When one anchor may not be sufficient, which approach should be used?

• A. Use multiple anchors
• B. Use a single stronger anchor
• C. Use a longer rope
• D. Increase the friction

Answer: (A)

When one anchor may not be sufficient, you build a redundant, load-sharing anchor system by using multiple anchors and tying them together with proper equalization. This distributes the load across several points, so no single anchor bears the entire force. If one anchor starts to fail or pulls out, the others still hold, greatly increasing safety. It also lets you choose anchors with better backing and arrange them so the resultant force stays within manageable limits, reducing peak loads on any one point. A single stronger anchor would help if available, but you can’t rely on finding or using only one; adding length to the rope or increasing friction doesn’t create redundancy or distribute the load, so they don’t address the fundamental issue.