Vertical caving terminology and methods > Ladders, climbs and older techniques
Where a lifeline starts from the bottom of a lead climb, aid climb or bolt climb. As the climber climbs, they add permanent or temporary anchors, which the rope is then connected to, then they climb above the anchors to place the next one. This results in a higher fall factor than top roping would have done, and in severe cases can approach fall factor 1, but 0.2-0.7 is more common. In extreme cases, where the climber climbs above the belayer with no further anchors above the belayer, and then falls past the ledge that the belayer is standing on, the fall factor can be as high as 2. Equipment is expected to fail, so multiple anchors are used, in the hopes that at least one manages to remain in use, and so that the failing anchors can at least absorb some of the shock load. This approach to belaying is generally avoided with caving, unless there is no other choice.
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