How to Spot Someone Who Is Bouldering

The spotter's job is an important one: to ensure that the climber returns to terra firma in one piece.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• First Aid Kits
• Athletic Tapes
• Climbing Gear
• Climbing Harnesses
• Climbing Helmets
• Climbing Ropes
• Climbing Shoes

1. Position a crash pad, if you are using one, before the climber leaves the ground. Keep it in one place while the climber is climbing unless another person can move it for you or it's absolutely safe to move it without spotting. Sometimes a lone spotter can slide a crash pad along the ground with his feet, while keeping his hands up and ready for a fall.

2. Be prepared for a fall the moment the climber leaves the ground. If the climber is doing a difficult sit start, with her rear end on the ground, keep your hands behind her head as she begins.

3. Keep your hands up and above your chest and directly behind and beneath the climber. If the climber moves laterally, so do you.

4. Keep one eye on the climber and the other one on the ground when you move laterally. Beware of rocks on the ground that might cause you to trip.

5. Keep your feet firmly planted on the ground, with your legs spread for stability and bent slightly at the knees.

6. Use your hands to absorb a fall and to guide the climber to a safe and controlled landing. Do not try to physically catch a falling climber.

7. Hold onto the fallen climber until you're sure she is steady and on her feet.

8. Communicate with the climber. If she knows she is about to fall, she should warn you.

Tips & Warnings

• Team up with another spotter for more effective spotting.
• Bouldering is a physically demanding sport that could result in serious injury. We recommend that you seek the proper equipment and training before undertaking this activity.

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on 8/8/2006 If you know your spotters, it's good to have more than one person (depending on the level of difficulty of the climb of course). I'm not saying you should have half a dozen, as that many will be too crowded, but it can't hurt to have more than one spotter on a difficult climb, especially if you are rather high up could fall horizontally (lie back, reaching both vertically and horizontally, etc). If this were the case, your one spotter would not have time to run sideways while trying to spot you at the same time.

I know one thing for sure, multiple spotters make me feel a whole lot safer on those sketchy highball problems.

on 11/22/2005 Please pay careful consideration to this. DO NOT EVER EVER team up with another spotter or group of spotters. The other spotters will assume that one of the other spotters is going to catch the person if he or she falls. ONLY ONE spotter, please.