“What goes up must come down”. Or at least try to. For the mountaineer, the motivation and attraction usually come from the ascent. All too often, so much effort and planning are invested in the climb that preparation for the inevitable descent is neglected.

Hill walking and scrambling

Planning
Any day out in the hills should be planned in advance. A rough calculation of the distance and total height gain over the course of each day will allow a simple estimation of the time required using a modern version of Naismith’s rule (4 or 5 kms per hour, with the addition of 1 minute for every 10 metres of height gained). Awkward terrain, scrambles and complex descents will all add considerably to this time, but are usually predictable with careful examination of the map, guidebook, local experts etc.

Be sure to add some time for regular breaks, chats, photo-stops etc. and compare the resulting estimate with the available daylight hours. Struggling downhill in the dark is character-building stuff, but is usually avoidable. Contingency planning of alternative “escape” routes will pay dividends when the unexpected occurs.

Navigation
Accurate navigation is essential in order to pin point the top of the correct route. Careful observation will assist with route finding in descent. Popular paths will show tell-tale signs of polished rock, flattened or eroded grass, and often signs of stabilisation work. In reasonable visibility and summer conditions, any cairns and waymarkers will often appear ridiculously superfluous.

Problems often occur because a party has lost the descent route and pressed ahead on to difficult ground. It is a good idea for the leader to check any forks in a path. Often back tracing a few yards will reveal an alternative route around an awkward step. In poor visibility, the most experienced member of the party should take the lead and be prepared to explore a few yards ahead occasionally to reduce the need for weaker party members to back tread. Experience will develop a kind of sixth sense over path choice on mixed ground. Stay tuned to angle changes ahead, vanishing horizons, recent footprints retracing their steps, ground changing from boulders to small crags.

Scrambles
Often a mountain day will include some scrambling in descent. In poor visibility it is generally unwise to descend scrambles unless you already know them and are familiar with some landmarks. Some scrambles, such as the Goat Track on Devil’s Kitchen, or Gearr Aonach’s Zig zags are technically straightforward but traverse loose scree above dangerous drops. Finding the correct route in mist is extremely difficult and should not be contemplated without previous reconnaissance. Be aware of the consequences of a possible slip and to be particularly careful in exposed situations. Accidents on simple scrambles like Scafell’s Broad Stand are frequent due to reluctance to turn inwards and face the rock while negotiating the descent.

Loose rock
Stone fall is perhaps the greatest hazard to a walker on steep rocky ground. For this and other reasons gullies are generally best avoided in descent unless they are known to be safe. On rocky ground keeping the party together and well briefed on the danger of stonefall will minimise the stonefall risk. All members of the party should be aware of the dangers of standing in the line of fire and reminded that dislodging rocks can endanger other walkers.

Rope?
Hill walkers should not have to resort to the use of a rope to negotiate a descent. It is almost always quicker and safer to explore other descent options. However, in greasy conditions some standard descents can become awkward and perhaps dangerous for the less confident. Carrying a short length of climbing rope is a sensible precaution, and somebody in the party should know how to lower people over a short drop, and follow if necessary by abseiling. Choosing suitable anchors requires experience and judgement; a mistake here will be catastrophic. Scrambling may well involve the use of a rope in ascent and descent, and even simple scrambles might become difficult if for some reason the party is forced to retreat. Mountaineers should always be aware of this possibility, and avoid pressing on into situations where a retreat is beyond their abilities.

Rock climbing

Before rushing onto the rock face it is worth stepping back for a moment and asking yourself how you are going to get back down to terra firma. Some guidebooks are notoriously reticent about the descent route - on the other hand it is all too easy to read only the climb description, leaving an excellent descent description in the rucksack at the bottom of the crag.
Most British crags have a traditional descent, often involving some scrambling. This may be at either end of the crag, down a gully, or perhaps reversing an easy climb.

The descent route
Descent routes are often more apparent when viewed from a distance below the crag and during the approach is likely to be the best time to figure out where the descent goes. A good example of this is Clogwyn du’r Arddu, where the Eastern Terrace is a dominant feature of much of the approach walk, and can be related to the top of intended climbs. On any descent path/scramble, good route-finding skills are required to minimise difficult/dangerous steps. Cloggy’s Eastern Terrace is again a good example, as although the general line is obvious from a distance, sections of the descent require careful inspection and zig-zagging to avoid bad steps.

Abseil descents
A controversial development is the proliferation of abseil descents on traditional crags. Examples may be found from Tremadog to Gordale, Coire an Sneachda to Ben Nevis. There are many examples of abseil descents which are killing trees by ring-barking the trunk or simply eroding the roots. Some abseil descents damage classic climbs by polishing or clumsy footwork, some endanger climbers below. On the other hand, walking descents can cause considerable erosion. In any case the most recent guidebook should be consulted for advice about the recommended descent. Abseil slings should be treated with extreme caution, and ideally should be either removed after use or left with a metal link to eliminate friction of rope on sling.

Sport Climbs
Sports routes are often equipped with lower off points at the top of the route; thus avoiding damage to plant life and disturbing loose rocks. Descent is likely to involve rethreading the rope. Novice sport climbers should take time to practice a foolproof method before leaving the ground. Whatever method you use should not involve hanging from just one anchor whilst untied from the rope.

Unplanned retreats
Unplanned retreats will involve usually being lowered or abseiling from a secure anchor point; this will often necessitate linking several runners to create a central point. A sling may well be necessary to link the anchors under equal tension; this avoids shock loading the belay if any of the gear rips out under load. Be very wary about trusting in-situ equipment; even staple bolts have been known to fail when loaded, particularly if subjected to an outward pull. Try to use at least two pieces of equipment, or at least test the anchor thoroughly before trusting your life to it. A safer option is to leave as much equipment as necessary, then later retrieve this if feasible, perhaps by abseiling from the top of the crag. Equipment is expendable; climbers are not!

Mountaineering
The problems of route finding on descents become far more urgent on long routes and the descent should be considered very much as part of the route.

Scotland
Many Scottish routes involve difficult descents, often to be negotiated in the dark after completing a winter ascent. Accurate use of a map and compass are essential pre-requisites, as are a little prior planning. Huddling in the teeth of a gale on a Cairngorm plateau or Ben Nevis is not the time to start wondering about a suitable descent route. Alpine climbs often involve very complex descents, frequently over glaciated terrain. Guidebooks are laid out in a different way to British crag guides - rainy days are well spent perusing guidebooks and maps. Ski touring maps are quite handy as the ski routes are often (but not always) good descent routes.

The Alps
Descent skills are best practised in safe situations, thus allowing efficient movement in difficult conditions. Navigation, multiple abseils, glacier travel and crevasse rescue can all be fine-tuned before being required in a serious situation. Efficient movement comes from practice.

Glaciers
You should always rope up on snow-covered (“wet”) glaciers. In stable conditions tracks usually weave safe routes around crevasses, but beware! Some tracks may be left by inexperienced alpinists, and may even disappear down a hole! Be particularly wary in the vicinity of shoulders above steepenings, and on the outside of bends. Where a well-used trench exists, keep to it.

Abseils
Some descents are very complex, requiring a separate topo diagram. The descent from the Dru is a good example and will involve a complex combination of abseiling and down climbing.
Multi-pitch abseils can be enormously time-consuming. Speed comes from having a good system. Team work will pay dividends, with one retrieving the rope while the other feeds the free end through the next anchor. Two teams can work in tandem; leap-frogging through with a rope.

Carry some spare cord or tape so that you can back up any suspect abseil points, and try to avoid abseiling off single anchors. Some abseils are equipped with only a single large stanchion; treat this with caution. Ideally, anchors should be linked to provide a central point which equalises loading; often however, rigging is very poor, and where suspect do not be afraid to cut out old tape and start again. However, a balance is needed in the interests of speed: I once had to wait while a friend re-equalised 20 abseil stations on a long descent; fortunately the weather held out better than my patience!

On long abseils it is all too easy to miss out a belay station, only to find the rope running out in the middle of nowhere. Separate knots in each end of the rope (untie them before trying to retrieve the rope!), plus the use of a prusik safety back-up are all sensible precautions. I can well remember dodging rock fall on the Dru while trying to order my hand to continue gripping the rope if knocked unconscious! Fortunately this hypnosis was not put to the test, but it brought the lesson home. If the belay stations run out, ask yourself if it is more likely that you have lost the line, before you continue blindly. There is probably some reason why nobody else has continued on your line....

A rope getting stuck at the anchor or wrapping round a spike as it falls can cause serious delay or danger, but is often avoidable, either by sacrificing extra tape and/or a karabiner, by doing a test pull once the first climber is down or by moving the abseil station so that it is not above any spikes. If you skimp on this advice you will soon find yourself doing some scary prusiking!

The BMC also produce a useful abseil poster that can be purchased from the BMC publications section of the BMC online shop.

Greater ranges

Finally, in the greater ranges all the above descent skills may be needed, with no route descriptions or even reliable maps. Reserve energy and food must be kept for blocked valleys, floods, unexpected difficulties, and a host of surprises! An altimeter will help with morale, and is often a very useful navigational aid.

The safest mountaineers have served an apprenticeship; you can shortcut years but not mileage.

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