Information AboutRock Climbing |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT ROCK CLIMBING | |
| climbing | |
| locomotion | |
| extreme sports | |
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.]] 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. HISTORY See Also: History of rock climbing Although the ''practice'' of rock climbing was an important component of Victorian Mountaineering in the Alps , it is generally thought that the ''sport'' of rock climbing began in the last quarter of the Nineteenth Century in various parts of Europe. Rock climbing evolved gradually from an alpine necessity to an athletic sport in its own right. As rock climbing matured, a variety of Grading Systems were created in order to more accurately compare relative difficulties of climbs. Over the years both climbing techniques and the equipment climbers use to advance the sport have evolved in a steady fashion. ROCK CLIMBING BASICS Climbers usually work in pairs, with one climbing and the other Belaying . In Lead Climbing , the belayer feeds rope to the lead climber through a Belay Device . The leader climbs up, occasionally placing protection or clipping preplaced bolted hangers, 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 Device (often referred to as "cams" or "friends") 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 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 typically connects the rope to the protection with Carabiner s or Quickdraws . 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 2 meters above the last protection he will fall 2 meters to the protection, 2 meters below the protection, plus slack and rope stretch, for a total fall of over 4 meters. 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 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 system, also called a Belay , from where he can belay as his partner climbs. The second climber removes the gear from the rock ( Traditional Climbing ) or removes the quickdraw 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. After completing their climb, with both climbers at the top of the pitch, they must eventually Rappel or otherwise descend the climb in order to return to their starting point. Occasionally, climbers may decide to "move together", a risky but speedy technique also called Simul-climbing , in which both leader and second move at the same time without stopping to belay. 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 potentially unpleasant results. TYPES OF ROCK CLIMBING Rock climbing may be divided into two broad categories: Free Climbing and Aid Climbing .
Other kinds of climbing :
RAPPELLING / ABSEILING See Also: Abseiling Rappelling ( USA usage - French, meaning "return") or abseiling ( UK and Ireland usage - German, meaning "down rope") is a common method for returning to the bottom of a completed climb. On climbs where rappelling is impractical or disallowed the alternative is usually either walking out from the top of the climb, or Down-climbing . GEAR AND EQUIPMENT See Also: Climbing Equipment GRADES See Also: Grade (climbing) Climbing communities in many countries, as well as individual regions, have developed their own climbing rating systems. Ratings are a method to communicate or record the ''consensus'' difficulty of climbs. See the Main Article for details of the various systems, and a comparison chart. INDOOR CLIMBING WALLS See Also: Climbing wall In recent years, indoor Climbing Wall s, basically artificial cliffs, have become quite popular. Climbing walls are often used to teach beginners because the risk of injury or fatal accident is greatly reduced. They are also used by experienced climbers who hone their skills without the need to travel to rock formations. CLIMBING CLUBS Climbers often belong to Clubs, some of which were started in the very early days of the sport. Clubs are often responsible for the publication of Climbing Guides. The article '' Alpine Club '' lists some of these organizations. In Australia :
In the UK and Ireland :
In the United States :
In Germany : In Greece : CRITICISM Although most climbers adhere to "minimal impact" and " Leave No Trace " practices, rock climbing is sometimes damaging to the environment. However, the impact is often less than other outdoor recreations such as hiking, due in part to the smaller numbers participating in climbing compared to other outdoor sports. Common environmental damages include: soil erosion, litter, abandoned bolts and ropes, human excrement, introduction of foreign plants through seeds on shoes and clothing, and damage to native plant species. Clean Climbing is a style of rock climbing which seeks to minimize some of the negative side-effects of climbing. SEE ALSO
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