1. Authors' note

Welcome! This guide aims to facilitate new international ASAC members in learning outdoor single pitch lead climbing (Outdoor Voorklimmen Singlepitch; OVS for short) climbing techniques. ASAC is an Amsterdam-based student climbing organisation. This website can also be used by other would-be outdoor climbers to learn about outdoor single pitch climbing techniques, however, ASAC is referenced throughout this guide. The techniques that are described in this guide will enable you to safely and independently sport climb outside on single-pitch routes. This guide assumes you already have your indoor lead climbing certification or equivalent.

This guide alone will not teach you to climb outside safely and independently. It is not a replacement for practice and training. You will need to practice by yourself and with more experienced people, for example during an ASAC climbing weekend, during one of the OVS course introduction evenings organised by ASAC or with ASAC members who already have their OVS. 

This is not a 1:1 translation of the original (2018) Dutch ASAC OVS guide
This is an English language document to help you learn about single pitch lead climbing and belaying. As it is not commissioned by the NKBV (Dutch Climbing and Mountain Sports Association) nor by ASAC, this document should be seen as an unofficial substitute or addition to the formal instruction document 'ASAC syllabus outdoor voorklimmen singlepitch 2018'. Thanks to Bram, Iris and other for making this document!

The contents of this document are peer-reviewed by several experienced outdoor climbers. Everyone who contributed to this document was a member of the ASAC at the time of writing. Although many elements of this document are inspired by the official guide, we have made a lot of changes and additions that we believe to be of great utility for those wanting to learn single pitch lead climbing and belaying. Please note that there are several alternative ways of performing the techniques that are described in this guide. The techniques described in this guide follow the principles and techniques as determined by ASAC.

This document aims to be a comprehensive, instructional, but optional and community-based source of information. This guide primarily focuses on outdoor climbing, including single pitch lead climbing outside, as well as various other aspects of the sport that the author believes to be essential to performing this sport safely and pleasantly. It covers all the important techniques and knowledge that ASAC climbers will need for their OVS exam.

⚠️️Use this guide at your own risk. DO NOT go climbing outside alone without someone who has at least done their OVS exam or (international) equivalent. DO NOT overestimate your capabilities. Climbing is dangerous. Weigh the risks carefully before proceeding!

3. Ethics concerning climbing outside

We, as climbers, inevitably make an impact on our environment. We make an impact by walking, climbing, bolting, going to the toilet, using chalk, parking our cars, et cetera. If we do not watch ourselves, rock holds become caked in chalk and rubber, paths morph into highways and vegetation recedes, tree roots get exposed and polished, the roots die and the landscape erodes, the landscape gets littered and the locals get sick of people parking where they are not allowed to. If we do not watch ourselves, what once was considered the Shire, we have turned into Mordor. 

As climbers, we are privileged to be able to climb in the beautiful natural world that is made available to us. To be worthy of this privilege, we have to take on the responsibility to preserve the climbing experience as well as we can for the future generations who come after us. Therefore we should be considerate of nature, the local people and the other climbers around us. A lot of climbing areas have been closed due to the negative impact of climbing and climbers. This section of the guide focuses on ethics, how to behave, and laws concerning climbing.

Inform yourself on the principles of Leave No Trace
Education is the most effective and least resource intensive solution to land protection. The seven principles of Leave No Trace have been developed especially for this purpose.

1. Plan ahead and prepare (weblink)

2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces (weblink)

3. Dispose of waste properly (weblink)

4. Leave what you find (weblink)

5. Minimise campfire impacts (weblink)

6. Respect wildlife (weblink)

7. Be considerate of others (weblink)

Nature preservation areas
A lot of European climbing areas are situated in protected nature areas (Natura 2000). For these areas there are strict rules in place to protect nature. Inform yourself on the situation, rules and regulations for the climbing area you are visiting. You can do this by checking the guidebook of the area, the website of the NKBV, the KBF, or other climbing and/or nature organisations. You can also ask local climbers in the area or on social media on the do’s and don’ts of the area. Always check whether there are any area closures in place, for example due to breeding birds.

Respect flora and fauna
The rocks are also the homes and breeding place of animals, such as birds, bats and lizards, and plants, such as trees, endangered flowers, mosses and lichens. Be respectful and considerate of this environment. Do not climb on rocks with breeding birds (rapture season- this is usually indicated on a sign at the entrance of the climbing area). Do not remove any plants or mosses from the rocks without talking to someone who’s knowledgeable of the nature in the area.

Be mindful of going to the toilet in the outdoors
Always go to the toilet before climbing. Of course, when nature calls, you have to go anyway. If there’s an eco-toilet in the area, go there. If there isn’t, it is always best to pack out your faecal waste and toilet paper whenever possible (for example in a plastic bag) (video). Digging a hole about 15-20 cm deep and away from any water sources is the next best solution (a garden trowel can be useful). Do not poop under overhangs or in caves, because then it is not possible for the rain to wash your waste away. If you're going to bury paper, it is better to use single ply (cheaper) toilet paper than the multi-ply stuff.

Waste and litter
The next standard is less complicated: do not litter. Take your own litter with you and also pick up other litter that you may encounter.

Wet rock
Please refrain from climbing on wet rock surfaces and speak up when others are. Doing so not only increases the risk of slipping and falling due to the slippery conditions but also accelerates the erosion of the rock. Certain high-porosity rock types, like sandstone (e.g. Pfalz, Berdorf, Fontainebleau), limestone (e.g. Freyr, Grands Malades) and dolomite (e.g. Dave, Porche de Roiseux) , tend to absorb water, weakening hand- and footholds and making them more prone to breaking. Additionally, moist rock polishes faster, resulting in persistently slippery conditions even when dry, which ultimately diminishes the climbing experience for future generations. On the other hand, low porosity rocks such as slate, schist, quartzite, granite, basalt, and diorite are safer options for climbing when wet. Please inform yourself of the rock type when considering a climbing trip with questionable conditions.

Clean climbing shoes
Make sure your climbing shoes are clean before getting on the rock! This not only prevents nasty foot slips but is also very important to prevent erosion of the rock i.e. slippery rock. Resole your shoes before they’re too worn out in order to get the most life out of your shoes. You can have your shoes resoled at Schoenmaker Hillie’s (near USC) your local shoe maker, https://www.soescalade.nl/, https://www.cambreur.nl/, or https://www.snijderwerk.nl/. When you’ve been outside and are back in the gym, it is nice to clean any dirt off your shoes before going back to plastic. Do not climb in approach shoes unless the sole is absolutely squeaky clean.

Magnesium (chalk)
Avoid excessive use of chalk. Brush off any excessively chalked or rubbered holds and/or tick marks. Preferably use water based liquid chalk if you can. Using no chalk at all is not recommended (and seen as disrespectful by some) because it’ll generally leave holds greasier, grimier and sweatier than necessary. If you have very sweaty hands (or maybe even hyperhidrosis) we would also recommend using an antiperspirant to counter this (e.g. Rhyno, Odorex, Antihydral). However, in some climbing areas the use of chalk is prohibited.

Sunscreen
Do not climb with (remnants of) sunscreen on your palms and fingertips. Nobody likes to climb on greasy holds! So always wash your hands after applying sunscreen.

Noise, sounds and music
Be mindful of the sounds and noise you make in and around climbing areas. Cursing, screaming, being obnoxiously loud and playing music is generally considered disrespectful by others. This also includes elaborate and unnecessary communication between the climber and the belayer. If you want to play music, it is good etiquette to ask other people at the crag if they mind you doing so. In some (nature protection) areas it is not allowed at all.

Sharing beta
Some people want beta (description on how to climb a route), some people don’t. Always be mindful before you start shouting beta at someone. It’s recommended to ask someone politely if they would like to get some beta.

Parking
Only park where you are allowed to. There is lots of information to be found online or in the local guidebook on where to park for the specific climbing area that you want to go to. Even when a more convenient spot seems available, follow the instructions in the guidebook, because random parking often causes a lot of frustration with local villagers. Always make sure authorities and land managers can access (service) roads.

Stay on the obvious (prepared) trails, do not go off-trail
Erosion is real and can be disastrous for the local environment. 

Private Land
Do not walk over/through/on private land without permission from the land owner.

Fire
Do not make open fire in areas about which you are not absolutely sure that you are allowed to.

Wild camping and ‘van life’
In most places in Europe, wild camping is not allowed. Even in areas like Fontainebleau where everyone seems to live in the parking spot, it is not allowed! It is a surefire way to eventually get climbers and climbing permanently banned from the area. Support the local economy by visiting the local campsite instead.

Friendliness and manners
Be friendly and say ‘hi 😀’ to other climbers, recreationists and to the locals. Act like an ambassador for the sport to people or locals who might not be familiar with climbing.

Sharing the crag
You will often encounter other climbers at the crag. When we are considerate, this is one of the delights of our sport. When we claim too much space at the crag, it can quickly turn into an annoyance or even into conflict. That is why it is good to live by a few principles:

• When you keep clear and respectful communication going, there are ways to share a route with others, even when there are several people who are interested in it. For example, create a ‘line’ that people can join. This way everyone knows how much longer it will take and can wait for their turn. On a busy day, try not to hang on the route for too long. What is ‘too long’ has to be judged on a case by case basis.

• Do not claim a route by putting up a toprope any longer than necessary, other people might want to climb it too.

• When your project is a popular route on a given day, consider not spending too much time hanging in the rope to figure out the moves. Of course, if for example it is your last day, you can always ask whether the other people mind if you take your time on it. Perhaps for them it is just going to be a warm-up or a random route that they don’t mind finding a substitute for.

• If you desire to leave your draws on the route for another go after your buddy works a different route, be mindful and see if anyone else is looking to climb that route. If someone comes up, offer them to use your draws or take them down. Leaving in your draws is not a way to ‘claim’ the route. When you lower, your turn is over and the next person should be able to climb - with or without your draws.

Support the local economy
We want climbing to have a positive impact on the local economy and inhabitants. Let this motivate you  to visit the local bars, restaurants and cafés after or before climbing. This way we make sure the local people feel they have something to gain from preserving or even promoting climbing in their area.

Climbing in Belgium
To climb in Belgium you need a ‘klimjaarkaart’. This climbing pass is valid for a year. It gives you access to 32 climbing areas in Belgium and allows you to contribute to the conservation and maintenance of those climbing areas. You can buy this pass from the NKBV.

Join the Dutch Rebolting Team (DRT)
You can contribute to the maintenance and safety of the climbing areas in Belgium by volunteering for the DRT (more information here - in Dutch). 

5. OVS Materials guide

In this guide we skip the materials that you already should have knowledge about (specifically belay devices and harnesses) for efficiency reasons. I do cover all the essential ‘new’ information you should know for OVS specifically on materials such as climbing rope, quickdraws, cord (Prusik), slings, carabiners, Personal Anchoring Systems, helmets, bolts and anchors. Some parts of the texts underneath mention certain techniques, terms or use cases. Don’t be intimidated or worried by this, not everything will make sense the first time you read it. For now just read it, and revisit this section later.

⚠️️ Please make sure you read the manual on all your climbing materials before usage, please use the materials according to the manufacturer's description, and please be aware of your materials' lifespan as described by the manufacturer. Routinely check all your gear for wear and tear.

5.5. Carabiners

There are quite a few types of carabiners. The differences between them can be generalised to  1) shape, size, and strength of the carabiner; and 2) the locking mechanism. Keep in mind there are a lot of differences between carabiners that are not described here.

The shape of the carabiner can vary depending on the use of the carabiner. The most commonly used locking carabiner shape is the HMS-type. HMS is an abbreviation for ‘Halbmastwurf sicherung’ (German), also known as ‘halve mastworp’ (Dutch) or ‘Munter hitch’ (English). HMS carabiners are designed to be used with a Munter hitch (‘halve mastworp’), which can be used for belaying (part of the outdoor multi-pitch (OVM) course). If you’re interested in different carabiner shapes and their respective uses I recommend looking that up on the internet.

While carabiner shapes are definitely interesting, we’ll stick to locking mechanisms for now. Generally speaking, there are three types of carabiners in terms of locking mechanism:

1. Carabiners with no additional locking mechanism. These carabiners are called ‘snappers’ and are generally only used for quickdraws. They require one action to open (opening the ‘gate’ of the carabiner).

2. Locking carabiners. These carabiners have a lock. In short, there are a lot of different locking mechanisms: screw gate (‘schroefkarabiner’), twist lock, twist-’n-slide lock, ball lock, magnetic lock, etcetera. ASAC prefers screw gates, but other tested and proven locking mechanisms are also fine. These carabiners generally require two actions to open (1. screw/twist/press/whatever > 2. opening the gate of the carabiner)

3. Carabiners that ASAC considers ‘safe-biners’. In section three we also called them ‘belay-specific carabiners’. Basically, these carabiners require three actions or more to open (1. clasp > 2. screw/twist and slide/press/whatever > 3. open) instead of two actions. Basically, they are considered by ASAC to be safer than regular climbing carabiners.

💡 ASAC instructors will want you to use a belay-specific carabiner (‘safe-biner’) for both belaying and for building a top rope belay system. The DMM Belay Master 2 (not sponsored) is a great and affordable belay-specific carabiner and is commonly used within ASAC.

5.6. Personal Anchoring Systems (PAS) / ‘zelfzekering’

A Personal Anchoring System (PAS) (‘zelfzekering’) allows the user to tether themselves to an ‘anchor’ (i.e. two connected bolts; a ‘verbonden standplaats’). This allows the climber to go ‘off-belay’ and to install an abseil (rappel system).

⚠️️ As a general rule you should never load your PAS (‘zelfzekering’) dynamically (i.e. fall in it). Always carefully load your PAS statically after you’ve tethered it to an anchor. Some PAS (e.g. the ones that look like climbing ropes) can be loaded dynamically, though this can still be very uncomfortable or even dangerous depending on the fall height.

💡 Ready your PAS (‘zelfzekering’) before climbing by attaching one point to your belay loop. Attach the other end of your PAS to one of the rear gear loops on your climbing harness (‘klimgordel’) with a locking carabiner, preferably a safe-biner.

The simplest type of PAS (‘zelfzekering’) is a 120 cm sling tied to the belay loop of your harness using a ‘cow hitch’ (‘leeuwerikskop’). The cow hitch has a lot of different names. Girth hitch is also widely used. The sling will then have one or two ‘overhand knots’ (‘overhandse knoop’ often called ‘zaksteek’ in ASAC) tied into it where you can attach a locking carabiner into an anchor (i.e. two connected bolts).

Another great PAS (‘zelfzekering’) can be made using a Petzl Connect Adjust lanyard. This lanyard is specifically made to be combined with a locking carabiner or ‘safe-biner’ to make a very flexible PAS that can be loaded dynamically and is easily adjustable in length. Buy this one if you are not on a tight budget, the comfort is worth the small extra investment especially if you plan on multi-pitching in the future. There is also a version available which features an extra lanyard, which can be used during an abseil (Petzl Duo connect Adjust). 

⚠️When you are done climbing for the day, always remove your PAS cow hitch, or other attachment method, from your belay loop and remove the knots from your sling if you use a sling as your PAS. If this hitch doesn’t regularly change position on your belay loop, it could increase the degradation of the belay loop and can be hard to notice. 

5.8. Bolts

There are a lot of different types of bolts (‘haken’). We can distinguish the different kinds of bolts in the way that they are embedded in the rock, by their material, or we can distinguish them by whether they’re A) round (‘rond’) or B) sharp (‘scherp’). For OVS purposes, the last distinction is the most important, since this determines what you can and cannot do with them. 

⚠️️ For your OVS certification you’ll need to be able to recognise bolts that are not trustworthy and potentially dangerous. Corrosion can make the bolt dangerous. Generally, ‘rust’ means ‘don’t trust’. In some cases, corrosion might be only surface rust, especially in well kept and frequented climbing areas. However, in other cases, the bolt could look fine, but could be completely rusted inside the rock. Beware of humid areas (e.g. near the sea) where corrosion happens at a progressed rate.

💡 A good tip is to check the guidebook (‘topo’) for the area you’re in. Often the guidebook will mention when the route you’re climbing was bolted, who made the first ascent (when known), and most importantly for you; when the route was most recently re-bolted. In most regions, a lifespan of 10-15 years is normal for a climbing bolt. Again, beware of humid areas where the lifespan of a bolt might be much shorter.

Round bolts
Round bolts (‘ronde haken’) allow the climber to clean the route (‘ombouwen’) and/or to install an abseil system. Round bolts are most commonly found at the anchor, but there are also a lot of cases where the whole route consists of round bolts. This depends largely on the area, the bolter and the type of rock. 

Sharp bolts
Sharp bolts (‘scherpe haken’) are also commonly seen on outdoor single- and multi-pitch climbing routes.

⚠️️ You cannot lower or rappel on sharp bolts! As the name suggests, these sharp bolts will cut your rope when it slides through the bolt. 

When the route is bolted using sharp bolts, only the anchor (‘anker’, ‘standplaats’ or ‘relais’) at the end of the pitch will have round bolts or sharp bolts with round rings installed, so you can clean the route and/or install an rappel (abseil) system from those round bolts.

6. OVS knots and hitches

For OVS you will need to know the following knots and hitches:

• Figure eight (‘achtknoop’)

• Figure eight on a bight (‘dubbele achtknoop’)

• Overhand knot (‘overhandse knoop’, ‘zaksteek’)

• Cow hitch (‘leeuwerikskop’, also often wrongly called ‘ankersteek’ in ASAC)

• Classic Prusik knot (‘Prusikknoop’) - section 6.1.

• Optional but useful: Clove hitch ('hele mastworp') - section 6.2.

• Optional but useful: Munter hitch ('halve mastworp') - section 6.2.

• Optional but useful: Double fisherman’s knot (‘dubbele vissersknoop’)’

This guide assumes you already know the first four knots, their uses and their weaknesses. If you don’t, educate yourself with the links provided above. The next part of this guide will focus on the classic Prusik knot (‘Prusikknoop’).

7. OVS techniques

Now that we’ve covered materials, knots and hitches, we can begin discussing the biggest part of OVS, the climbing skills and techniques. During your OVS exam, you will be tested in your proficiency in the following skills and techniques:

• Connecting two anchor bolts (‘haken verbinden’);

• Making a top rope system (‘toprope bouwen’);

• Cleaning the route (‘ombouwen’) in three different ways;

  1. Standard cleaning practice (‘ombouwen’);

  2. Cleaning with little room in the bolts (‘ombouwen met weinig ruimte in de haken’);

  3. Cleaning a route from a single bolt (retreating from a route on a single bolt) (‘ombouwen op één haak’);

• Abseiling (rappelling);

• Other OVS skills like warming up, reading the guidebook and risk awareness; these are explained in the other sections of this guide.

The skills and techniques mentioned above are explained and summarised in the following paragraphs.

7.2. Cleaning the route

This section will describe three ways of ‘cleaning’ the route (‘ombouwen’). Two of these techniques can be used to clean the route from the anchor. The third technique is used to retreat from a single bolt somewhere along the route. 

7.2.1. Standard cleaning practice

You’re finished with the route and want to clean the route without leaving any of your gear.

1. You arrive at the anchor (‘anker’, ‘standplaats’, ‘relais’). Place a quickdraw in the closest anchor bolt. In case you were climbing on top rope there is no need to place a quickdraw at the anchor. Then, ask your belayer for a block using the standard command (‘[name], block!’) You now hang comfortably suspended at the anchor.

2. Attach yourself to the anchor using your PAS (‘zelfzekering’). ⚠️ Make sure the carabiner on your PAS is locked. Rest your weight on the PAS by asking your belayer for slack (‘[name] touw uit!’). Step 1 in the image below.

3. Pull up a little slack and push a bight of the rope (see image below) through the main anchor point (if the anchor is sealed, i.e. pre-connected by chains), or else through both round bolts (‘ronde haken’) of the anchor. Step 2 in the image below

4. Tie a figure eight knot on the bight and clip this to your belay loop using a locking carabiner (preferably a ‘safebiner’). Step 3 in the image below.

5. ⚠️Check the system: is your new figure eight-knot on a bight tied correctly? Is it attached to your belay loop and is the locking carabiner closed properly? Does the rope run through the main anchor point (in case of a sealed anchor) or through both bolts (in case of an ‘open’ anchor)?

6. Untie from the end of the rope (the eight-knot you originally tied in with when you were still on the ground). Step 4 in the image below.

7. Pull the end of the rope you just untied through the anchor. Step 4 in the image below.

8. Remove the quickdraw which isn’t holding your weight (if it’s there). Ask your belayer to take you tight (‘[name], block!’).

9. Rest your weight on the rope, you should now hang in the rope and the PAS should be unloaded. If the system works properly, remove your PAS (‘zelfzekering’). You can now ask your belayer to lower you to the ground and take out any remaining quickdraws (‘setjes’) on the route as you go down. 

Please note:
The described technique only works on round bolts (‘ronde haken’). If you’re on a route with sharps bolts (‘scherpe haken’), ask someone else to climb and clean the route for you, or alternatively add a piece of material (e.g. a snapper or a locking carabiner to ‘create’ a round bolt). You will then have to leave this piece of equipment on the route. 

💡 If you have to leave a piece, it is preferred to leave a snapper on the route, and not a maillon (also known as a quick link. Usually you can take a snapper from one of your quickdraws (‘setjes’). If you don’t feel comfortable with lowering off a single snapper, leave a locking carabiner. Some people will use a maillon instead. This is not recommended. Why? (Credit: AlpineSavvy, link)

• Maillons can make it harder for the next person up to clip a quickdraw into the bolt;

• If the next climber clips a quickdraw over the top of your maillon and keeps climbing, a fall at that point might leverage the snapper on the draw and break it; 

• Especially if it stays there for a while, maillons can start to rust close and can be very hard to remove.

⚠️If you encounter a maillon in a bolt when climbing, always clip your quickdraw in or under the maillon. If you clip the quickdraw over/above a maillon, your quickdraw might break during a fall.

💡 If you’re going to try a route that might be too hard for you and there is no one else around who wants to climb and clean the route in case you don’t make it, make sure to check beforehand if the route has round bolts (‘ronde haken’) or sharp bolts (‘scherpe haken’). If the route has round bolts, prepare to be able to clean on a single bolt. If the route has sharp bolts, be ready to bring an extra piece of gear to leave in the route, in case you have to retreat. Alternatively, consider climbing another route.

7.3. Abseiling (rappelling)

Abseiling is a technique that is sometimes used to access areas which are not accessible from the ground (you’ll need to abseil in from the top of the crag) or in some areas where you may not be allowed to lower directly from the bolts to prevent them from wearing out. Abseiling is also extensively used to descend from multi-pitch climbs (OVM course). The abseil is used to lower safely from an anchor to the ground without having someone else belaying you. To abseil, you’ll first need to ready the rope, then you can build the abseil, after which you can lower safely.

7.3.1. Readying the rope for the abseil

1. Connect yourself to the anchor (‘standplaats’) using your PAS (‘zelfzekering’). ⚠️Make sure the carabiner on your PAS is locked. If the anchor is ‘open’ (i.e. not connected safely), connect the bolts first (section 7.1).

2. If you climbed up first, and now want to abseil, you will have to go off-belay first. You need to go off-belay because you’ll need all the rope for yourself. When off-belay, you will only be attached to the redundant anchor. To go off-belay, you use the command ‘[name] stand!]. The belayer will now remove their belay device from the system and confirm this with the climber (‘[name], off belay!).

⚠️Never use the ‘stand’ command in any other situation, this can be a deadly mistake!

3. Pull up three metres of slack, tie an overhand knot to your harness belay loop (or connect it to a spare carabiner if you have one, or tie a figure eight on a bight and use a locking carabiner, depending on how protective you want to be with possibly dropping the rope). Once rope is secured to you, untie your figure eight from the belay loop and pass it through the main anchor point.

Alternatively, you can pull up the rope from the belayers’ side, pass the end through the main anchor point (tie a fat knot in the end, see step 4), and then pass the rope through until you find the middle marking (step 5). This way you stay tied in longer. 

⚠️️ Do not pull the rope through a sharp bolt hanger. Always put it through a round point such as a round bolt, a ring or a maillon. Ropes do not like the sharp bend radius of a sharp bolt.

4. ⚠️Tie a fat knot (an eight on a bight, a regular eight or an overhand) in the rope end you’ve just pulled through, about 1 metre from the end of the rope. This stops you from accidentally abseiling off the end of the rope. Later, you’ll tie another knot on the other end of the rope. At this point you may release the rope from your harness.

5. Pull the rope through the main anchor point until you’re at the middle of the rope. Most ropes have a middle marking (a black stripe). If you don’t have a middle marking, have your belayer notify you if you before you pull their end of the rope off the ground.

6. As you’re pulling the rope through the anchor point, begin coiling it around your arm or at your feet. 

7. ⚠️Tie a knot (step 3) on the other end of the rope. If you are rappelling from the top of a pitch you just climbed, have the belayer confirm the knot on their end of the rope. 

8. Shout ‘watch out, rope!’ in whatever language that is applicable to the area you are in (Dutch: ‘kijk uit, touw!’; French: ‘attention, corde!’; German: ‘Achtung, Seil!’; Spanish: ‘Atención, cuerda!’).

When you are certain that no one could get hit by your ropes, you can throw them. Take the first bunch of rope one hand and the second bunch with the other hand. Throw both bunches down independently. When you throw the first bunch, remain attentive to the rope near the anchor as it may move the middle of the rope away from the main anchor point(s).

If there are climbers beneath you, you should either wait and let them complete their climb, or seek their permission to gradually lower your rope ends down. Although gradually lowering your rope may cause your ropes to get stuck on rock features or bushes, it will be far less dangerous for any person who is leading their way up.

7.3.2. Building the abseil

To build the abseil you will either need:

• a separate 60 cm sling that is tied to your belay loop using a cow hitch;

• an overhand knot in the 120 cm sling that you may be using as a PAS.

• A daisy chain PAS.

Always make sure you have the necessary equipment to abseil when you are still on the ground. If the rope is prepared correctly, you may build the abseil using the following steps.

1. Attach your Prusik cord (‘Prusiktouw’) to both strands of the rope using a Prusik knot (Section 6). If your Prusik cord is still ‘open’(i.e. not connected on the ends), close the cord using an overhand knot or a double fisherman’s knot (it is strongly recommended to have a closed cord prepared). 

2. Check if the Prusik ‘bites’: does it slide if you suddenly pull on it? If it doesn’t, loop the Prusik once more. Does it bite too easily? Use one loop less. If you have your hand on the Prusik, it should slide over the rope, and bite when it is suddenly loaded heavily. The Prusik functions as a stop to your fall in case you might be rendered unconscious, or it can be used as a brake during the abseil.

3. Attach the closed Prusik to your belay loop using a locking carabiner (preferably a safebiner). ⚠️ Lock the carabiner.

4. Grab both strands of the rope above the Prusik and pull up some extra slack through the knot. Then fold the strands into two bights and push them through your ATC belay device (‘teeth’ of the ATC up for lower friction when descending, teeth down for higher friction when descending).

5. Attach a locking carabiner through both rope strands and through the wire loop on your ATC, then attach this carabiner (with ATC) to your 60 cm sling or to the knot in your 120 sling that you may be using as a PAS. ⚠️ Lock the carabiner.

6. ⚠️Check the system on these five points (from top to bottom):

   1. Does the rope run through the main anchor point(s)?

   2. Is the carabiner on your ATC locked and does it run through both strands of the rope and the main loop of your ATC belay device?

   3. Is the carabiner on your Prusik locked and is the Prusik knot functional?

   4. Can the Prusik reach the belay device? If the answer is yes, then either your ATC is not far away enough, or your Prusik is too long.

   5. Did you tie knots at the end of both strands of the rope?

8. Other OVS skills

This section goes into some other OVS-related skills that will help you to become a full-fledged independent outdoor climber. 

8.1. Warming up

Always warm up before climbing, even if others might choose not to. Warming up prevents injury and primes us for performance and even the mental aspects of climbing. It is always a good idea to combine a general warm-up (using big muscle groups in order to ‘recruit’ the muscles and elevate the heart-rate) with a more climbing specific warm-up (pulling on holds on the ground to wake up the fingers). About 5 to 15 minutes is good to get everything done. Creating a routine that works for you is a great idea and will help you focus on the task at hand. 

When you’re done warming up on the ground you can warm up fully by either/and/or:

• Climbing a route that you know and/or a route that is well within your capability;

• Climbing a route with bigger holds;

• Climbing a more challenging route in sections (e.g. from bolt to bolt or five moves at a time), avoiding excessive build up of ‘pump’ in the forearms.

8.2. Reading the guidebook

A guidebook, or a ‘topo’ is a book in physical or digital format in which the climbing area is described and the routes are documented. Sometimes the area is so large or popular that there are more than one guidebook available.

A climbing area, e.g. Berdorf or Ceüse, consists of multiple sectors or (usually called ‘gebiedjes’ in Dutch). Each sector will consist of a bit of rock with multiple routes. The routes are usually indicated with a line on a drawing or a photograph. On each sector, the guidebook will probably contain the following information:

• The geographical orientation of the sector (e.g. south face, north face etc.)

• The names of the routes;

• The grade;

• Who bolted it and when;

• Who did the first ‘free’ ascent (i.e. on lead, without the use of aid, not to be confused with 'free solo') and when they did it;

• The length of the route;

• The protection (e.g. the amount of bolts);

• Indicators of the quality or style of the route.

To determine the sector(s) where you want to climb, it can be nice to skim the guidebook for sectors with a good amount and variety of routes, and to assess the (consistency in) difficulty of the routes. It is also often a good idea to look at the geographical orientation to assess the climbing conditions (e.g. usually on a hot summer day a north face will be nicer to climb on and vice versa).

Climbing grades
Usually in Europe, bolted ‘sport’ routes will be graded using the French numerical grading scale. The French grade is used to give potential climbers an idea of the general experience they’ll have on the route in terms of overall technical difficulty and strenuousness. There are other grading systems that work in other ways, e.g. grading scales that only give an indication of the hardest move on a route, the protection and potential danger of the route, but we won’t talk about those systems in this guide.

The French climbing grade consists of a number (from 1 to n, where 1 is the easiest and n is the hardest; currently in the 9’s), followed by a letter (a, b, or c in lowercase), indicating a subdivision of difficulty within the number grade. The use of uppercase letters (e.g. A, B, C) indicates that it is a boulder (French boulder grade), and not a sport route. Sometimes the letter is followed by a ‘+’, indicating a substep of difficulty between the letter grades.

3a > [...] > 6a+ > 6b > 6b+ > 6c > 6c+ > 7a > 7a+ > 7b > [...] > 9c

The grade will give no indication of the subjective quality of the route. It is important to note that all grading scales are inherently a subjective measure. Although there have been attempts to make it more objective. Because grades are so subjective, it is probably wise not to let the grade of the route determine your climbing experience too much.

How are grades established?
The first free ascensionist (i.e. who first climbed it on lead without the use of aid) will give their subjective opinion on the grade based on their experience on the route and in regard to other previously established routes that they have climbed before, where other routes in the area are the prime candidates for comparison. Other ascensionists who follow will then give their opinion on the grade. This way, over time a public consensus establishes the grade. Generally, it is considered that a definitive and valid opinion on the grade can only be given after having free climbed the route (i.e. on lead with no falls, not to be confused with free solo). 

In many climbing areas the lower grades are more ‘compressed’ than the higher grades. This means that steps between the lower grades can be bigger. Also the lower grades often are a bit ‘sandbagged’, which means that the difficulty through the viewpoint of consensus is probably higher than the grade in the guidebook would suggest. Often this has to do with the historical progression of climbing grades (7a used to be the hardest 'free' grade for a very long time) and with the routes changing over time (the holds on the route can wear out over time). Sometimes guidebook authors will change the grade of the route to a more modern standard, but also often the historical grade will prevail over modern consensus.

Ethics regarding ‘claiming’ a grade
Generally people will only ‘claim’ a grade if they have free climbed the route (i.e. on lead with no falls). This is a pretty arbitrary rule that has been established organically within the climbing community over the years. Therefore, don’t sweat it too much.  Of course, it is also possible to claim the grade without having free climbed it (e.g. on top rope, or on lead with falls). Generally it is considered good practice to mention the style in which you have climbed the route when claiming the grade in front of others. Of course, it doesn’t really matter that much, as long as it sits right with you.

9. Tips for your OVS exam

What is checked during the exam?
Below this text you can find the sheet that is used by the instructor to judge whether you are able to single-pitch climb outside independently and safely. During the exam, you will have to demonstrate the techniques as described in section 7 (making a top rope, cleaning the route, cleaning with little room in the bolts, cleaning on a single bolt / retreating, and building an abseil). You will also have to demonstrate that you’re able to lead climb on real rock. The instructor will also weigh in your knowledge and practice of:

• The partner check;

• Knots;

• Clipping in quickdraws;

• Belaying skills;

• Rope management;

• Foot faults;

• Risk assessment;

• Insight;

• Ethics.

How to deal with things learned outside of ASAC
You might have experience climbing outside in another country, with your friends outside of ASAC, or with another climbing group. You might have learned certain techniques during that time that you already use or have used. The techniques you have already learned might be safe, but they might not be ‘ASAC-proof’. This means you won’t be able to gain your OVS status using them. It’s that way for uniformity and therefore safety. If you have learned certain techniques previously that differ from this guide, I would recommend not sticking to them, and to learn the ‘ASAC-approved’ way instead. 

Practising OVS techniques at home
You can easily practice OVS techniques at home by using a chair or your kitchen cabinets as an anchor. Alternatively you can buy two ‘aanlegringen’ at the local hardware store or online and screw them onto a piece of wood to make a homebrew anchor to practice on. 

Immersing yourself in climbing culture
Go out there and meet other climbers! Also, there is a lot of climbing content available online for free these days if you want to immerse yourself from the comfort of home. Through this you can familiarise yourself with climbing techniques, ethics and culture well before you ever step foot outside. 

11. Other resources and materials

Other interesting resources with useful information regarding climbing safety and technique:

• AlpineSavvy - https://www.alpinesavvy.com/

• Petzl tech tips - https://www.petzl.com/INT/en/Sport/Rock-climbing

• Vdiffclimbing (American systems focused) - https://www.vdiffclimbing.com/

• NKBV kenniscentrum (Dutch) - https://nkbv.nl/kenniscentrum/?sort=undefined

• NKBV - climbing areas around the Netherlands (Dutch) - https://nkbv.nl/kenniscentrum/klimmen-rond-nederland.html

• NKBV - info sport climbing outside and maps of climbing areas around the Netherlands (Dutch) - https://nkbv.nl/sport/sportklimmen/buiten/

14. Changes to this guide or milestones

• Version 0.1 the first draft written in 2022. Other people took over the project but unfortunately they never finished it. 

• Version 0.2 the second draft written in the beginning of 2023.

• Version 0.3 the first complete draft, end of May 2023.

• Version 1.0, the first complete version after peer-review; June 2023

• Version 1.1, added a section on wet rock in Ethics, a section on quickdraws, a section on the clove hitch and munter hitch, plus some fixed some minor errors typos; April 2024

thanks for reading!