Rock Climbing
Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up, across, or down natural rock formations. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a usually pre-defined route without falling. Rock climbing is a physically and mentally demanding sport, one that often tests a climber’s strength, endurance, agility and balance along with mental control. Knowledge of proper climbing techniques and the use of specialized climbing equipment is crucial for the safe completion of routes.
To reach the summit or end point of a formation through free-climbing using one’s own strength.
Basic TECHNIQUES
The most basic form of rock climbing involves climbing a rock with one’s own hands and feet with a little more than a cushioned bouldering pad as protection. This climbing style is called bouldering because the relevant routes are commonly found on boulders no more than 10-15 feet tall.
In top-roping, an anchor is set up at the top of a route before starting a climb. A rope is run through the anchor. One end of the rope is attached to the climber and the other one to the belayer; whose job is to keep the rope taut during the climb and prevent long falls. It is the safest form of rock climbing and is mostly used by beginners.
Style
Aid climbing is climbing on big walls where progress is attained by repeatedly placing and weighting gears which are used directly to aid ascent and provide safety. Gear help in protecting a climber against falls; they do not aid the ascent directly.
Sport Climbing involve the use of permanent anchors which are attached to the rock walls.
Bouldering involves climbing on short, low routes without using of the safety rope or devices, except for a few cushioned bouldering pads.
Free climbing refers to climbs that only rely on the climber’s own skill and physical strength to accomplish the climb. Anchors, ropes, and protection are involved to provide back up to the climber. This form of climbing is passive as opposed to active ascending aids.
In Free-soloing the climbing is done by a single person without any protective gear or rope at all.
Solo aid climbing is free-soloing in which protective gear is allowed to be carried but rope is not used.
EQUIPMENT
Rock climbing equipment is used not only to aid in climbing, but also to provide safety.
Climbing rope is made of nylon fibers which are able to stretch a bit that prevents the effect of jerking on a falling climber. The rope is typically 50 meters long. Rappelers also use climbing rope.
Webbing is a flat hollow nylon strip which is used as a sling. It does not stretch. It is also used by rappelers.
Carabiners are solid aluminum rings that come with a spring-loaded gate which can be opened. The spring keeps the gate closed, but it can be opened to admit a rope.
Quick draws are used to attach ropes to bolt anchors or other protective equipment. They allow the rope to run with minimal friction.
Cams are spring loaded devices, used for protection.
A harness is used for attaching the climbing rope to a person. Most of these harnesses are worn around the pelvis.
A belay is a mechanical device used to create friction while exerting friction on a climbing rope to prevent a falling climber not to fall very far, enabled by putting bends in the rope.
Rappelling devices or descenders are friction brakes which are designed for descending ropes. The figure eight is the most favorably used descender.
A climbing harness surrounds the waist of the rappeler to secure them.
The Bachmann knot can be used as a safety back-up, also known as a third hand, and is used as a back-up in case the rappeler loses control of the rappel. Helmets, boots, gloves and pads are used to protect the rappeler from bumps and scrapes.
Comparison Chart
Overview
Rappelling
Rappelling is a controlled descent down a rock with the use of ropes. (It’s also called abseiling in Britain, New Zealand, Australia and Ireland).
Rock Climbing
A sport of climbing natural rock formations or artificial rock walls with or without rope. Rock climbers use rappelling in descent.
Aim
To climb down a steep cliff or slope when it is too steep to descend without protection.
To reach the summit or end point of a formation through free-climbing using one’s own strength.
Equipment
Climibing ropes; climbing harness; anchors, hexes, nuts and camming devices; descender devices; Bachman knot; helmets; gloves; boots; knee-pads
Rope, cord and webbing, Carabiners, quickdraws, harnesses; belay devices, rapellers or descender devices, Ascenders, Slings, Anchors, hexes, nuts and camming devices, helmet, gloves and climbing shoes.
Basic Techniques
Other than descending safely down the rope, rappelling but also incorporates a lot of other climbing skills including creating anchors, tying knots, rope management, rigging the rappel device, using safety back-up systems, and retrieving the rope.
Bouldering, top roping, lead
climbing, descending(rapelling).
Styles
Australian rapelling; tandem or spider rapelling; simul; counter balance; non-mechanical methods.
Aid climbing; free-climbing; bouldering; free soloing; sport climbing; solo aid; indoor climbing.
Competitions
There are local rappelling challenges but not a world wide competition.
Tarted in Europe in the 1970s. Based on short routes without using ropes, difficult routes using rope, speed climbing. There is world championship held every two years during Olympic ‘off years’.