What Is Free Climbing? – Rock Climbing’s Most Commonly Mistaken Term

You’ve probably seen people in the news looking for “free climbing” long-distance routes. In fact, the term means something slightly different from what most people expect. Let’s figure it out for you!

What is free climbing?

Free climbing means climbing using your arms and legs to stand up, but only for your safety, using ropes, harnesses and wall protection. Basically, this piece of equipment only serves to anchor the rope and catch you in the event of a fall, not to help you lift it off the road.
Free climbing does not mean climbing without ropes or harnesses. This is called a free solo. We use the term “free climbing” to distinguish the use of equipment from those that actually help you climb a wall, commonly referred to as assisted climbing.

What Does It Mean To Free Climb Something?

Free climbing on the route means you have used your skill and strength to overcome all obstacles. Use only equipment to prevent falls. The only equipment allowed for climbing is a pair of sneakers and chalk.

The fall arrest harness is a harness tied to a climbing rope, the other end controlled by a belayer or partner below. The climber attaches the rope to a piece of protective equipment on the wall. If you fall, you will get caught on the rope, this is for safety, not the hoist. Free climbing on the route is commonly referred to as “freezing” the route. So, when someone says something is loosed, it means that they used ropes and protective gear, but actually went on the road with their hands and feet. This also usually means that you have completed the path “cleanly” from the bottom up.

Types of Free Climbing

Sport climbing and traditional climbing are the most common types of free climbing. In both cases, other fall arrest techniques and completely different mindsets are used.

Trad Climbing

Trad Climbing, also known as traditional climbing, uses attachments such as cams, hexes, and nuts that fit or insert into seams in walls. Different paths require different protections. Climbers choose from different types and sizes, or look for parts to borrow from friends or guidebooks.

Having enough gear for traditional climbing means there’s always something to do. Talking while walking is just an added benefit.
This is obviously a more traditional way of climbing and takes much longer than sport climbing. Stop to put the piece down, make sure it’s correct, then fasten the rope and it will take some time. Its advantage is that you don’t have to drill holes and leave visually striking bolts on the wall, but at the same time can leave scars on certain rocks.
Falls should be avoided as often as possible. Even multiple pieces of equipment can burst from rocks and fall to the ground. Traditional climbing has little protection and can lead to massive rollouts. The UK Trad class has a difficulty class and a fall hazard class.

Sport Climbing

A more modern form of climbing that focuses more on athletic and physical abilities. In sports, bolts are drilled into rocks to secure the rope. Bolts fail very rarely, so falling on them is considered very safe.
The sports climber hugs someone who has to use it repeatedly for decades.
The most challenging climbing routes are all sports. Because you can fall over and over without many safety issues. Sport climbing can be done indoors or outdoors, but traditional climbing is mostly limited to outdoor climbing. This is an easier, cheaper and cheaper way to climb. Some people oppose it because of the visual impact because the bolt and drop anchor stand out. Sports areas tend to attract more pedestrians and can lead to erosion, waste/garbage in the area and access issues.

What Does Climbing A Route “Clean” Mean?

If you fall , you can continue climbing where you were, but it’s not a clean ascent. Going through a clean path means it’s covered without falling from the bottom up. Pulling a
guy, cam, bolt or rope means the climb is not clean. Leaning on a rope is not good, but putting your weight on a ledge or bar is fine.
If you fall on the road, go down to the floor and pull the rope to loosen it again. There are several different terms for the exact route you climbed through onsight, flash or redpoint.

Why is it called free climbing?

As the climbing style became more common, the term “free climb” or “free route” became necessary. Many classic big wall trails are laid out with varying levels of support for climbers to reach the top.

As climbers get stronger and their skills improve, their gear becomes lighter and safer. In the 1960s and beyond, especially in the United States, many older routes that were climbed only with the help of strangers began to be climbed entirely by hand, wearing protective gear solely to prevent falls.
This came to be known as unroute. Many of the world’s most famous routes were created 10 or 20 years ago, combining assisted and free climbing. The parts of them which has been done with aid had been sometimes been deemed impossible by the first creationists.

When young climbers began to publish this great classic, it ignited the climbing world. Difficulty caps have been lifted and the new trend is to climb everything for free.
The next 2030 is a radical change in what we thought was possible. Changes included the ubiquitous use of chokes, the first gooey rubber climbing boots, special climbing training and major rethinking of whole sports (bouldering, modern bolts, ropes, carabiners) and climbing ethics.
Perhaps the most famous example of the liberation of an “impossible” route of relief is Lynn Hill’s free ascent of Nose in El Capitan in 1993. The phrase “It’s okay, guys” caused a stir in society. To dispel all her doubts, she returned a year later, in just one day. Look at the Lynn Hill in the bow.

What Is Aid Climbing?

Aid Climbing is climbing a wall as much as possible using all available equipment or skills. Modern rock climbing usually requires equipment that minimizes damage, such as cams and nuts, small, custom hooks or beaks, and uses a helper to climb the wall.
You can see this assistant climber entering a sewn harness called “aiders”, grabbing gear on the wall, and using the various accessories stored in the harness.
Again they will sometimes fall somewhat short of traditional mountaineering equipment. Initially, using a hammer, metal hooks were hammered into cracks and seams in the wall. Even wooden wedges were used, and most of the equipment was handmade.

Climbing is less practiced these days, and there is free climbing, where sport or traditional climbing is the most popular method. Climbing is still very common on large walls like Yosemite.

Large wall climbing is usually a combination of assisted and free climbing, but free climbing is also possible. See the wall of dawn. It involves dreaming on a wall using a portal and requires a lot of knowledge and problem solving. Moving equipment and developing logistics is half the big wall.

What is the difference between free climbing and aid climbing?

Aided Climbing uses equipment that can be pulled, stepped on, or otherwise used to climb walls. Gears also protect against falling. In free climbing, such as sports or trade, equipment is only used to protect against falls and aid in the descent. Do
free climbers use ropes?
Yes, free climbing uses ropes, harnesses and wall protection to prevent falls. You may be thinking of the free solo climb described below.

Free Climbing vs. Free Solo

Free Climbing means climbing without a fall arrester. Free Climb uses Defense, but Solo Free Climb does not. Climbing boots and chalk are the only items a soloist uses without equipment. Without a rope, harness, or protective gear, a fall could result in fatal or serious injury.
You may already know Alex Honnold, the most famous free climber of all time. If you’ve seen Free Solo or live/worked with someone who’s been to a climbing gym, you’ve probably heard of someone climbing the 3000ft El Capitan in Yosemite without a rope.

The term “free solo” comes from the above definitions of free climbing and solo (alone). Most climbers use the slang term “solo” to mean that someone climbed something by themselves without a rope. You can climb alone, but if you use a rope, it’s called a rope solo.
Free climbing is not free climbing, but technically it is a form of free climbing because it is done without assistance. To know more read this article.

Types of Climbing

Confused? There are many different types of climbing, from walking to climbing without a rope. Remember, this term is designed to distinguish what happened at the time an event occurred. Added some useful terms.

• Hill Walking – Hill walking is the least tiring mountain pass.
• Scrambling – Steeper, more rocky terrain that requires hands to balance. Falls can be dangerous depending on the terrain.
• Rock Climbing – Rock climbing steeper than scramble can cause serious injury from falls.
• Aid Climbing – Climbing using wall-mounted equipment that is being pulled or stepped on. Originally it was intended to hammer and press down seams and cracks in the wall with hooks to aid progress. Modern assistive devices use beaks and hooks that are inserted or attached to small stones.
• Free Climbing – Equipment can be placed on walls. They are usually modern devices that don’t damage rocks like cams and nuts, but only protect them in case of a fall. It cannot be used to pull up. more technical.
• Sport Climbing – Uses fixed guards on walls when climbing. Use bolts drilled in the wall and hangars for good fall protection.
• Trad Climbing – Climbers install their own protection against the wall in the form of a cam, nut, beak or tricam. This protection is embedded in cracks and cracks in the wall and must be maintained in the event of a fall.
• Lead Climbing – Lead climbing is sport climbing. Leading means placing a rope on the ground, climbing and securing it while moving.
• Top Roping/Seconding – Belay over you with a rope. They are generally safer, smaller and safer than before.
• Free Solo – Climbing without rope, harness, companion or safety measures.
• Rope Solo – Climb alone using special equipment for climbing without a rope and partner. It is slower and more dangerous than free climbing with a partner, but much safer than free climbing alone.
• Big Wall Climbing – Climbing a large wall that involves spending the night on a platform. It can be done completely free of charge as an assisted climb or mixed (more commonly).
• Bouldering – Climb from a lower level just a few meters from the actual rock. No ropes, no harnesses, just thick foam cushions. Read what bouldering is.
• Speed ​​Climbing – Two climbers compete for the best time on the same route.
• French Free– Climbing the route, but with one or two gear to help you climb
• Hang Dog – Hangs on a rope to rest or practice moves.

Is Free Climbing Dangerous?

Yes, any form of free climbing is dangerous, but on a different level. Free solo climbing can result in death or serious injury from a simple slip. Free climbing as a sport or tradition is considered potentially dangerous. The main problem is user error or complete accidents such as rockfalls.

Sport climbing is considered one of the safest types of climbing. It is very rare for a bolt to fail, and the most serious injuries occur as a result of an emergency descent or improperly tying a knot. Also major problems are the discomfort of falling on a ledge, rolling upside down without a helmet, common sprains and toe injuries.
Trad climbing is more dangerous because the equipment can’t stand it all the time. It takes a lot of experience to safely place cams and nuts. The angle and force at which the rope is pulled, the type of rock, etc., are important considering the possibility of a fall. out. This can cause some or all of the protective elements to fail, resulting in “zip fasteners” falling off the ground.

Are Speed Climbing Records Done Free?

Speed climbing is usually anything. If you watch Reel Rock 14, you can see Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold mobilizing everything they have in hand to get a faster route.
tactics include holding braces in each hand and using bolts as ladders, hitting and pulling cracks, slamming someone else’s anchor, and jerking using leaves and wood. It’s all about games.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):