PARA CLIMBING

Big wall climbing is perfect - if super tough - adaptive adventure, and I’ve climbed El Cap with climbers who have been blind and climbers who are wheelchair-bound. The vertical world of a wall is somewhere - like the ocean - that can be explored and experienced as long as someone has will and fortitude.

Most climbers with a disability can ascend a rope with slight modifications to the system, with double amputees having an advantage when it comes to rope climbing due to lower weight (I know some ex-soldiers who can do endless pull-ups without the weight of their legs). Climbers can also lead as long as they’re able to step up (the visually impaired climber Steve Bate soloed Zodiac in 2013), while those who cannot lead can usually clean and haul.

The focus of this chapter is dealing with the more profoundly disabled, with some form of paralysis, who are limited to belaying and climbing the rope.

PARA ISSUES

Before embarking on any climb with a para climber, it is vital that both the climber and their team fully understand the physiology of the para climber. These includes:

Osteoporosis

Paralysed limbs will become osteoporotic, leading to a much higher risk of fractures, meaning great care must be taken when moving, keeping the legs and hips protected from impact or twisting. This is compounded by a lack of sensation, meaning absolute care is always required to make sure people are not standing, sitting or pressing on their legs while on belays (they will break). This issue needs to be considered when approaching and descending as well, as a para climber cannot be dragged or pushed around.

Skin Damage 

Pressure sores, burns, cuts etc can take many months to heal, leaving the climber confined to bed until they do, so must be avoided at all costs. All skin must be covered and protected, and zero tolerance observed at all times in terms of pressure points on the thighs and bottom (check several times a day that no stones or karabiners have slipped under the harness). It might also be necessary to check the bottom of the para climber while on the climb to check the harness is not damaging the skin. The use of MTB body armour is recommended for climbing protection, including ankle guards, combined knee and shin protectors and elbow pads.

Suspension Trauma

I’ve covered this in ‘Staying Alive’, but it is a factor here, and it’s vital again, that the para climber moves from one portaledge to another, and is not left hanging in their harness in between.

Thermoregulation

Paralysis often leads to a loss in thermoregulation, meaning paraplegics can rapidly become hypothermic or hyper-thermic. Even in situations where an able-bodied person could get away with a t-shirt, a para climber might be shivering. For this reason, it’s vital to reduce the chance of a severe drop in body temperature by always having the right gear at hand (duvet jackets, duvet trousers, hat, gloves, warm food, a Nalgene hot water bottle), or some form of sun protection if needed (umbrella). For bivvying I would recommend the warmest sleeping bag you can find.

Catheters

If you’re planning on spending a great deal of time working together, then although embarrassing, it’s worth discussing- ing how a paraplegic person goes to the toilet and the ins and outs of catheters (including suprapubic). Harness and clothing must take into account being able to use a catheter (both emptying it and allowing it to flow freely).

Going to the tiolet

This is one of the hardest parts of being a para climber and requires a great deal of work, so should be factored into the climbing strategy. Going every day reduces the length one has to sit on the toilet, but this may be impossible on a portaledge, and can only be done at the base, the summit, and on any large ledges. Reducing food intake (low carb) can be an option, but strength will be reduced. The lightest system for a mobile toilet is a wheelbarrow inner tube (don’t forget the pump), or a small camp chair, used in combination with a hole in the ground.

Inclusion

It’s vital that the para climber feels they are part of a team, part of the process, not the process itself (i.e., “We’re going to drag a disabled guy up El Cap.”). Para climbers want to be independent and want to be as little a burden as possible on those around them, so try to only offer help when it is asked for (never push anyone in a wheelchair unless they ask for help!). When climbing make sure they have a role (coiling ropes, belaying, sorting kit), rather than just letting them “sit there”. You may feel you’re doing them a favour, but it’s vital they don’t feel that they’re just ‘luggage’.

EQUIPMENT

Ascending Harness

You can buy adaptive harnesses but these are intended for outdoor centres, not climbing El Cap, and tend to be just modified non-para harnesses. I take the view that a different approach is required, that you need a harness that would work with a mermaid rather than a walking person. The harness itself needs to be light and avoid pressure points, designed for suspension (climber’s harnesses are designed for movement and safety, not hanging in), and cheap for one-off use (not $1000). And so I’ve always used Alpine paragliding harnesses, which tick all my boxes and can be bought new or second-hand very cheaply. This style of harness keeps the user in legs up position, eliminating suspension trauma and pressure points, and works well with the rope system.

Safety Harness

The para climber cannot sleep or go to the toilet in their ascending harness, so needs a very lightweight webbing harness to wear underneath, the modern fabric ski touring harness being ideal (remove any buckles from the back or leg loops).

Pull Up Ascender

This is your main ‘pull-up’ ascender and should be a short chest style ascender (use a model with a twist in the clip hole, such as the Petzl Basic or Climb- ing Technology Simple), with a pull-up bar attached to it (a metal bar inserted and bolted into position, with two bike grips glued in place). I would recommend this has its own lanyard to avoid losing it.

Top Ascender & Pulley

This should be a standard handled ascender, and I would recommend adding a 30 cm ‘push stick’ to the bottom, to allow you to push the ascender higher than arm’s length. A pulley is attached via an oval screwgate to the top hole of the ascender. Use a camming style lanyard for this which can be released under load (important for switching into rappel mode).

Pro Traxion

This is attached to your ascent harness, is your primary connection, and holds your body in position on the rope. A Micro Traxion can be used, but the Pro can be taken on and off the rope without removing it from its locker and has less resistance.

Fall Arrest

In some circumstances, you might want to use a double rope system, with the climber backed up by the haul line. This is achieved by running a dynamic lanyard from the climber to a fall arrest device on the haul line, such as the Petzl ASAP or DMM Buddy.

Rope

Seeing that a human being is climbing the rope I would go for a 10 mm static line. You can simply use the haul line, but this can slow things up, as the para climber must get to the belay before it’s possible to haul.

Portaledges

You will require two portaledges, and these will tend to be hauled up or flagged.

Gloves

Good quality gloves are vital for the para climber in order to keep their hands intact as they will be doing many thousands of pull-ups!

SET UP

1. The para climber puts on the safety harness, and then the ascending harness.

2. Attach Pro Traxion to ascending harness as low as possible (where this is depends on the design of the para-gliding harness, and will either be attached through webbing loops or via maillons). I would advise attaching your Traxion via a Petzl OMNI karabiner (this is your suspension point).

3. Attach the rope to the Pro Traxion (this can be done without removing it from the harness), and take in the slack (have the rope coming out of the device so the unloaded rope is facing you).

4. Attach your top ascender to the loaded rope.

5. Thread the slack rope into the pulley and clip this into the top hole on the top ascender, so the rope runs up from the Pro Traxion, to the ascender pulley, then back to you (this will be your pull strand).

6. You have now created a 2:1 system. By pulling on this strand with your pull-up ascender you will lift your body about 30 - 60 cm at a time.

OPERATION

Thumb (feather) the cam on your pull-up ascender and press the top ascender up as high as you can (thumbing the cam allows the rope to feed through it). The use of a pushing stick allows you to move further before resetting the top ascender.

Begin doing pull-ups, with each 60 cm stroke on the rope lifting you 30 cm (so halving your body weight).

When the top ascender gets too close to the Pro Traxion, then reset.

ASCENT TO DESCENT

1. Clip into the rope below you as a backup.

2. When the top ascender is halfway to the Pro Traxion lock it down tight with its lanyard.

3. As you pull down on the pull-up ascender release the cam on the Pro Traxion and allow all your weight to go onto the top ascender via its lanyard.

4. Remove the pulley and karabiner, and pull up the ascender.

5. Attach an ABBD to the rope and clip this into your main suspension point.

6. Remove the Pro Traxion.

7. Take in the slack with the ABBD.

8. Release the lanyard so as to move your weight onto the ABBD.

9. Remove the top ascender and descend.

CLIMBING THE WALL

The system I’ve always used is designed to be simple to use, and safe, both in terms of the climber’s exposure to hazards, as well as reducing fatigue and potential problems with pressure sores and suspension trauma. A three-person team is ideal, with the para climber ascending their own rope from one lower portaledge to a higher portaledge, so in between climbs they are sitting on the ledge. The speed of the system does not necessarily have to be any slower than a standard big wall team. Here is how it runs:

1. The leader arrives at the belay with a lead and zip line.

2. They create a belay with two master- points, one for the haul bag, and one for the para climber.

3. The haul line, para climbing line, and flagged ledge are hauled up via the zip line.

4. The haul line is attached to the haul master point.

5. The end of the para climbing line is clipped off to the shelf or to a bolt, then attached to the masterpoint with a Munter Mule, making sure you have several metres of slack between the Munter and the rope end (so you can lower the para climber several metres).

6. The para climber climbs the rope (using the haul line as a backup, or climbing as the haul bag is hauled).

7. When the para climber arrives at the belay, the portaledge is set up below them.

8. The Munter Mule is then released and the para climber is lowered down on the climbing line until they are sitting fully on the ledge.

IDEAL ROUTES

I would recommend routes that are overhanging all the way with easy approaches and descents, as slabs will be a killer to climb. Zodiac on El cap has been climbed several times by para climbers.

GETTING DOWN

The most important issue for me is never getting up, but getting down, and this must be your starting point. On El Cap for example the best option would be to time your climb with the running of the stables, and try and get a horse to bring you down. In some areas you might be able to get a hand bike to the top and cycle down, or have people carry you down in relays, but all have many dangers (I once piggybacked a 65 kg person down the East Ledges, and yes we did get down, but her leg was broken by the end, and my back was screwed for several years after). One option worth considering is descending back down the line of ascent.