FIRST AND FOREMOST

A first highline installation must NEVER be carrying out without the help of qualified highliner or high-mountain professional (such as high altitude mountain guide, climbing teacher…).

To be safe at any time

You will be close to heights. Those heights that everybody dreads are there : before, during and after the session.

Before : Go to a highline anchor can be easy (big platform by foot) or a real problem (overhanging belay station). Get all the required gear prepared depending on the approach. Then, when you acces the anchors, stay attached. Everybody must know himself about being close to heights. You don’t feel good, secure yourself.

During : Set up a highline is maybe the most dangerous part. You will build the anchors, do/undo several knots, use tools (driller), move several times, go up/down. So, everytime you change your position, try to think of what you do to be safe.

More particularly, most of the incidents occur during the rigging of the webbing. Indeed, the gear is stressed with high forces. A biner is left open, you will just see it when it will blast at this stage. So it’s important to check, before rigging the webbing that:

  • Bolts are screwed, bolt hangers are in the right direction.
  • Every piece of gear is closed, screwed, works in its right axe.
  • Backups are done.
  • Nobody is attached to a piece of gear that will be stressed when rigging.
  • Everybody pulling to rig the webbing is attached on the backup or better, to an other system.

At this stage, you can start the rigging, stil checking that :

  • Anchors are behaving as supposed (good equalizations)
  • No noise except a bolt hanger moving or a bee fart occurs.
  • If the webbing or the LineGrip rips or cracks, or whatever else happens, you stop the rigging and figure out a solution.
  • At the end of the rigging you pull gently with no shocks, to prevent from important heat on the webbing.

Perfect, the webbing is rigged, the backup too with the same spirit but much less force. You checked everything again. You can highline. Be careful when you access to the highline, but most of the time we are quite concentrated to detach ourselves after attaching the leash on the harness. Nevertheless, when you will come out of your session, pumped or dynamized, be aware to attach yourself before undoing your leash. It happens so fast, while speaking with your friends about the crazy moment you had…

After : End of the day, tired, night, rain… Everything can disturbed you about your safety. In alpine sports, the descent is the most dangerous part of the course. It can be the same in highlining. Stay focus and keep the same mood than in the beginning of the day and everything will be allright.

Required slackline level for highline

The art of highline pushes the slacker into a whole new dimension. The discovery of this new universe cannot be improvised. On top of its relatively complex highline installation, the required level and personal commitment in order to perform such type of crossing are rather important.

The slacker must IMPERATIVELY master the sit start (either the classical sit start or the Chongo Start) before even thinking about realizing a highline. Indeed, this start is the unique way to sufficiently move away from the cliffside and hence avoid a strike into it one in case of a fall. Moreover, this start allows an easier catch of the strap in case of a fall and, that way; avoid a fall entirely based on the leash.

The slacker must ALWAYS try to catch the line when loosing its balance. Try to avoid at any time a fall on the leash as it frees much more energy (refer, The forces involved).

The slacker must easily evolve (sitting start, 180°, 360°, Criss Cross Cruise, Knee Drop) on a slackline twice longer than the highline he wishes to cross.