Ground-Level Lifeline: Passing Anchors with Two Carabiners

A horizontal via ferrata simulation: a course of ropes at chest height, fixed to posts and wall bars, with intermediate anchors. Students walk on the ground wearing a harness and double lanyard and practice the golden rule: never unclip both carabiners at once.

How to play

1. Put on and check harnesses in pairs: straps snug, buckles closed and lanyard attached with a girth hitch (6 min).
2. Explain the golden rule and the sequence for passing an anchor: unclip one carabiner, move it, close it, check it, and only then move the other (3 min).
3. Course with four rope sections and three intermediate anchors marked with cones; ten students at once, 3 m apart, while the rest observe (8 min).
4. Observers record every time someone has both carabiners open; second round with roles switched (8 min).
5. Final round in which the teacher deliberately rushes students to see whether the rule holds under pressure (3 min).
6. Review the recorded errors and connect them to real via ferrata accidents (2 min).

Rules

• Always walk on the ground; the rope is at chest height and no one hangs from it.
• Never have both carabiners open at once.
• Keep at least 3 m between people on the line.
• A partner checks each harness and the teacher confirms it before entering.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: completes the course in a wheelchair with a lanyard attached to a belt, handling only the carabiners.
• Visual impairment: follows the rope with one hand and a partner announces each anchor.
• Autism: practices the sequence first on an isolated section with no observers.

Learning goals

• Apply correct technique for moving with a double lanyard.
• Make a safety routine automatic so it holds up under pressure.
• Observe and record classmates' errors to help them improve.

Equipment for a class of 25

• harnesses: 10
• lanyards: 10
• ropes: 4
• cones: 16

Teacher tip

Use checked school equipment; if there are no harnesses, practice with sewn slings worn across the body. It is good preparation before a via ferrata outing with a certified company.

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