Rock Climbing in North America
Rock climbing is an exciting and extreme sport full of adventure and breathtaking views. As one of the most physically and mentally stimulating sports, rock climbing is quickly becoming one of the world's fastest growing activities.
There is nothing like the spiritual and emotional reward that you get as you stand at the summit of a formation that you just climbed, look out over a valley full of majestic scenery.
Throughout North America there are thousands of climbs that will suit any level of climber. From easy slab faces to steep overhanging cliffs this high powered sport is climbing its way into the hearts and minds of Americans.
Physically and mentally demanding, this history rich sport often tests a climber's technique. Often, a climber's mental ability to control his or her strength, endurance, agility and balance will be a critical tool.
Varying types of rocks will make for different types of climbs making this versatile sport good for many ages and skill levels.
History
Since the dawn of man there has been rock climbing. Watercolors have been found depicting men climbing rocks as far back as 400 B.C. Over the centuries the development of climbing as a recreational pastime has grown. By the 1800's the "modern era" of mountaineering was in full swing.
As the sport grew in popularity so did the business opportunity. Tools began to be developed to help the climber ascend more difficult climbs. A climbers grading system was created in order to compare climbs more accurately.
Naturalists like John Muir made first ascents of Cathedral Peak in Yosemite, at the same time the sport of rock climbing began to explode in the Lake District and Wales in Great Britain.
By the end of the 1920's European techniques and tools began making there way across the ocean. Belays (the practice of controlling the rope fed out to a climber) and hanging bivouacs (a tent) made Big Wall Climbing the new direction.
Today, this highly specialized sport has got its grip on the world. As Rock Climbing skills have grown an "extreme" culture has become established. Today you can find instructors and guides in many fantastic places ready to teach the next generation of climbers.
Free Climbing Styles
There are four major free climbing styles all of which are defined by the climber only using his or her own physical strength to ascend the rock face, using equipment as protection and not as support.
The climber uses only hands, feet and other parts of the body leaving ropes and protective equipment for safety against the consequences of a fall. Most of the climbing done today is considered free climbing.
Traditional Climbing or Trad climbing is the first free climbing style. It emphasizes the skills necessary for establishing routes in an exploratory fashion. It is unaided rock climbing and usually involves the leader ascending a section of rock while placing their own protective devices such as bolts and anchors as he or she climbs.
Normally, climbs are not previewed or rehearsed and emphasis is placed on passing difficult sections on the first try. Route finding, effective gear placements, self control, and good climbing skills are essential.
Bouldering is typically limited to short climbs practiced on large boulders. It is done without a rope because a fall will not normally result in serious injury. This style of climbing emphasizes power, strength, and dynamics and focus is on individual moves or short sequences of moves. Boulder routes are commonly referred to as problems because the nature of the climb is often short, curious, and much like problem solving.
Free solo climbing, also known as free soloing, is a form of free climbing that relies only on his or her physical strength, climbing ability, and psychological fortitude to avoid a fatal fall. The climber or free soloist foregoes ropes, harnesses and other protective gear while ascending.
The challenge of free soloing is essentially mental difficulty. Free soloing is usually not meant to be hard in a physical sense, staying focused and avoiding a fall is where the climber gets the biggest thrill. However, unpredictable weather and rock conditions can create grave hazards for climbers on longer routes.
Free solo climbing should not be confused with free climbing, in which gear is used for safety in case of a fall, but not to assist the climb.
Sport Climbing is a style that relies on permanent anchors fixed to the rock, especially bolts, for protection. It is in direct contrasts with traditional climbing in that respect.
Since the need to place protection is virtually eliminated, sport climbing places an emphasis on gymnastic ability, strength and endurance. Because artificial means are used primarily for safety rather than to make upward progress, sport climbing is considered a form of free climbing.
Aid Climbing
Between the 1920's and 1960's Aid climbing was a popular style of climbing. It uses fixed or placed protection to make upward progress.
The climber ascends by hanging or climbing on his or her equipment. Technical skill is at the heart of Aid Climbing and these techniques are most often used on extremely steep and long routes, demanding both physical and mental endurance and stamina.
In a typical aided ascent the climber will place pieces of equipment or "protection" in cracks or other natural features of the rock and then clips a ladder-like device called an aider, stirrup or etrier to the protection. Then the climber stands up on the aider, and repeats the process. Just as in free climbing, the usual technique involves two climbers, a leader and a belayer.
Rock Climbing Rating System
Climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route. Many different nationalities developed their own, distinctive grading systems and no two grading systems have an exact one-to-one correspondence.
Some systems are intended to grade the hardest individual move on a climb. Others consider the overall difficulty of the climb, taking into account the difficulty of the moves and the length of climb.
There are other factors that contribute to the difficulty of a climb including the technical difficulty of the moves, the strength and stamina required, the level of commitment, and the difficulty of protecting the climber.
5 Great Locations
Alabama's Palisades Park is a great choice to bring new climbers. There's a good range of climbing difficulty but this is a perfect place for a beginner's first outdoor climbing experience. And if you're just getting started on traditional climbing, Palisades is an excellent training ground. There is no sport climbing at Palisades and no bolting is allowed.
Moab, Utah is amazingly rich with opportunity. The soft sandstone and desert environment offers more than a lifetime of climbing and has become popular with the climbing and mountain biking communities. It is generally quite dry but spring and fall make for the most pleasant times for visitors. There is world-class desert crack climbing as well as miles and miles of cliffs to choose from.
California's Joshua Tree is a world famous area with thousands of routes and countless boulder problems. This popular winter destination’s appeal has only grown throughout the years as climbers of all abilities have discovered the mild temperatures and surreal landscape.
Devil's Tower in Wyoming is the place to find great cracks for climbing. People come from around the world to climb on this distinctive flat-topped rock. Climbing is constant, and cracks are beautiful and uniformly shaped.
Pawtuckaway State Park, located in Raymond New Hampshire is the southern most major climbing destinations in New Hampshire. Known primarily for some of the best bouldering in the country, Pawtuckaway also hosts a few small but super quality crags, which are popular for their slabs and crack climbs. You can definitely do most anything from bouldering to traditional climbing.