What equipment was present on the second step that affected movement?

• A. A fixed rope system.
• B. A satellite beacon.
• C. An aluminum ladder attached to the wall.
• D. A metal piton anchor.

Answer: (C)

Fixed equipment on a step changes how you move because it changes the space you have to place your feet and how you can balance. On the second step, an aluminum ladder attached to the wall would occupy part of the step’s footprint and provide a vertical structure you might grab for balance. This means your foot placement, stride, and trajectory are altered compared to a plain step, since you have to navigate around or interact with the ladder. The ladder being fixed doesn’t move with you, so it directly shapes your movement pattern, making it the best answer. Other items described would either not sit on the step in a way that affects foot placement or would serve different purposes (like signaling or anchoring elsewhere) and not change how you move on that specific step.