Mountaineering Basics: Anchors: Selecting an Anchor
A good anchor for belays is a large natural feature, such as a live, well-rooted tree or pillar of sound rock.

Mountaineering Basics: Anchors: Tying In
The most common way for the belayer to tie in to the anchor is with the climbing rope itself. Alternatives exist in certain situations.

Mountaineering Basics: Applying Friction: Belay Devices
Most belay devices amplify the friction of the braking hand by passing the rope through an opening and wrapping it around a post.

Mountaineering Basics: Applying Friction: Breaking Hand
Except for the Grigri, the braking hand produces the initial force by the friction of the belayer's hand gripping the rope.

Mountaineering Basics: Applying Friction: Choosing Methods
Significant trade-off in risks must be considered when choosing a belay method.

Mountaineering Basics: Applying Friction: The Munter Hitch
The Munter hitch is a very effective method of using only the rope and a carabiner to provide the friction necessary to stop a fall.

Mountaineering Basics: Belaying: An Introduction
Belaying is a bedrock technique of climbing safety, a system of using a rope to stop a fall if one should occur.

Mountaineering Basics: Belaying: Holding the Fall
Let's look in a little more detail at what happens when I slip off the rock as you are belaying me up.

Mountaineering Basics: Belaying: Protecting the Leader
The way to reduce, if not eliminate, the risk for the leader is for the leader to place protection as he/she climbs.

Mountaineering Basics: Belaying: Simple Top-Rope Belay
A simple top-rope belay is a basic way to let your partner climb up to you with little danger of any serious fall.