What is the difference between natural anchors and artificial anchors, and what safety considerations apply?

• A. Natural anchors rely on rock features; artificial anchors use bolts or gear; evaluate stability, redundancy, and suitability for load and route.
• B. Natural anchors rely on bolts; artificial anchors use trees.
• C. Natural anchors are always safer.
• D. Artificial anchors require no inspection.

Answer: (A)

Natural anchors rely on rock features, while artificial anchors use bolts or gear placements. The safety focus here is on stability, redundancy, and suitability for the load and route. Stability means making sure the rock feature or gear is solid, not loose, and unlikely to shift under load. Redundancy means having backup points so a single failure doesn’t lead to a fall. Suitability for the load and route involves whether the anchor can handle the dynamic forces of a fall, whether load is distributed properly, and whether the setup fits the route’s length and pull direction. In practice, you assess the anchor before trusting it, inspect for wear or movement, and back up when possible. The correct idea here is that natural anchors are rock-based, artificial anchors are gear or bolts, and safety rests on how stable, backed up, and appropriately loaded the anchor is.