Rock
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and/or one's
feet to ascend a steep object. It is pursued both recreationally,
either to get to a destination otherwise inaccessible, or
for its own enjoyment, and also professionally, as part of
activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military
operations.
Climbing activities include the following:
Rock climbing : Ascending rock formations,
often with climbing shoes and a chalk bag. Equipment such
as ropes, bolts, nuts, hexes and camming devices are normally
employed, either as a safeguard or for artificial aid.
Bouldering : Ascending boulders or small
outcrops, often with climbing shoes and a chalk bag or bucket.
Usually, a safety rope from above is not employed - instead,
a crash pad (a combination of high and low density foam, within
a heavy duty fabric structure, often transported on the back)
and a human spotter (to direct a falling climber on to the
pad) are used to avoid injury.
Rope climbing : Climbing a short, thick rope
for speed. Not to be confused with roped climbing, as in rock
or ice climbing.
Rock, ice, and tree climbing have a common feature: all three
normally employ ropes for either safety or aid. Pole climbing
and rope climbing were among the first exercises to be included
in the origins of modern gymnastics in the late 18th century
and early 19th century. The sport of Mountaineering usually
requires rock and/or ice climbing.
ROCK CLIMBING
Rock climbing, broadly speaking, is the act of ascending steep
rock formations. Normally, climbers use gear and safety equipment
specifically designed for the purpose. Strength, endurance,
and mental control are required to cope with tough, dangerous
physical challenges, and knowledge of climbing techniques
and the use of essential pieces of gear and equipment are
crucial.
Rock climbing basics
Climbers usually work in pairs, with one climbing
and the other belaying. The belayer feeds rope to the lead
climber through a belay device. The Leader climbs up, places
protection, climbs higher and places protection until the
top is reached. The belayer is ready to "lock off"
the rope if the leader falls.
Both climbers attach the rope to their climbing harness, usually
tying into their harness with a figure-eight knot or double
bowline knot. The leader either places protection or clips
into permanent protection already secured to the rock. In
traditional climbing, the protection is removable. Usually
nuts or spring loaded camming devices are set in cracks in
the rock (although pitons are sometimes used). In sport climbing
the protection is metal loops called hangers. Hangers are
secured to the rock with either expanding masonry bolts taken
from the construction industry, or by placing (generally safer)
glue-in bolt systems. In ice climbing the protection is Ice_screw
or similar devices hammered or screwed into the ice by the
leader, and removed by the second climber.
The lead climber connects the rope to the protection with
carabiner. If the lead climber falls, he will fall twice the
length of the rope out from the last protection point, plus
rope stretch (typically 5% to 8% of the rope out), plus slack.
If any of the gear breaks or pulls out of the rock or if the
belayer fails to lock off the belay device immediately, the
fall will be significantly longer. Thus if a climber is 5
feet above the last protection he will fall 5 feet to the
protection, 5 feet below the protection, plus slack and rope
stretch, for a total fall of over 10 feet.
If the leader falls, the belayer arrests the rope. This is
achieved by running the rope through a belay device attached
to the belayer's harness. The belay device runs the rope through
a series of sharp curves that, when operated properly, greatly
increase the friction and stop the rope from running. Some
of the more popular types of belay devices are the ATC Belay
Device the Figure 8 Belay Device and various auto-locking
belay devices such as the Petzl Gri-Gri
At the top of the pitch, the leader sets up a secure anchor
or belay from where he can belay as his partner climbs. The
second climber removes the gear from the rock (traditional
climbing) or removes the carabiner from the bolted hanger
(sport climbing). Both climbers are now at the top of the
pitch with all their equipment. Note that the second is protected
from above while climbing, but the leader is not, so being
the leader is more challenging and dangerous - very dangerous
for new climbers.
Some climbers engage occasionally in a dangerous but speedy
technique called simul-climbing, in which both leader and
second move at the same time. The leader - approximately a
rope length above the second - usually places multiple pieces
of protection as he climbs so that the weight of the second
climber might arrest a possible leader's fall. Should it be
the second climber to fall, however, the leader may be pulled
from his holds, with very unpleasant results.
Types of rock climbing
Rock climbing may be divided into two broad categories: free
climbing and aid climbing.
Free climbing requires the climber use only natural features
of the rock formation.
Aid climbing involves using artificial devices placed in the
rock to support all or part of the climber's body weight,
and is normally practised on rock formations that lack necessary
natural features suitable for free climbing.
Free climbing may be further subdivided as follows:
Traditional lead climbing, or "Trad
lead climbing", uses mostly removable protection, but
also may employ fixed bolts if these were put in on the lead.
The climbing team begins at the bottom of a climb and ascends
to the top, with the leader placing protective devices in
the rock as he or she climbs. If the climber falls, he/she
does not rest on the rope and instead lowers to a stance or
the ground to start over. This approach of protection and
climbing progress emphasizes the exploratory aspect of the
sport and requires a certain amount of boldness. Trad leading
is considered by many to be the cleanest style, as the climber
to follow the leader, called the cleaner, removes the protective
devices (except any fixed bolts put in on lead) and leaves
but marginal traces (if any at all) of their passage.
Sport lead climbing involves the use of pre-placed,
permanent bolts for protection. This frees the leader from
carrying excessive gear - he/she merely clips in to the bolts
with quickdraws. However, permanent protective devices, like
bolts and fixed pitons, are subject to dislodgment or decay
over time and thus may become an insidious hazard for a leader.
In case of a fall, sport climbers often rest on the rope before
beginning again. Hard sport climbs often entail many falls
and rests before being completed without falls and rests.
In contrast, traditional style employs no rests on the rope,
starting over after falls without rope tension and generally
a minimal number of falls.
Top rope climbing, or top-roping, involves
suspending a rope from an anchor located at the top of a short
climb. The climber is then safeguarded by his belayer who
holds the rope either at the top of the route or at the base
of the climb.
Bouldering may be described as climbing short, severe routes
on boulders or small outcrops. While safety ropes from above
are occasionally used, most boulderers feel that the most
ethical form of protection is a bouldering mat or pad similar
to those used by gymnasts. In addition, other climbers standing
on the ground may "spot" the boulderer, to help
break his fall.
Indoor climbing is a form of climbing that
can involve bouldering, top roping, and leading in an indoor
environment on wood or plastic holds. For most it will be
the easiest way to begin the sport.
Free solo climbing: Usually describes free
climbing without a rope or other protective gear. Free solo
climbing is distinguished from solo climbing where a climber
progressing alone uses a rope and protection devices including
a self belay system.
Free climbing is a style of climbing in which the climber
uses no artificial aids to make progress upwards, but just
hands, feet and other parts of the body. Equipment is used
only for protection against the consequences of a fall. The
term is used in contrast to aid climbing, in which equipment
is used directly to make progress. Styles of free climbing
include traditional climbing, sport climbing, some forms of
solo climbing and bouldering. Free soloing is a type of free
climbing where no rope is used for protection and falls would
be disastrous.
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