and would do it via the Internet, it's faster and more convenient. It’s easy to get insurance - on the insurance company’s website, indicate when and where you will go, how old you are and a few more details. Let's talk about the details.

Regular insurance covers the usual risks: bad teeth, injuries in the city and illnesses. Mountaineering is a different story. Here you can get hit on the head with a stone, so insurance costs more. When purchasing insurance, consider:

The contract must indicate “mountaineering” or “sport” with a link to the transcript in the appendix, and then “mountaineering”. Such insurance is more expensive, but without “mountaineering” they will not pay for treatment
The amount that the company is willing to spend on you if necessary (insurance coverage) must be at least $30,000
How an assistance company works with climbers. For example, GVA (Global Voyager Assistance) consistently receives poor reviews for its performance in the mountains. I’ll tell you about the assistance below.
Get home insurance. If you do something during your trip and something happens to you, the insurance company may issue a bill.
A policy purchased online works the same as one purchased in the office

Unclear terms in the insurance contract

There are few of them, but to figure it out, you need to carefully read the conditions under which the insurance company will pay for your treatment. I wrote it simpler.

Assistance company
Assistance organizes the work of rescuers, transportation to the hospital and treatment.

When everything went according to plan
While Slavik was chewing painkillers, his friends called the insurance company. The number is indicated on the insurance policy. The insurance company contacted assistance. He raised rescuers, found a helicopter and made an agreement with a good hospital. Slavik's leg was repaired for free and he returned home. Now he walks around happy and recommends the insurance company to his friends.

When the assistance didn't work well
Slavik had to pay for the helicopter and the hospital bill. It’s good that his friends transferred him the required amount. At home, the insurance company reimbursed the expenses that Slavik confirmed with receipts from the hospital. Without the checks, Slavik would have been left with a cast and debts. In order not to urgently look for several thousand dollars, read reviews about the assistance that your insurance company works with.

What is the difference between Medical Expenses and Accident?
Medical expenses- the cost of treatment and transportation (if specified in the policy).
Accident- how much the insurance company will pay if something breaks. There is a subtle point here. They will not pay the entire amount, but a percentage of it. For example, if accident coverage is $10,000 and you break a jaw or a rib, get 3% = $300. And for a dislocated shoulder or broken ankle - 5%, that is, $500. Read the appendix to the policy, it says how much they pay for each injury.

Franchise
Franchise is the amount you are willing to pay yourself. For example, the contract specifies a deductible of $50, but you were billed $120. It turns out that you will pay 50, and the remaining 70 will be paid by the insurance company. The franchise amount can be fixed, as in our example, or as a percentage of the amount for which you are insured.

Franchise can be conditional or unconditional.
Unconditional- the insurance company will pay the cost of treatment, but will deduct the amount of the deductible. It's like the example above.
Conditional- the insurance company will pay for treatment if its cost is more than the deductible and will not pay if it is less. For example, a hospital bills $150, but the deductible is $100. In this case, the company will pay for the treatment. If the hospital bills you for $80, pay it yourself.

The material was found and prepared for publication by Grigory Luchansky

Source:Antonovich I. (author and artist). Belay techniques in the mountains.A guide for beginning climbers. Part 1.Physical education and sports, 1951

One of the main means of ensuring the safety of movement of climbers in the mountains is insurance. The belay technique consists mainly of various methods of using the rope.

In the mountains on simple routes, the following equipment is required to ensure insurance: 1) main rope - 20-30 m; 2) cord - 3.8-4 m; 3) a loop of cord (a piece of cord 1.4-1.5 m long, spliced into a loop); 4) climbing belt; 5) rock and ice hooks; 6) carbines; 7) hammer; 8) ice ax; 9) canvas mittens.

For insurance in the mountains, climbers tie together with a rope in “bundles” of 2-3 people at a distance of 8 to 20 m from each other, depending on the complexity of the route. Belaying with a rope must begin when, when moving along a slope, there is no confidence that in the event of loss of balance and a fall, you will be able to stop yourself. On a glacier, climbers are tied up already when they pass between cracks, especially if these cracks are covered with snow.

Insurance can be alternating or simultaneous. It is carried out through the climber’s body (shoulder, lower back), through supports (ledge, hook, ice ax) and in combination (through the body and supports).

When insuring, the position of the insured in relation to the insured is of primary importance. Depending on this, insurance can be carried out from top to bottom, bottom to top or to the side.

For belaying from top to bottom, you can use any technique, since the jerk in the event of a fall will be insignificant.

When belaying is carried out from the bottom up, where there can be very strong jerks, not all techniques can be equally applicable:

a) belay through an ice ax and belay over the shoulder can only be used on slopes whose steepness does not exceed 40°;

b) belaying through the lower back cannot be used at all, since it requires 1-1.5 m of rope etching per 1 m of fall;

c) of course, the following may be applicable: 1) belay over the shoulder and ledge; 2) belay over the shoulder and hook; 3) hand belay through a ledge (when the ledge is covered with a rope within a range of up to 180°).

The essence of the insurance is that if one climber falls, the other must hold him back with a rope from further falling. In order to delay the fall, the belayer must, at the moment of the jerk, thread a certain amount of rope over the shoulder, ledge, etc.

Etching the rope during a jerk is necessary so that, as a result of the friction created by the rope on the shoulder, ledge, carabiner or ice ax, it is possible to relatively smoothly stop the further fall of the fallen climber (if the rope is tied tightly to the ledge or hook, then a fall from a height of 1 -2 m for the rope to break).

The rate of etching of the rope by the belayer is on average about 50 cm per 1 m of the fall of the belayer. For example, the besieged is 3 m above the ledge through which the rope passes. In the event of a fall, the belayer flies 6 m until the rope is tensioned. In this case, the belayer must thread 3 m of the rope.

To avoid burning your hands when etching the rope, you need to put on mittens before starting the belay.

When belaying through a support, you need to keep your hands further away from it, otherwise during a jerk you can damage your hand on the support.

The part of the rope intended for pickling, when belaying on rocks, should be neatly folded at the feet of the belayer, and when belaying on ice and snow, it can be lowered down the slope.

It should be noted that skillful etching of a rope and, in general, holding a falling person can only be achieved through long-term practical training in educational conditions on holding a “chock” or stuffed animal weighing 40-60 kg dropped from a ledge or slope. If the rope is handled ineptly, it will interfere with the climber, get tangled in his legs, restrict his hands, cling to rocks, etc. and can turn from a means of ensuring safety into the cause of an accident.

When the belayer is in an insufficiently stable position (for example, the size of the platform is small) and in the event of a jerk he may lose stability and fall, then before starting the belay, he must organize a self-belay for himself on a ledge or hook (Fig. 16, 20, 21). The lanyard loop must be attached to a ledge or hook located on the side opposite to the direction of the expected jerk, and this ledge or hook should be located as high as possible above shoulder level. The cord should not be tense; it should have a slack of 60-80 cm. It should be borne in mind that a protrusion that cannot be used for belaying can often be successfully used for self-belaying (Fig. 20).

For self-insurance purposes, climbers are attached to the railing with a gripping knot or carabiner (Fig. 26, 27). When rappelling, self-belaying with a gripping knot is also used (Fig. 32, 33).

When working with rope you have to use various knots. However, in mountaineering they use a very limited number of knots. The knots must, of course, be strong and under no circumstances unravel themselves; at the same time, it is necessary that each knot can be untied without much difficulty (it should be remembered that knots reduce the strength of the rope by 45-65%). Beginning climbers only need to know 6 knots: three knots for tying the ends of ropes (straight, weaving and academic); two knots for the chest harness (guide and bowline) and one knot for self-belaying, climbing a rope, etc. (grabbing knot).

The chest harness should fit snugly around your chest, but not squeeze it when you inhale. After the knot is tied, you need to straighten it thoroughly and only then tighten it. It is recommended to secure the short ends coming out of the knot with control knots (Fig. 1, 2, 3). You can learn to tie each knot quickly and accurately (even in the dark).

A novice climber going to the mountains must remember that insuring means protecting the life of a comrade associated with him and being responsible for him.

1. The knot is straight.Used for tying ends of rope of equal thickness.

2. Weaving knot.It is used for tying the ends of ropes of both the same and different thicknesses. After two separate knots are tied (A, B), they need to be moved together into one knot by pulling the long ends (B, D). When untying a knot, you first need to push it apart by pulling the short ends (D, E).

3. Academic node. Used for tying ends of ropes of different thicknesses (A B C D).

4. Bowline knot.Used for chest harness only at the ends of the rope. Ties directly to the chest (A B C,G).

5. Conductor node. It is used for chest harness both at the ends and in the middle of the rope. Tie a knot on the rope folded in a loop without tightening it, put the loop with the knot on your chest and only then tighten the knot.

6. Suspenders.To prevent the chest harness from slipping onto your lower back, it must be secured to the chest with cord suspenders. ends of suspenders (A) tie with a straight knot.

7. Separate chest harness made of cord. It is tied on the chest with a loop of cord 3.8-4 m long. The main rope is fastened to the chest harness with a carabiner (A), railings, loop with a catching knot, etc.

8. Grasping knot. Used for self-belaying, rope climbing and other purposes. Tied on the main rope from a loop of cord 1.4-1.5 m long (A B C). Unlike other knots, the gripping knot slides freely along the main rope when moved by hand (G), but if the knot is pulled by the cord, it tightens and firmly grabs the main rope (D).

9. Hammering a rock hook. If there are no platforms or ledges convenient for belaying on the rocks, you need to belay using a hook. The hook must be driven into the crack of the rock with strong blows of the hammer so that by the time the hook ring hits the rock, it fits into the crack very tightly.

10. Removing the rock hook. After using the belay hook, it must be removed from the rock. To do this, you first need to swing the hook with hammer blows along the crack (A), then, driving another hook (like a wedge) between the rock and the ring of the hook being removed, pull it out a little from the crack (B). Then these actions are repeated again until the hook is removed from the rock.

11. Hammering the ice hook. On steep icy slopes, when belaying from below, you can only hold someone who has fallen off by using hooks. Before driving the hook, you need to clear the loose surface layer of ice with an ice ax (A) or cut a step in the ice (B). On sunlit slopes, to prevent the hook from melting, it must be covered with ice fragments (B).

12. Removing the ice hook. First you need to cut out the ice around the hook (A), then hit the hook with a hammer to move it from its place (since the hook freezes to the ice) and, finally, use the beak of an ice ax to remove the hook from the slope (B).

13. Connecting the rope to the hook using a carabiner. You need to thread the carabiner into the hook ring (A) and rotate it 180° in the ring (B), after that, insert the rope into the carabiner and check whether the lock latches well (IN).

14. Hook location diagram. If you have to hammer in more than two hooks, then they need to be placed in a straight line (A) or in an arc with an upward bend (B), otherwise the rope may become wedged under the hook ring. When moving on ice in a zigzag, the hooks should only be driven in on one side of the zigzag. (IN).

15-16. Belay through the ledge. Having checked whether there are any sharp corners on the ledge (if there are any, you need to blunt them with a hammer) or narrow cracks in which the rope can get jammed, you need to lay the rope behind the ledge, stand facing or sideways to it and belay. Through a ledge of high friction (with an angle of coverage of the ledge by the rope of about 180°), you need to belay by holding the rope with your hands on both sides of the ledge (Fig. 15). On a medium-friction ledge (with a rope grip angle of about 90°), you need to hold the rope with both hands on one side of the ledge (Fig. 16).

Self-insurance. A loop tied to the main rope is thrown over the ledge.

17. Insurance through the lower back. Insurance is carried out in a sitting position. Spread your legs straight at the knees by 50-90 cm and rest your feet on the rock. The rope in front should not extend beyond the spread legs, and in the back it should lie on the lower back.

18. Over-the-shoulder insurance. On a platform convenient for belaying, you need to stand sideways in the direction of the intended jerk, tilting your torso in the opposite direction. The foot of the straight, supporting leg should be turned with the toe in the direction of the jerk. You need to stand so that the rope additionally bends over the ledge (edge of the platform). It should be taken into account that the greater the bend angle of the rope, the easier the jerk will be.

19. Belay over the shoulder and ledge. To belay, you need to stand in the “over-the-shoulder belay” position, turning your side to the ledge. When jerking to the side, it is important that the foot rests as high as possible.

20. Belay over the shoulder and hook on rocksIf there is no ledge suitable for belaying, you need to hammer in a hook (A) into the rock and belay through both the lecho and the hook.

Self-insurance . Ledge (B) has a gap and is therefore unsuitable for belaying. However, it can be used for self-insurance. A loop of cord with a gripping knot attached to the main rope is thrown over the ledge.

21. Shoulder belay and hook on ice. To belay on an icy slope, you need to cut out two comfortable steps for your feet and hammer in a belay hook. (A). If the slope is very steep, you need to hammer in another hook for self-belaying (B).

Self-insurance . The hook and chest harness are connected by a loop of cord.

22. Belay over the shoulder in the snow. On On a slope with shallow snow cover, it is impossible to organize insurance using an ice ax. You need to belay over your shoulder, having first trampled a good platform for your feet.

23-24. Insurancethrough an ice ax in the snow. To belay, you need to plunge the ice ax into the dense snow almost to the head, stand below it and belay, holding the rope with both hands on one side of the ice ax (Fig. 23). If the snow is not dense enough, you should first trample it well and stick an ice ax into the dense lump that has formed. You need to belay standing above the ice ax (Fig. 24), holding the ice ax by the head with one hand, and the rope with the other, having previously wrapped it once (but no more) around the shaft.

25. Simultaneous insurance.It is used when moving the entire “bundle” along a glacier, gentle slopes, wide ridges, etc. When moving with the use of simultaneous insurance, you need to be especially careful and not lose sight of each other for a minute, so that if one falls, the others can instantly take the necessary (depending on the conditions) positions and take the necessary actions to hold the fallen one. When moving along rocky slopes and ridges, the person walking in front lays the rope behind the ledges.

26. Vertical railings. When passing a route with a large group of climbers, it is necessary to hang rope railings in dangerous places for insurance. Moving along the vertical railings, secure yourself a lanyard with a gripping knot on a short loop of cord ( A).

27. Horizontal railings. They are used for mass crossings of rivers, crossing dangerous slopes, etc. You need to fasten yourself to the horizontal railings using a waist or chest harness with a carabiner. Only one person at a time should move between two points where the railings are secured, otherwise those walking will knock each other over with the railings.

28-29. Self-arrest. As soon as the insured person realizes that he is standing very unsteadily or begins to lose his balance, he must warn his friend about this. In the event of a breakdown, he is obliged to immediately take measures for self-restraint, trying to stop or slow down the sliding and thereby make it easier for his comrade to carry out the belay. To carry out self-arrest, you need to cling to all the ledges on the rocks; on ice and snow, turn on your stomach and brake. On ice you should brake with the beak of an ice ax, raising your legs with crampons (Fig. 28), on snow with the tip of an ice ax and the toes of your boots (Fig. 29).

30-31. Preparationto rappelling. Descending steep and vertical sections is difficult and dangerous. In such sections it is necessary to descend using a rope. To do this, the middle part of the rope is thrown onto a smooth ledge (A) and both ends of it go down the slope. If the ledge is not smooth and the rope can jam on it, then you need to throw a loop from a piece of cord onto the ledge and thread the rope into it to lower it (B, C). If there is no ledge suitable for lowering, a hook is used (G). To descend on ice, you must hammer in a hook (D) or carve a drop-shaped column in the ice (E). After descending, you need to pull the rope out at one end.

32-33. Rope descent. You can go down short slopes with a steepness of up to 65° by grabbing the rope with your hands and stepping with your feet along the slope (Fig. 32). You need to go down steep and vertical sections while sitting on the main rope, attached to it with a gripping knot (Fig. 33, A ), and for deep descents and a carabiner (B)- to reduce the load on the left hand. Adjust the descent with your right hand and, as you descend, move the gripping unit down with your left hand.

The safety chain consists of: a belayer, a belayer's self-belay, a belay station, a belay device, intermediate belay points, a belay system, carabiners and a rope that connects it all.

The main rule when choosing equipment for organizing a safety chain is to use equipment that is manufactured, tested and certified specifically for the task.

That's why is strictly prohibited use a static rope for bottom belay and Not recommended use tape mustaches for self-belaying and daisy chain type self-belaying for aids. But even the use of certified equipment does not provide guarantees - the use of equipment with errors or the use of erroneous techniques is also very dangerous.

Let's consider the forces that act on different elements of the safety chain during a fall.

Attention! In all calculations, we assume the weight of the person who has fallen is 80 kg, but we must remember that if the weight of the person who has fallen is greater than 80 kg, the efforts will increase significantly. For example, if the jerk with a fall weight of 80 kg and a jerk factor of 1.7 (this is the standard for testing according to the UIAA) is 8.3 kN, then with a fall weight of 114 kg and similar other conditions, the jerk will be 11.1 kN, which is very close to the established The UIAA safety limit for a breakaway is 12 kN. And the main thing is that in this case, a force of more than 18 kN will be applied to the intermediate belay point, which is far beyond the strength limit for any belay equipment except stationary (bolt) hooks. Therefore, you should pay the most serious attention to the weight of the leader, and give yourself a truthful answer - how much you weigh with all your clothes, backpack, equipment, bivouac, etc. Your safety directly depends on this answer. By assessing the weight of the person who has fallen off, you can estimate the maximum jerk factor, a fall with which will not injure the person who has fallen off and will not lead to the destruction of the safety chain.

This force affects the person who has fallen through safety system, the strength of which is according to standards UIAA is at least 15 kN, which is quite sufficient and gives an almost double safety margin. (Discussion of using only lower or full belay systems is beyond the scope of this article; the pros and cons of each option have been discussed many times, and each climber makes the choice for himself depending on the route and situation. UIAA recommends using a lower safety system - a gazebo.)

Safety rope. Today this is one of the most reliable parts of the safety chain; modern standards do not even stipulate its strength; the strength of the maximum jerk is a much more important factor. All modern ropes guarantee a load on the person who has fallen off, with a load weight of 80 kg and a jerk factor of 1.77, no more than 9 kN, which leaves a reserve for the aging of the rope, its getting wet, etc., in any conditions the jerk will not exceed the established one UIAA safety limit of 12 kN. According to independent tests, the strength of modern static and dynamic ropes is at least 15 kN with a figure eight knot. Which again gives an almost double safety margin. When using ropes like Half(double, half) or Twin(double) also increases the reliability of the safety chain from breaking the rope with stones or from breaking on a sharp edge. Strength and dynamic characteristics of Half and Twin are not inferior to the characteristics of single ropes.

Forces acting on the intermediate belay point.

According to the law of addition of forces, a force equal to 1.66 times the force that acts on the person who has fallen acts on the upper intermediate point of the belay. The coefficient of 1.66 arises due to the fact that part of the jerk force is spent on overcoming the friction force in the carbine; if there were no friction force, then a force equal to double the jerk force would act on the point. This factor makes the upper intermediate point the most loaded and, accordingly, the weakest link in the safety chain. Look at your equipment, you do not have any of the devices for organizing intermediate belay points (with the exception of ice screws) that can withstand a jerk of 15 kN, which occurs at the intermediate point with a jerk force of 9 kN. And these are only the passport characteristics of the equipment, which do not take into account the fragility of the rock and errors when installing equipment on the terrain.

Climbing carabiners, loops and quickdraws withstand a load of at least 22 kN, which is sufficient for use anywhere in the safety chain. Attention! Despite the fact that loops and guys have the necessary safety margin, it should be remembered that their dynamic characteristics differ little from those of a steel cable. This is especially noticeable on short guy ropes, the main length of which is made up of stitching in three layers of tape and safety stations, in which the loops are used folded 2, 4 or even 6 times. An increase in the number of simultaneously loaded branches leads to a significant decrease in the dynamic characteristics of the loop. Safety device. Standard for belay/belay devices UIAA introduced only in 2012; devices released before that time were tested only by the manufacturer. Independent tests have shown that a regular “eight” can withstand a load of more than 30 kN; devices such as the reverse and Sticht washer also have the necessary safety margin. To date UIAA recommends for mountaineering devices based on the Sticht Washer principle (glass, basket, reverse, ATX-XP, ATX-XP Guide etc.), devices of the “eight” type are considered “old school” devices in the catalogs of many companies.

Reverso-type belaying/descending devices have a set of undeniable advantages compared to “eights” - they do not twist the rope, allow you to work normally with a double rope on the descent and when belaying, allow you to organize automatic fixation of the rope when belaying the second one, make it possible to organize safe and comfortable climbing in three and much more. On the contrary, in the practice of using “eights” in Russia, a very dangerous stereotype has developed - the figure-eight rope is threaded through a carabiner, and not through the “neck” of the device.

The second common mistake is to clip the belay/belay device into two loops on the harness. Manufacturers of equipment clearly indicate the only correct method - attaching it to a power loop. When using the first method, the belay/belay device is incorrectly oriented in space and the load is regularly applied to the carabiner coupling. In both cases, working with the devices becomes more difficult and the danger increases.

Important! Tying to the safety rope is done through TWO loops. The belay device is attached to the power loop. Also very dangerous is the widespread method of intercepting the rope when belaying.

The right way.

The belayer’s ability to hold the leader during a fall will increase if he assesses in advance the direction of the jerk, the possibility of his contact with the terrain during the jerk, and takes measures to reduce the likelihood of impacts. One of the simplest methods is to choose the correct position - with emphasis on the terrain, and change the safety hand so that when you hit the terrain, the hand controlling the rope is not injured or pinched.

Safety station. The main quality of a belay station is its reliability - the ability to withstand a jerk of the maximum possible force. This characteristic is achieved by distributing the load over several insurance points and the presence of duplication/safety - which ensure that the station performs its functions in the event of failure of one or more elements. Organizing stations at one point is possible only if it is an absolutely reliable point - a monolithic rock ledge, a reliable living tree, etc. Organizing a station at one stationary hook (bolt) is unacceptable!

Recommendations for organizing a belay station are set out in sufficient detail in the work “Organization of belay stations” in accordance with the recommendations thereof. Mountaineering Union DAV" and many other manuals. You can see here

For me, the recommendations for installing a belay device directly on a belay station with a lower belay look quite controversial. When belaying the second - top belay, attaching the belay device to the station in this way is indeed a very convenient and reliable method, especially when using reverse-type devices in the auto-locking mode. But the disadvantages of insuring the leader, in my opinion, outweigh the possible advantages.

The safety chain consists of: a belayer, a belayer's self-belay, a belay station, a belay device, intermediate belay points, a belay system, carabiners and a rope that connects it all. The main rule when choosing equipment for organizing a safety chain is to use equipment that is manufactured, tested and certified specifically for the task. That's why is strictly prohibited use a static rope for bottom belay and Not recommended use tape mustaches for self-belaying and daisy chain type self-belaying for aids.
But even the use of certified equipment does not provide guarantees - the use of equipment with errors or the use of erroneous techniques is also very dangerous. Let's consider the forces that act on different elements of the safety chain during a fall. Attention!
In all calculations, we assume the weight of the person who has fallen is 80 kg, but we must remember that if the weight of the person who has fallen is greater than 80 kg, the efforts will increase significantly. For example, if the jerk with a fall weight of 80 kg and a jerk factor of 1.7 (this is the standard for testing according to the UIAA) is 8.3 kN, then with a fall weight of 114 kg and similar other conditions, the jerk will be 11.1 kN, which is very close to the established The UIAA safety limit for a breakaway is 12 kN. And the main thing is that in this case, a force of more than 18 kN will be applied to the intermediate belay point, which is far beyond the strength limit for any belay equipment except stationary (bolt) hooks.
Therefore, you should pay the most serious attention to the weight of the leader, and give yourself a truthful answer - how much you weigh with all your clothes, backpack, equipment, bivouac, etc. Your safety directly depends on this answer. By assessing the weight of the person who has fallen off, you can estimate the maximum jerk factor, a fall with which will not injure the person who has fallen off and will not lead to the destruction of the safety chain.

According to safety standards UIAA The jerk force on the person who has fallen under any conditions should not exceed 12 kN; almost all modern ropes guarantee (for a new and dry rope) that this force will not exceed 9 kN. It should be remembered that the force of the jerk on the person who has fallen depends on his weight, the jerk factor and the quality of the rope (its stretchability) and DOES NOT DEPEND from the depth of the fall. A lot has been written on this topic - you can look at the calculations or. This force affects the person who has fallen through safety system, the strength of which is according to standards UIAA is at least 15 kN, which is quite sufficient and gives an almost double safety margin. (Discussion of using only lower or full belay systems is beyond the scope of this article; the pros and cons of each option have been discussed many times, and each climber makes the choice for himself depending on the route and situation. UIAA recommends using a lower safety system - a gazebo.)

A situation in which the carabiner turns around during a jerk, and the force is applied to the carabiner across the long axis, will most likely lead to the destruction of the carabiner, rupture of the safety chain and loss of insurance. A conventional carabiner can withstand, when a load is applied across the long axis, from 7 to 9 kN, which does not leave any margin of safety during a heavy jerk. The practice of attaching to a safety rope with a carabiner is especially dangerous precisely where it has become widespread - on simple routes among novice climbers and among mountain tourists. Both often use static or just old ropes (despite the fact that this is unacceptable) and hike and climb with heavy backpacks. The classic excuse is “the route is simple - there’s nowhere to fall,” but using an old or static rope, when falling 1-2 meters with a jerk factor of 1, the jerk force can significantly exceed the strength of the carabiner. Safety rope.
Today this is one of the most reliable parts of the safety chain; modern standards do not even stipulate its strength; the strength of the maximum jerk is a much more important factor. All modern ropes guarantee a load on the person who has fallen off, with a load weight of 80 kg and a jerk factor of 1.77, no more than 9 kN, which leaves a reserve for the aging of the rope, its getting wet, etc., in any conditions the jerk will not exceed the established one UIAA safety limit of 12 kN. According to independent tests, the strength of modern static and dynamic ropes is at least 15 kN with a figure eight knot. Which again gives an almost double safety margin. When using ropes like Half(double, half) or Twin(double) also increases the reliability of the safety chain from breaking the rope with stones or from breaking on a sharp edge. Strength and dynamic characteristics of Half and Twin are not inferior to the characteristics of single ropes. Forces acting on the intermediate belay point.

According to the law of addition of forces, a force equal to 1.66 times the force that acts on the person who has fallen acts on the upper intermediate point of the belay. The coefficient of 1.66 arises due to the fact that part of the jerk force is spent on overcoming the friction force in the carbine; if there were no friction force, then a force equal to double the jerk force would act on the point.
This factor makes the upper intermediate point the most loaded and, accordingly, the weakest link in the safety chain. Look at your equipment, you do not have any of the devices for organizing intermediate belay points (with the exception of ice screws) that can withstand a jerk of 15 kN, which occurs at the intermediate point with a jerk force of 9 kN. And these are only the passport characteristics of the equipment, which do not take into account the fragility of the rock and errors when installing equipment on the terrain.

It should also be remembered that the practical factor of the jerk is often higher than the theoretical one - the friction of the rope on the terrain, friction in the carabiners reduce the ability of the rope to absorb the energy of a fall.
Based on this knowledge, failures with a jerk factor > 1 are possible only when using stationary (bolt) hooks, the strength of which is in the range from 18 to 22 kN, as intermediate belay points. Climbing carabiners, loops and quickdraws withstand a load of at least 22 kN, which is sufficient for use anywhere in the safety chain.
Attention!
Despite the fact that loops and guys have the necessary safety margin, it should be remembered that their dynamic characteristics differ little from those of a steel cable. This is especially noticeable on short guy ropes, the main length of which is made up of stitching in three layers of tape and safety stations, in which the loops are used folded 2, 4 or even 6 times. An increase in the number of simultaneously loaded branches leads to a significant decrease in the dynamic characteristics of the loop. Safety device.
Standard for belay/belay devices UIAA introduced only in 2012; devices released before that time were tested only by the manufacturer. Independent tests have shown that a regular “eight” can withstand a load of more than 30 kN; devices such as the reverse and Sticht washer also have the necessary safety margin. To date UIAA recommends for mountaineering devices based on the Sticht Washer principle (glass, basket, reverse, ATX-XP, ATX-XP Guide etc.), devices of the “eight” type are considered “old school” devices in the catalogs of many companies.

Reverso-type belaying/descending devices have a set of undeniable advantages compared to “eights” - they do not twist the rope, allow you to work normally with a double rope on the descent and when belaying, allow you to organize automatic fixation of the rope when belaying the second one, make it possible to organize safe and comfortable climbing in three and much more.
On the contrary, in the practice of using “eights” in Russia, a very dangerous stereotype has developed - the figure-eight rope is threaded through a carabiner, and not through the “neck” of the device.

This use case is only suitable for static and “oak” ropes of unknown origin, which can only be used for top ropes and handrails. When belaying with a modern “soft” dynamic rope, this type of use leads to belaying “through a carabiner,” which is absolutely unacceptable, since it does not provide the necessary level of rope braking and, accordingly, is not safe. The second common mistake is to clip the belay/belay device into two loops on the harness. Manufacturers of equipment clearly indicate the only correct method - attaching it to a power loop. When using the first method, the belay/belay device is incorrectly oriented in space and the load is regularly applied to the carabiner coupling. In both cases, working with the devices becomes more difficult and the danger increases. Important! Tying to the safety rope is done through TWO loops. The belay device is attached to the power loop. Also very dangerous is the widespread method of intercepting the rope when belaying.

When using this method, the belayer's hands intercept the rope, grabbing two ropes at the same time - above the belay device. With this method, a moment appears when the rope is held with one hand in the wrong position; in fact, belaying occurs with one hand through a carabiner. This method of insurance is absolutely unacceptable!

A common mistake is that the belayer moves far from the route when using the bottom belay; if the leader falls off, this will lead to the belayer being pulled back, dragged towards the rock, hit, and possibly losing the belay. To avoid this, especially at the beginning of a climb when a fall with a high jerk factor is possible, the belayer should be under the route so that the jerk hits him in the UP direction. The belayer’s ability to hold the leader during a fall will increase if he assesses in advance the direction of the jerk, the possibility of his contact with the terrain during the jerk, and takes measures to reduce the likelihood of impacts. One of the simplest methods is to choose the correct position - with emphasis on the terrain, and change the safety hand so that when you hit the terrain, the hand controlling the rope is not injured or pinched. Safety station.
The main quality of a belay station is its reliability - the ability to withstand a jerk of the maximum possible force. This characteristic is achieved by distributing the load over several insurance points and the presence of duplication/safety - which ensure that the station performs its functions in the event of failure of one or more elements. Organizing stations at one point is possible only if it is an absolutely reliable point - a monolithic rocky ledge, a reliable living tree, etc.
Organizing the station on one stationary hook (bolt) is unacceptable! Recommendations for organizing a belay station are set out in sufficient detail in the work “Organization of belay stations” in accordance with the recommendations thereof. Mountaineering Union DAV" and many other manuals. You can see

Let's consider several situations with different methods of securing a belay device.

Situation 1.
The leader falls and hangs on the rope, which passes through the intermediate belay point. The belay device is fixed to the station. In this case, a force equal to 0.66 of the force on the person who has fallen (up to 6 kN) acts on the safety device and, if it is attached to the station, then on the station in the UP direction. Usually a leader, when organizing a station, expects it to apply a load in the opposite direction - DOWN, which is understandable - he needs to organize self-insurance, insure the second and the worst case for which the station is designed is a fall with a jerk factor of 2 directly onto the station (if there are intermediate points no, or they will not withstand), all these forces are directed DOWN. When such a station is loaded UP, with a high degree of probability, its destruction will occur under minor loads - the embedded elements are very sensitive to the direction of application of force, the same applies to stations on rock ledges and hooks. And if after this there is a failure of the intermediate point, then a complete loss of insurance is possible.

To avoid destruction of the station in such a situation, it is recommended to install an opposed guy wire on an additional belay point, which will have to absorb the upward jerk. But this is not always possible, and trusting just one point is not entirely reasonable. Following the principle of duplication and load distribution with this method of organizing the station, it is recommended that the belayer load the station downwards with his own weight through the lanyard. But on real terrain this is not always possible. Situation 2.

The leader falls and hangs on the rope, which passes through the intermediate belay point. The belay device is attached to the belayer. In this case, a force equal to 0.66 of the force on the person who has fallen (up to 6 kN) acts on the belay device and the belayer in the UP direction. As a rule, this leads to the belayer twitching - the friction of the rope in the carabiners and the friction of the rope on the terrain limit the jerk and the height of the twitch. With this tugging, the rope is etched and the jerk on the person who has fallen and on the upper intermediate point is reduced. Comparing situations 1 and 2, it is clear that while organizing a station with an opposed guy is much more labor-intensive and complex, we do not get a gain in the reliability of organizing insurance. Its only advantage is the elimination of the transfer of the jerk to the belayer, but the danger of this jerk can be reduced by choosing the right place for belay and the position of the belayer. Additional disadvantages include the limited mobility of the belayer - he must “hang on the station,” which significantly limits his visibility and makes it difficult to organize work with the rope. Situation 3.

The leader falls and hangs on a rope that does NOT pass through the intermediate belay point. The belay device is fixed to the station. In this case, a force equal to the jerk force on the person who has fallen (up to 9 kN) acts on the belay device and the station. This is one of the most difficult and dangerous scenarios - a jerk with a force of up to 9 kN occurs at the belay station, the possibility of reducing the jerk force exists only if the belayer can etch the rope. Unfortunately, research and experience show that in such a situation the belayer, as a rule, tightly clamps the rope and is unable to use rope etching. Situation 4.

The leader falls and hangs on a rope that does NOT pass through the intermediate belay point. The belay device is attached to the belayer. The rope passes through the station to the belay device. In this case, the station will be subject to a force equal to 1.66 times the jerk force on the person who has fallen (up to 15 kN), on the belay device and on the belayer up to 6 kN. This is also a very difficult and dangerous scenario, but the belay station must withstand such a jerk, and the tugging of the belayer and the resulting release of the rope will lead to a significant reduction in the force of the jerk on the person who has fallen, the station and the belayer. Considering situations 3 and 4, it is clear that with both options for organizing the station, the situation is very dangerous. There are some advantages to attaching a belay device to the station, but this situation should not be allowed to happen. So, there are no significant gains with such a station organization. All the disadvantages of such a solution, on the contrary, remain. The organization of a guiding point is the first intermediate belay point after the station. Seeing the severity of the consequences when the leader falls in situations 3 and 4, it becomes clear that one should by all means avoid the leader falling off at the very beginning of the movement from the station and his falling below the station, which can lead to a jerk with factor 2.
The main way to avoid such a development of events is to install the first intermediate belay point in the immediate vicinity of the station. If there is such a possibility, the leader sets this point without yet unfastening the lanyard or without releasing the station loop from his hands. There is also a tactical move for safely organizing the first intermediate point.

The leader, having received information from the belayer about a small remainder of the rope, chooses a convenient place to organize a station, but sees that it is not possible to organize a belay point higher up near the station. In this situation, he climbs out above the place where he plans to set up a station, organizes an intermediate point, snaps a rope into it and descends to the station site. Thus, at the beginning of the movement on the next segment, the first intermediate belay point will already be organized. And after the leader has climbed more than half the rope (approaching the station), a fall with a jerk factor greater than 1 is unlikely.

In a situation where it is impossible to organize a guide goggle, and a section of difficult climbing begins above the belay station with a high probability of failure, you can use the following method. The belayer, with the help of the leader, descends several meters from the station; the depth of descent is chosen approximately equal to the distance from the station to the place where the first intermediate belay point can be installed. In this case, the jerk factor that will occur at the station will not exceed 1, which, taking into account the etching of the rope from the belayer’s tugging, will reduce the load on the person who has fallen and the station to acceptable values. A common and very dangerous mistake when organizing a guide point is to snap the rope, using a guy rope, into one of the points that make up the station.

Firstly this does not lead to a significant reduction in the jerk factor and the force on the person who breaks loose. When the leader exits 5 meters above the guide point and the distance is 0.5 meters from the guide point to the belay device, the calculated jerk factor will decrease by only 10 from 2 to 1.8. Secondly, as we have already discussed above, when the leader falls off, a force 1.66 times greater will act on this point than on the one who fell off, which can lead to its destruction, and the destruction of one of the points of the station can lead to cascading destruction of the entire safety station .
With such a jerk, the load on the point will exceed 15 kN; no standard climbing equipment for organizing belay points on rocky terrain can withstand such loads. The use of this method can be justified only when organizing a station on stationary bolts, to eliminate friction of the ropes at the station and to slightly reduce the jerk factor. Also in these figures, the first principle of organizing a safety station is violated - there is no load distribution over several points. When attaching a belay device to a station when belaying a second person or when belaying on a descent, the belay device is attached to the station as shown in the figure. With this method, the braking in the device is insufficient and in the event of a strong jerk or the need to hold for a long time, problems may arise. This method is almost similar to belaying with a carabiner. When using reverse-type devices in the auto-locking mode, belaying the second becomes very simple, the device automatically fixes the rope, the belayer only has to choose the rope. Tests of such devices in auto-locking mode have shown that they can withstand a load of only up to 6 kN without damaging the rope, which means that the rope must be selected carefully, avoiding sagging, in order to prevent a fall with a jerk factor other than 0. An additional note about stalling with a jerk factor of 0.

Let's imagine a situation - the second one is belayed through a belay device attached to the station, the rope is selected carefully and there is no slack, the second one breaks down. In this case, the station will be subject to a load equal to twice the weight of the person who fell off. And if the rope passes through the station and the belay device is attached to the belayer, then the weight of the person who fell off is multiplied by 3 - 3.3. When sagging forms and the jerk factor increases to 0.3, the forces can increase to 5-8 weights of the broken one (depending on the quality of the rope). Organization of self-insurance.
Self-belay when climbing in a pair. The leader and the belayer are tied to the rope and the self-belay is organized from the safety rope using a stirrup knot.

This option is simple, does not require additional equipment, allows you to organize a self-belay of the required length, etc. The safety rope has the necessary strength margin and is able to effectively absorb the shock, which ensures safety even in a fall with a high force factor > 1. Even the well-known feature of the stirrup knot “ crawling under a load of more than 4 kN in this case is a plus - the load during a fall on the lanyard will be additionally limited by etching the rope. Separate self-belaying when climbing in a pair is necessary only when descending by rope - “rappelling”.

Since during the descent it is not planned for climbers to go above the belay station and a fall with a high jerk factor is unlikely, then for self-belaying on a rappel it is allowed to use a self-belay tied from a standard loop 100 or 120 cm long. This creates a point for attaching the descending device 40-50 cm from the climber and a mustache for attaching the lanyard to a belay station with a length of 80 to 100 cm. But it should be remembered that a fall with a jerk factor > 1, even on a nylon sling, is very dangerous. The jerk force with a load weight of 80 kg and a jerk factor = 1 reaches 11 kN, and under the same conditions and using a sling made of Dyneema or Kevlar it will exceed 15 kN, which is deadly. Therefore the requirement UIAA when using self-insurance, it is categorically - . This is the only way to prevent a stall with a high jerk factor. Self-belay when climbing in a group of three, group or PSR. When working in a group of three or in a larger group, it is customary to use separate self-belays for each participant during the entire ascent. If there are more than 3 people in the group, then these lanyards have to be made quite long or adjustable. But long lanyards are quite dangerous - the climber must be able to reach the end of the lanyard in any situation, therefore using lanyards longer than 1 meter is dangerous. If it is necessary to organize self-insurance for a large number of people, you should organize either an additional station or a “storage” loop.
Instilled " the lanyard must be made from the main dynamic rope" is absolutely true and relevant. But such lanyards and especially the nodes at its ends turn out to be quite bulky and not very convenient to use and adjust. Adjusting the length of the lanyard is possible either by tying knots on it or using a grasping knot. It should be recalled that, according to the recommendations of the UIAA, to tie a grasping knot, a Prus knot is tied in three turns from a cord with a diameter of 7 mm.

Despite all the inconveniences, lanyards made from the main rope are reliable and functional. Even if the climber made a gross mistake that led to a breakdown and fall with a high jerk factor on the self-belay, the force of the jerk will be limited by the stretching of the rope and the etching of the rope in the tightening knots. In case of a fall with a jerk factor of 2 to a depth of 2 meters, the jerk will not exceed 8-9 kN. Self-belays made from slings (tapes), which have become widespread recently, have become an inadequate replacement for lanyards made from the main rope.

These are options for self-belays for V-type caving and various options for self-belays for climbing using artificial aid support points of the “daisy chain” type. It is important to know and understand that none of these lanyards are designed, tested or certified for use as a lanyard for traditional mountaineering. In aid climbing, there is no possibility of falling on a lanyard with a jerk factor other than 0. On the Daisy Channel loop, the strength of the lanyard itself is indicated - 22 kN, this figure reassures and misleads many.

If 1 load weighing 80 kg falls with a jerk factor onto a Dyneema lanyard, the jerk will exceed 15 kN, the lanyard will withstand this, but will the station withstand it? And the climber will receive serious injuries. And if there is a failure with a jerk factor of 2, the lanyard itself may also break. For such an accident to occur, the fall should not be deep; our experiment led to the break of a nylon sling with a strength of 18 kN when a load of 80 kg fell with a jerk factor of 2 to a total depth of only 1.5 meters. Test materials are given in the article! Many will remember that during short falls, small nuances begin to play a significant role - tightening of knots, stretching and deformation of the safety system, deformation of the climber’s body, which, with a small fall depth, leads to a significant decrease in the force of the jerk. Yes, that's what happens. But the calculated jerk force when breaking a load weighing 80 kg with a jerk factor of 2 on a standard nylon tape with an elongation of 12-14 (at a breaking load) exceeds 30 kN!!! But all these reasons lead to a decrease in the jerk force to 18 kN, as experiments have shown. The stretch of a dynema sling is almost 50 less than that of a nylon sling and the jerk will be even stronger. There is also a common opinion that if the “daisy chain” is shortened, then during a jerk the intermediate stitches will be torn, which will lead to a decrease in the force of the jerk - the stitches will work as an improvised burst shock absorber. Yes, and this is also true, but the energy intensity of such a “shock absorber” will be scanty and completely insufficient to noticeably reduce the jerk force. You can read about shock absorber research. A standard and common mistake when using a “daisy chain” (except for using it as a lanyard) is incorrectly securing the carabiner in the end loop. Climbers use several methods. The carabiner is fixed using adhesive tape or a special rubber clamp - this method creates the illusion of a rigid and strong fastening, but does not make it possible to see the error when shortening the lanyard. Such fixation is equivalent to a complete absence of fixation.

This method reduces the strength of the loop much less than other knots and guarantees the preservation of insurance in the event of an error during shortening. Some manufacturers have already begun producing “daisy chains” with a pre-twisted loop for attaching a carabiner. Self-belays made from closed loops are devoid of the disadvantages associated with the possibility of improper fastening of the carabiner and errors when shortening, but retain all the other disadvantages characteristic of lanyards of this type. Summary of self-insurance of the Daisy Chain type. Use of this type of self-insurance Not recommended, since they do not provide the required level of security. But due to their widespread use, simplicity and ease of use, they will apparently be used for a long time.
When using these lanyards, you should remember their potential danger and follow the following rules - correctly attach the safety carabiner, correctly shorten the lanyard and, most importantly, avoid a situation in which a failure may occur with a factor greater than or equal to 1 on the lanyard. The main rule is The lanyard must be taut at all times ! Unfortunately, when working in a large group, climbing with novice climbers, and especially when carrying out rescue operations, it is not possible to follow this rule. Therefore, such self-insurance is not applicable for these types of activities. A standard situation is that there are 6 people at the station, the leader asks to unfasten his lanyard and starts moving. But they do not unfasten it, but another lanyard and, having made the first movement, the leader “rests” against the tense lanyard and breaks away with a jerk factor of 2 to the station.
We have already discussed the danger of such a breakdown above. This is a more than common situation.
When carrying out rescue operations, the situation is even more dangerous - rescuers actively move around the station and work with heavy loads, all these actions often take place in the dark and in conditions of some confusion. The danger of going out on a lanyard above the station and falling with a high jerk factor during RPS is very high. The use of adjustable self-belays for aided equipment - cliffs - for self-belaying poses a great danger.

Well-known equipment manufacturers Petzl, Metolius, Yates and others indicate on such lanyards the permitted load is from 1 to 5 kN. And only products from 5.14 indicate a load of 22 kN, which is certainly incorrect and misleads users. Cliffs can only be used for positioning – using them for self-belaying is prohibited! An alternative to the types of lanyards described above are lanyards made of dynamic rope, but not tied in knots, but sewn using special equipment.

The industry produces several types of lanyards of this type - straight mustaches of various lengths, Y-shaped systems and H-shaped ones. The jerk force when using sewn lanyards is slightly higher than that of lanyards with knots - there is no etching of the rope in the knots, but even at the same time the jerk is within safe limits, and the significant ease of use, lightness and compactness of such systems make them more and more popular .
But the rules of use remain the same - The lanyard must be taut at all times ! A fall with a jerk factor of more than 1 is dangerous on any lanyard! One of the most convenient and functional lanyards of this type is the Beal Dinaconnexion model and similar models from other manufacturers. Made by stitching from a rope with a diameter of about 8 mm, this lanyard provides two attachment points, which allow you to organize lanyards and rappelling with great convenience.
On the descent, a descending device is attached to the middle point of the self-belay - at a distance of 40 cm from the climber, and a long lanyard - 80 cm is attached to the station. This configuration is very convenient when using a descent with belay using an automatic block unit.

This descent method is described in the work of F. Faberov and point 12. It should be said that the UIAA does not recommend attaching a gripping knot to the leg loop of the gazebo. For information, stitches made on special equipment, unlike knots, do not weaken ropes and slings; during tests, stitched lanyards break not along the stitching, but along a straight rope. The strength of sewn lanyards exceeds 15-22 kN. Also a worthy alternative to tape lanyards is the Purcell Prusik type lanyard.

For the manufacture of this lanyard, a lanyard with a diameter of 7 mm is used, and according to test results, this type of lanyard has proven high reliability and safety. The use of lanyards for via feratta routes in mountaineering is acceptable; these lanyards are designed and tested for use in very difficult conditions (on these routes a fall with a jerk factor greater than 2 is possible). Caving lanyards are not tested or certified for use in mountaineering and cannot be recommended. Use only dynamic rope for self-belaying. Always keep the lanyard loaded.
The bottom belay is carried out through a belay device attached to the belayer.
The top belay is carried out through a belay device attached to the station.
The first intermediate belay point should be organized in the immediate vicinity of the station, the second point should exclude the possibility of falling onto the first point with a high jerk factor.
Give eights, daisy chains and sling self-fears to your enemies.
Always (even when climbing with a top rope) tie the rope to the gazebo with a figure eight knot; using a carabiner is unacceptable. We will consider the issues of organizing belay points, the equipment used, components and errors in their organization in the next article.

Medical insurance for climbers should be as appropriate as ropes, cords, safety systems, devices, carabiners, clips, helmets, quickdraws, lanyards, blocks, rollers, holds, rock pitons, ice axes and all the safety equipment that the climber takes with him. ourselves to the mountains.

Only the strong in spirit and body dare to go to the mountains. Not everyone chooses this type of vacation. What does a climber find in the mountains?

The extraordinary beauty of nature, wild fatigue and the boundless joy of overcoming? Overcoming oneself and natural obstacles on the way to the top...

Everyone knows that this is a rather dangerous activity that requires special training and skills, so a climber must insure his life and health.

Number - code of sports disciplines for the sport of mountaineering included in the VRVS

class - rocky
055 001 1 8 1 1 L

class - technical
055 002 1 8 1 1 L

class - high-altitude technical
055 003 1 8 1 1 L

class - high-rise
055 004 1 8 1 1 L

class - ice and snow
055 006 3 8 1 1 L

first ascent class
055 007 1 8 1 1 L

ice climbing - speed
055 008 3 8 1 1 I

ice climbing - difficulty
055 009 3 8 1 1 I

skyrunning - vertical kilometer
055 013 1 8 1 1 L

skyrunning - race
055 012 1 8 1 1 L

skyrunning - marathon
055 005 1 8 1 1 L

ski mountaineering - race
055 010 3 8 1 1 L

ski mountaineering - team race
055 011 3 8 1 1 L

Medical insurance for climbers

This is not a plain, here the climate is different -
Avalanches are coming one after another,
And here, behind the rockfall, the rockfall roars.
And you can turn, go around the cliff,
But we choose the hard way
Dangerous, like a military path.

Could it be possible to say something better about mountaineering than it is said about in the song “Top” by Vladimir Vysotsky... In the same song we read that “neither stone, nor ice, nor rock is reliable in the mountains”..."And we pray so that the insurance doesn't let you down."

Unfortunately, injuries happen quite often here.

Main types of injuries in mountaineering

Injuries of the musculoskeletal system (45.81% of all injuries).
Fractures and dislocations of various locations and severity.
Tendon damage, subcutaneous ruptures of the Achilles, biceps, shoulder.
Damage to the meniscus, knee.
Injuries of the lower leg, foot, ankle joint.
Injuries to the shoulder joint, lower back, head injuries.
Serious bruises and wounds.

What expenses does health insurance cover for climbers?

Medical insurance for climbers guarantees in an extreme situation the provision of first aid and subsequent treatment in a hospital at the expense of the insurance company.

As soon as an accident happens to you, call the insurance company’s 24-hour service center and qualified specialists will help you.

You will be taken to the nearest hospital with which a cooperation agreement has been concluded, where they will provide emergency care, including dental care if necessary, conduct diagnostic tests (X-rays), provide medications, medical equipment (fixation devices, crutches, etc.).

The insurance company will pay for your hospital stay or organize evacuation and medical support to your place of permanent residence if you need an operation that can only be performed at home.

Medical insurance for climbers includes insurance:

a visit to your hospital by a third party from your homeland or evacuation of small children, in case of hospital treatment for more than 10 days;
search and rescue operations.

What risks should be included in insurance for climbers?

We would like to draw your attention to the fact that search and rescue operations in most cases are not included in the standard package, but are especially relevant if you are interested in insurance for climbers. If you find yourself in a difficult situation in the mountains, the insurance company will pay for the work of rescuers and promptly organize a search.

Of course, there is satellite communication and the ability to call the rescue service yourself. But, if you are in a difficult-to-reach area, negotiations for assistance can take from two to three days, and the cost of a specially equipped medical aircraft is from 10 to 15 thousand US dollars.

Adding the risk of search and rescue operations will increase the cost of the policy by 1.5 - 2 times due to the high cost of this service.

Rates for medical insurance for climbers

The size of the tariff depends on the number of days, the country (the cost of medical services in some countries is more expensive than in others), on the amount of coverage (15,000 U.E. - 100,000 U.E.), the number of group participants (discounts for students and children) , age, type of activity.

Insurance for climbers will cost twice as much as usual.

For comparison: the rate for a 1-7 day holiday in the cheapest country, with insurance coverage of 15 thousand $, is equal to $0.61, for mountaineering it will be equal to $1.22; a vacation in one of the most expensive countries for 365 days (multiple trips up to 90 days each) will cost $543.85, for mountaineering - $1087.7 (U.E.).

A tourist who decided to visit a doctor abroad without an insurance policy paid $800 for one examination, without an x-ray (an eyewitness account).

Climbers insurance. Exceptions

It is important to remember that reckless disregard for safety may result in insurance denial. Be sure to pay attention to prohibition signs! Find out in advance where the avalanche slopes are and where rockfalls can occur. If you ignore the warning sign and go climbing in such a dangerous place, upon investigation, the incident may be considered not insurable.

It is reckless to go to the mountains in a drunken state, but besides all this, it threatens that in the event of an injury, you can be refused payment of the insurance amount if doctors record, during an examination, the presence of alcohol in the victim’s blood.

Accident insurance for climbers

If medical expenses insurance takes care of your health, then accident insurance takes care of your wallet.

Any injury leads to one or another financial loss on the part of the tourist (transportation costs, post-traumatic medical procedures).

An accident is an unforeseen event that entails:

injury,
harm to health
death
the onset of disability of groups 1, 2, 3 within a year after the incident.

Depending on the severity of the injury or damage caused to health, upon returning home, you will be paid monetary compensation. Compensation is paid within the limits of the insured amount, which is chosen at your request, upon concluding an insurance contract from 1000 to 10000 U.E.

Insurance for climbers also includes insurance against accidents, which is especially important for this type of recreation. The amount of the insurance premium depends on the duration of the trip, country, age, group size, and type of activity on the trip.

When engaged in mountaineering, an increasing coefficient of 2 to the base rate for accident insurance from 0.1 (1-7 days in the amount of 1 thousand U.E.) to 153.3 (365 days in the amount of 10 thousand U.U.): from 0.2 to 306.6 U.E.

An accident insurance contract is concluded if the policy includes a medical expenses insurance program.

Climbers insurance. Baggage

Let's remember only some of the pieces of luggage a climber needs and its cost. Boots: 5590 RUR, sleeping bag: 2380 RUR, tent for technical climbs for two people: 20990 RUR.

In addition, in order to insure his life and health, a climber must declare and insure his luggage, using increasing coefficients, so as not to be left in the mountains without insurance from carabiners and ropes.

If your luggage is lost or damaged, you must provide the insurance company with all documents confirming this fact. And then you will receive monetary compensation. An unconditional deductible in the amount of 15% of the insured amount specified in the policy can be deducted from compensation; this is your share of the costs.

The base tariff rate is determined as a percentage of the sum insured for the entire duration of the trip: from 0.565% (from 1-30 days) to 13.018% (365 days for multiple trips of 90 days each). Insurance limits: 250-1500 U.E. or 3001-5000 U.E.

If your baggage is delayed on the road, and you have insured your baggage and flight delay, you will be given money for food and essentials and paid for hotel accommodation. It is very advisable to keep receipts for the purchase of sports equipment - this will simplify the process of insurance payments and compensation for the cost of luggage by the airline company.

A baggage insurance contract is concluded if the policy includes a medical expenses insurance program.

Civil responsibility. Climbers insurance

If you cause harm to the life, health or property of third parties, the insurance company covers material expenses within the selected limits and provides legal assistance in resolving various misunderstandings.

To insure yourself in the amount of 10,000 U.E., it is enough to pay a premium of 0.78 U.U. when traveling for 1-7 days, if you have chosen the maximum amount to cover expenses of 50,000 U.E. for an insurance period of 365 days you will have to pay only 182.5 USD.

When mountaineering, a situation may occur when you damage someone’s equipment, or a person dies due to your carelessness.

It must be remembered that in mountaineering, such an item should definitely be added to the general insurance package.

Insurance for trip cancellation or change of stay abroad. Climbers insurance

According to this insurance program, in the range from 200 to 3500 U.E. the insurance company covers the expenses actually incurred by you, the insurance rate is 4%, the unconditional deductible is 15% (your share of the expenses).

Imagine that on the eve of departure on a trip you get sick. Mountains are no joke. If you are unwell, you should cancel your trip. Otherwise, you will endanger not only your life, but also the life of the one who is going to go to the mountains together with you.

Please note that the contract for this type of insurance must be concluded within 3 days after purchasing the voucher and no later than 7 days before departure. The contract can be concluded with medical and accident insurance.

When concluding an agreement under four insurance programs, a discount of 15% of the total insurance premium is provided.

You can read more about insurance of risks common to all those traveling abroad on our website.