Which practice best describes redundancy in anchor selection?

• A. Relying on a single anchor
• B. Using multiple independent anchors to distribute load
• C. Avoiding anchors altogether
• D. Anchors chosen solely by gear color

Answer: (B)

Redundancy in anchor selection means building a system that would stay intact even if one element fails. The best practice is to set up multiple independent anchors to distribute the load across several points. This way, if one anchor loosens, slips, or fails due to rock failure, the others still hold, keeping the rope system secure and the rescue moving. Independence is key: anchors should not share the same failure path or be tied to the same piece of gear in a way that a single event could take them all out. Using multiple anchors also allows better load distribution and reduces the peak load on any single point, increasing overall safety, especially on dynamic loads. Choosing anchors based on color is unreliable—color tells you nothing about strength, redundancy, or suitability. Relying on a single anchor is high risk, and avoiding anchors altogether defeats the purpose of a protection system. So the best description of redundancy is using multiple independent anchors to distribute load.