abstract:Top rope climbing (or Top roping) is a style in climbing in which a rope, used for the climber's safety, runs from a belayer at the foot of a route through one or more carabiners connected to an anchor system at the top of the route and back down to the climber, usually attaching to the climber by means of a harness. Assuming that the route is predominantly bottom-to-top; that the anchor holds; and that the belayer pays attention, the top-rope climber generally will not fall more than a short distance and can thus safely attempt even the most difficult routes.
At the top of each pitch, he pulled up the slack in the rope, fixed it to the anchor and started climbing again, while I used mechanical ascenders to get to the station and put him on belay as fast as I could.