Span Anchors

Span Anchors are normally used where a Y-Hang or Multi anchor into a BFK would be too much of an angle if your only anchors were very close to your edge of danger.

But your anchors MUST be very unquestionable sound as the forces on them because the angle is over 120 degrees more 160/170 even.

Below is a typical Span Anchor set up using two ropes to create four lines across reducing the force on the ropes.

You need 3 slings on each anchor ideally, you could use 2 but it then makes it all bunched together with the knots.

Place a Fig 8/9 knot in one side then run the line to the other anchor and place into a single crab, then bring it back to the fig 8/9 side but on a separate sling place a descender ID Rig Clutch, or another make. Then pull the slack through the descender to make the 2 lines hand tight only.

Don’t use any MA or you will increase the force on the anchors.

Then complete the same for the second line but from the other anchor first so you don’t have it crowded one side.

In the below pics the yellow line was my first rope then the white my second.

Bring all four lines together to wrap 2 prusiks into a rigging plate (Or a Kootney can be used, or large crabs if they fit over 4 lines) but keep it shallow as you can as you increase your distance the danger edge, the reason for choosing Span Anchors in the first place.