Arope team (sometimes also calledmoving together) is aclimbing technique where two or more climbers who are attached to a singleclimbing rope move simultaneously together along easy-angled terrain that does not require points of fixedclimbing protection to be inserted along theroute.[1] Rope teams contrast withsimul-climbing, which involves only two climbers and where they are ascending steep terrain that will require many points of protection to be inserted along the route. A specific variant of a rope team is the technique ofshort-roping [fr], which is used bymountain guides to help weaker clients, and which also does not employ fixed climbing protection points.[2]
Rope teams are commonly used inalpine climbing, particularly for moving across glaciers and traveling along snow slopes and ridges.[1][3] Members are typically spaced 30 feet (9.1 metres) apart with any surplus rope coiled and carried by the first and last members.[1][3] The weaker members of the team are placed in the middle, however, it is important that the team can move together in a way that the rope does not become excessively slack or taught.[1][3] Rope teams can accommodate many climbers, which gives greater "holding power" if a member falls into acrevasse or slides down a snow slope.[1][3] However, large teams are also less flexible, which is a problem on more varied terrain where the rope team might want to quickly change to a short-roping or even a simul-climbing format.[1][3]
Some rope teams will simply tie each member directly into the rope via a climbing knot (e.g.figure-eight on a bight attached to ascrew-gate carabiner), however, members can also be attached viaprussik knots orprogress capture devices for greater flexibility.[1] When crossing glaciers, some rope teams will pre-apply prussik knots and loops to the rope to speed up therescue of any member who falls into a crevasse, however, some don't as these knots and loops can make the rope more difficult to manage.[3] When small rope teams of 2-3 climbers are crossing glaciers, additional knots can be added to the rope to act as a partial brake against a crevasse lip in the event of a fall.[4] On exposed snow slopes, rope teams may usesnow anchors as points of climbing protection — as in simul-climbing — to prevent a falling member from dragging the entire team down the slope before they canself-arrest.[1][3]
Various records have been set for the longestclimbing rope-teams at various altitudes.[5] In July 2017, theItalian Alpine Club set aGuinness World Record for the world's longeststatic rope team when 2,846 climbers were connected to a single rope inBergamo in Italy.[6] In 2022, eighty femalemountaineers set a record for the world's longest women'sclimbing rope team by summiting theBreithorn.[7]
