Short-Rope Travel
When traveling in a short rope system, the person who slips cannot gain much speed, making it easier to stop their fall.
Short-rope travel is, therefore, a safety measure.
Where is short-rope travel taught?
Switzerland: At the Swiss Alpine Club and most mountain schools. Anyone can enroll.
Germany: At the German Alpine Club, but only guides are allowed to enroll.
Austria: Nowhere.
Ion and Gicu Move Along a Steep Ridge
Gicu slips down the left slope.
Case 1: Long Rope
There is a gap of several meters between Ion and Gicu. Gicu slides until he is “below” Ion, picking up speed in the process. Ion cannot stop or slow down Gicu until he reaches that position.Gicu sweeps through a quarter-circle with a radius equal to the rope length between them. The longer the rope, the greater the force exerted on Ion when Gicu reaches the lowest point. Ion may be pulled down as well, dragged by Gicu’s fall.
Case 2: Short Rope
Ion and Gicu are less than a meter apart, moving almost together. The rope is always taut. Ion can immediately tighten the rope with a small arm movement. Because of this, Gicu cannot pick up speed—Ion brakes him as soon as the rope starts to tighten.
Advantage: Faster and safer movement compared to the long rope method.
Recommendation
On steep terrain, it is not advisable to travel on a long rope. Instead, choose one of these options:
- Unroped travel (if the terrain and skill level allow it).
- Short-rope travel (if they know how to shorten the rope and have solid experience).
- Using belays, meaning they move one at a time, which takes more time.
Warning: Short-Rope Travel is Controversial
- A professional guide typically takes a maximum of two clients on a short rope.
- On ascents, the guide leads.
- On descents, the guide stays at the back.
- If traveling with a friend (instead of a guide), roles may change.
- If the leader must also break trail with an ice axe, the follower should secure them instead.
Client Responsibilities in a Short-Rope System
- The last client must always keep the rope taut.
- If they slip, they could jerk the first client, forcing the guide to stop both.
- To enhance safety, the guide often uses the switch knot (macaz) with two clients.
- Short-rope travel saves time, which is why guided groups reach summits faster than unguided climbers.
- On crevassed glaciers covered with snow, short-rope travel is NOT used!
Short-Rope Travel Requires Extensive Training
- Risk assessment and training are crucial.
- Even with proper technique, Ion might slip, even if Gicu doesn’t gain speed.
- The Swiss Alpine Club offers a three-day course dedicated only to short-rope travel (costing around 700 EUR).
- This technique is for advanced climbers.
Hand Positioning and Rope Management
Left hand: Holds rope loops but remains mostly passive.
Right hand: The “brain” of short-rope travel—must keep the rope under constant tension.
How tight should the rope be? About the weight of 2 kg pulling downward.
Gloves are essential—sliding friction can burn your fingers instantly!
Sometimes, doubling the rope provides more flexibility.
With or without a knot on the rope?
Some climbers prefer holding the rope at the knot.
Disadvantage: The knot might not always be in the ideal position.
When is Short-Rope Travel No Longer an Option?
- When the lead climber needs protection to move forward.
Strength of Hand Positioning
- Hand in front → Holds 10 kg
- Hand at the side → Holds 18 kg
- Hand behind → Holds 30 kg (most stable)
Thus, having the hand behind is best for absorbing shocks.
Changing direction can be a critical and risky moment in short-rope climbing. If you make too many zig-zags, the rope tension can fluctuate, increasing the risk of an uncontrolled pendulum effect.
In extreme situations (very steep terrain, low grip, high fall risk), the safest option is to hold the rope directly at the knot on the harness. This gives you better control over your partner, minimizing the sliding distance and the potential jerk that follows.
The old theory—keeping the rope on the slope side and the ice axe on the mountain side—is becoming outdated.
Similarly, the idea that the ice axe must always be in hand during glacier tours is questionable—if you don’t need it at that moment, it’s better to store it on your back rather than keep holding it unnecessarily! For example, if you’re on pure ice, the ice axe won’t be of much use.
Moreover, using an ice axe + short rope + loops in hand is very risky. Ideally, you should have one hand permanently maintaining tension on the rope towards the client, while the other hand remains relaxed, holding the loops.
The first five seconds of the second video show the ideal way to move—if the terrain allows it. Pendulum movement is not possible at all, as the person in yellow is already on the fall line rather than behind the one in red.
Pay close attention in these videos to how the loops are held in the “free” hand. The rope does not wrap around the palm—if it did, the hand would be immediately trapped in case the person in yellow slips.
Notice how the rope is passed from one hand to the other and/or over the secured climber.
The Switch Knot (Macaz) and Its Disadvantage
Ideal position: The knot should be oriented downward. If a climber slips, they are stopped immediately. If the switch knot is oriented upward, the climber will slide twice its length before being stopped. Example: With a 15 cm switch knot, the climber falls 30 cm freely, creating a strong shock. In theory, climbers maintain discipline to keep the knot down. In practice… it’s tricky.
Other Key Points
1) Alternatives to the T-Anchors: Faster and simpler options exist.
2) Alternative to Prusik Backup in Rappelling: Some climbers use different methods.
Knot on the Harness:
- Makes adjusting rope length easier.
- Disadvantage: Harder to exit the rope system.
4) Throwing the rope over the other side of the ridge, just like securing with ice screws in case of a crevasse fall, is mostly theoretical—nobody actually does it. In fact, with a short rope, you wouldn’t even be able to jump; the rope simply wouldn’t allow it. 🙂
If the ice is that solid and there’s no soft snow (firn), then you won’t fall into a crevasse because you can easily see it. You fall precisely because there’s a thick layer of snow covering it. In that case, you wouldn’t waste time digging down to reach the ice to place screws—you would use a different kind of anchor instead.
5) A guide never lets the client go first on the ascent, except in rare exceptional situations. The client doesn’t know the best route to take, cannot break trail if needed, may feel insecure, and—most importantly—the guide cannot immediately stop their fall.
6) Beware of snow-covered torrents—the risk is enormous. No one can pull you out of the water, and you will drown.