Climbing equipment to inhibit access to climbing route and methods to use the same

Abstract

A piece of equipment for climbing includes a barrier sheet, a carabiner receiver, and at least one anchor receiver. The barrier sheet has at least one lateral dimension that is sufficiently wide to effectively block access to hand holds at least at a start of a climbing route on a portion of the climbing wall when the carabiner is received by the carabiner receiver and a piece of webbing, cable or climbing rope to which the carabiner is physically coupled is under tension. Related methods of use and kits of the climbing equipment are also provided.

1 . A piece of equipment for climbing, comprising:
 a barrier sheet having a top portion, a bottom portion vertically opposed across the barrier sheet from the top portion, and at least one lateral dimension;   a carabiner receiver at least proximate the top portion, the carbineer receiver having an opening sized and dimensioned to removably receive at least a portion of a carabiner therethrough; and   at least one anchor receiver at least proximate the bottom portion, each of the at least one anchor receiver having an opening sized and dimensioned to receive a stem portion of an anchor fastener therethrough and to prevent passage of a head portion of the anchor fastener therethrough, to fixedly anchor the barrier sheet to at least one of a floor or a climbing wall proximate the floor,   the at least one lateral dimension of the barrier sheet being sufficiently wide to effectively block access to hand holds at least at a start of a climbing route on a portion of the climbing wall when the carabiner is received by the carabiner receiver, and a piece of webbing, a cable or a climbing rope to which the carabiner is physically coupled is under tension.   
     
     
         2 . The piece of equipment for climbing of  claim 1  wherein the carabiner receiver is a ring. 
     
     
         3 . The piece of equipment for climbing of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 at least one piece of webbing physically coupled to the top portion of the barrier sheet, wherein the ring is physically coupled to the barrier sheet by the at least one piece of webbing.   
     
     
         4 . The piece of equipment for climbing of  claim 3  wherein the at least one anchor receiver includes a plurality of grommets. 
     
     
         5 . The piece of equipment for climbing of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a plurality of pieces of webbing physically coupled along a bottom edge of the barrier sheet, wherein the at least one anchor receiver is at least one respective grommet fixed in the barrier sheet by a respective one of the plurality of pieces of webbing.   
     
     
         6 . The piece of equipment for climbing of  claim 3  wherein the at least one anchor receiver includes at least one grommet fixed in the barrier sheet. 
     
     
         7 . The piece of equipment for climbing of  claim 1  wherein the bottom portion of the barrier sheet is laterally larger than the top portion, and the at least one anchor receiver includes a first anchor receiver located at least proximate a left lateral edge of the barrier sheet and a second anchor receiver located at least proximate a right lateral edge of the barrier sheet. 
     
     
         8 . The piece of equipment for climbing of  claim 7  wherein the barrier sheet is triangular, and further comprising:
 at least one reinforcement web extending about a periphery of the barrier sheet and fixed thereto. 
 
     
     
         9 . The piece of equipment for climbing of  claim 1  wherein the top portion of the barrier sheet is laterally larger than the bottom portion, and further comprising:
 at least two tension members each attached to the barrier sheet at least proximate a top edge thereof and physically coupled to the carabiner receiver. 
 
     
     
         10 . The piece of equipment for climbing of  claim 9  wherein the barrier sheet is triangular. 
     
     
         11 . The piece of equipment for climbing of  claim 1  wherein the top portion of the barrier sheet is laterally larger than the top bottom portion, and further comprising:
 at least a rod supportingly coupled to the barrier sheet extending laterally across the barrier sheet at least proximate a top edge of the barrier sheet. 
 
     
     
         12 . The piece of equipment for climbing of  claim 11  wherein the barrier sheet is triangular. 
     
     
         13 . The piece of equipment for climbing of  claim 11  wherein the at least one lateral dimension of the barrier sheet sufficiently wide to effectively block access to hand holds at least at a start of a climbing route is at least  3  feet wide. 
     
     
         14 . A kit for securing climbing routes on climbing walls, the kit comprising:
 a number of anchor fasteners; and   a barrier, the barrier comprising:
 a barrier sheet which is triangular in shape, having a top portion, a bottom portion, and at least one lateral dimension; 
 a carabiner receiver at least proximate the top portion, the carbineer receiver having an opening sized and dimensioned to removably receive at least a portion of a carabiner therethrough; and 
 at least one anchor receiver at least proximate the bottom portion, each of the at least one anchor receiver having an opening sized and dimensioned to receive a stem portion of an anchor fastener therethrough and to prevent passage of a head portion of the anchor fastener therethrough, to fixedly anchor the barrier sheet to at least one of a floor or a climbing wall proximate the floor, 
   the at least one lateral dimension of the barrier sheet sufficiently wide to effectively block access to a climbing route on a portion of the climbing wall when the carabiner is received by the carabiner receiver and a piece of webbing, a cable or a climbing rope to which the carabiner is physically coupled is under tension.   
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 14  wherein the top portion is at an apex of the triangular barrier sheet and the bottom portion extends along an edge of the triangular barrier sheet, opposite the apex. 
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 15  wherein the carabiner receiver is a ring coupled at least proximate the apex of the triangular barrier sheet with respect to the bottom portion and the anchor receiver includes a plurality of grommets coupled at least proximate the edge of the triangular barrier sheet, opposite the apex. 
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a climbing carabiner; and   a tether.   
     
     
         18 . A method of use of a piece of equipment for climbing, the method comprising:
 positioning a barrier sheet in front of a climbing route on a climbing wall, the barrier sheet having a top portion, a bottom portion vertically opposed across the barrier sheet from the top portion, and at least one lateral dimension;   anchoring the bottom portion of the barrier sheet to at least one of a floor or the climbing wall proximate the floor in front of the climbing route; and   detachably coupling the top portion of the barrier sheet to a carabiner coupled to a piece of webbing, a cable or a climbing rope that is for the climbing route.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 removing the carabiner from a carabiner receiver to gain access to the climbing route.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 attaching the carabiner to a climbing harness after removing the carabiner from the carabiner receiver, the piece of webbing, the cable or the climbing rope attached to the climbing wall via an auto-belay device;   detaching the carabiner from the climbing harness after climbing; and   reattaching the carabiner to the top portion of the barrier sheet after detaching the carabiner from the climbing harness to subsequently deny access to the climbing route.