From UPM Basic Mountaineering Course Wiki
Introduction to Rock Climbing
Climbing as we know it today has exploded in popularity over the last 40 years. Nowadays people can take their pick of any of the many types of climbing.
Bouldering is climbing on large rocks using only a few moves close off the ground. Sport climbing, is tying into a rope and clipping protection already fixed on the rock. If you live in an area where there are cliffs with cracks, you can put your own protection in as you ascend up. This is called Traditional Climbing.
If there is a climbing gym in your area, or shorter, accessible cliffs you will notice the ropes are or can be easily anchored to the tops of the climbs. All you have to do is tie in and climb. This is known as Top Roping. All of these methods of climbing are known as free climbing. You are using only your hands and feet to ascend up the rock. Your rope is attached to you for protection only.
The Safety Harness
A Climbing Harness aids you in your climb. It can give the security and protection you need in ascending or rappelling. To get the most out of your harness and maintain high performance, it is imperative to take good care of it and ensure that it is always in good working condition.
Top 10 Rock Climbing tips
- Picture yourself on a ladder when you climb, move from one hold to the next as relaxed as if you were ascending the rungs or steps of a ladder.
- Avoid over gripping holds with your hands. You will quickly tire your arms out.
- Use your feet like you would your hands.
- Trust your feet. You can stand on your legs all day. You don’t hang with your arms all day. Too often people hang on their arms and then fall off, sailing right past a monster ledge they could have had their feet on.
- Trust your belayer, and focus on climbing. If you are worried your belayer doesn’t have you, find a new belayer you can trust.
- Concentrate on what is within reach. Sometimes you can use an intermediate hold (a smaller hold between secure holds) to get to a better hold.
- Climb from the bottom up, not top down. Of course, if you can see the top of the route, look to see if there is a pattern working from the goal down to where you are, but when you start to climb, focus on the climbing at the bottom of the route as you climb up.
- Climb in an X shape with your hips being the middle of the X. Hang with your arm straight. Your skeleton can take much more of a load than your muscles can. If the heel of your foot is hanging too far down you may notice your leg start to shake like a “sewing machine”. This is very common occurrence, simply apply more weight to your toes so your calf muscle spasm can stop.
- Fear of heights is normal. Climbing is all about conquering those fears. Time will cure the fear of heights. A good trick is to look down no further than your feet to correctly place them on the best part of the hold.
- Take your time. Climb like a cat does—quiet, deliberate, and precise. Picture the move, and then execute it. Use all of your limbs, not just two. The lower the angle of the climb, the more time you have, so use it. Make each move as fluid as possible.
Climbing Ratings
In the 1950’s a group called the Sierra Club modified an old system which they used to rate climbs according to their difficulty. This system is now called The Yosemite Decimal Rating System.
The YDRS breaks climbing down into classes and grades. Nearly every climbing guide uses this system. Beginning climbers can use this system to find climbs that are challenging but not too difficult; preventing them from venturing out onto something too hard that might lead to injury.
All climbing, hiking, crawling, and so on can be broken down into these classes. A brief explanation of the classes will describe what type of climbing might be encountered.
Class 1 : Walking, on an established trail.
Class 2 : Hiking, up a steep incline, possibly using your hands for balance.
Class 3 : Climbing up a steep hillside; a rope is not normally used.
Class 4 : Exposed climbing, following a ledge system for example. A rope would be used to belay past places where a fall could be lethal.
Class 5 : This is where technical rock climbing begins. A 3 point stance (Two hands and a foot or two feet and a hand) is needed. A rope and protection are needed to safeguard a fall by the person leading. Any unprotected fall from a class 5 climb would be harmful if not fatal. Class 5 climbs are subdivided into categories to give more detail.
- 5.0-5.4: Climbing up a ramp or a steep section with good holds.
- 5.5-5.7: Steeper, more vertical climbing, but still on good holds. These routes are also easily protected.
- 5.8 +/- Vertical climbing on small holds. A + means that the climbing is more sustained like a 5.9, but the route would still be considered a 5.8. If you see a – after the 5.8 rating it means that the climb only has one or two moves like a solid 5.8 would have, but more resembles a 5.7. The + and – are becoming outdated and most guide books have discontinued their use.
- 5.9 +/- This rating means that the climb might be slightly overhung or may have fairly sustained climbing on smaller holds. With practice the beginning climber can climb in the 5.9 range quickly and with confidence.
- 5.10 a, b, c, d Very sustained climbing. A weekend climber rarely feels comfortable in this range unless they do go EVERY weekend or has some natural talent. The difference between a 5.10 b and a 5.10 c is very noticeable. Most likely the climbs are overhung with small holds and are sustained or require sequential moves.
- 5.11 a, b, c, d This is the world of the dedicated climber. Expect steep and difficult routes that demand technical climbing and powerful moves.
- 5.12 a, b, c, d The routes in this range are usually overhanging climbs requiring delicate foot work on thin holds or long routes requiring great balance on little holds.
- 5.13 a, b, c, d If you can climb upside down on a glass window, these climbs are right up your alley.
- 5.14 a, b, c, d These climbs are among the hardest in the world.
- 5.15 a This is as hard as climbing gets, folks. Keep in mind that very few climbers can actually climb at this level, although Spiderman eats these climbs for breakfast.
Climbs are rated by the hardest move on the route. A person who is a solid 5.8 climber theoretically should be able to climb through the crux (the hardest part of the climb) on any route rated 5.8 regardless of the type of rock or area they climb at. That is the theory anyway. Unfortunately, climbs are not rated by a committee of climbers so a particular climb can be off as much as a letter grade or more. Having said that, the majority of climbs you will do will be right on the money.
Since the destiny of every mountain, cliff, boulder, or pebble is to become like the gravel you walk on to get to the climb, know that ALL RATINGS ARE SUBJECTIVE! Weathering of the rock, the sun, wind and extreme temperatures all contribute to making climbs harder or easier than the rating given to a climb the first time it is established.
While routes are given ratings so you don’t bite off more than you can chew, try climbing at your level and then a little bit more. You might surprise yourself and actually get up the route in relatively good form.
If you are having trouble with a particular climb, don’t blame the rating. Train a little harder, do a few extra pushups at night, and give it a go again. Climbing is about setting goals and working to achieve them.
The last rating class of the Yosemite Decimal Rating System is class 6, which is considered aid climbing. Aid climbing has its own rating system that does not use decimals like class 5. Instead it uses A to abbreviate Aid and then a number which indicates how challenging the moves are and the commitment level involved on the climb. For more information see the article on Aid Climbing.
Source : http://www.outdoorswithdave.com/climbing/climbing_tips.htm
Anchoring
PLS ADD SHORT DISCUSSION PLS? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? Additional discussion on Mechanical Protection for Anchors
Rapelling
Also known as rapping and abseiling. Rappelling is the practice of sliding down a rope in a controlled manner. There are several ways to rappel, the safest and most common way is with the use of a harness, locking carabiner and a belay device. The rope is fed through the device to add friction as the person controls the rate of descent. Climbers and Spelunkers use rappelling to safely descend steep slopes and rocks.
