Rock climbing
Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up, across, or down natural rock formations or indoor climbing walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a usually pre-defined route without falling. Rock climbing is a physically and mentally demanding sport, one that often tests a climber's strength, endurance, agility and balance along with mental control. Knowledge of proper climbing techniques and the use of specialized climbing equipment is crucial for the safe completion of routes.
Because of the wide range and variety of rock formations around the world, rock climbing has been separated into several different styles and sub-disciplines,[1] such as scrambling, bouldering, sport climbing, and trad (traditional) climbing.
Rock climbing competitions have the objectives of either completing the route in the least amount of attempts, the least amount of time, or attaining the farthest point on an increasingly difficult route. Indoor rock climbing is typically split into three disciplines: bouldering, lead climbing, and top roping.
In How to Rock Climb, John Long writes that for moderately skilled climbers simply getting to the top of a route is not enough- how one gets to the top matters.[9] Within free climbing, there are several distinctions given to ascents:[10][11][12]
Style is mostly up to each individual climber and even among climbers the verbiage and definitions can differ. Style can also refer to more intrinsic differences a climber's physical performance while climbing. As such climbers can be referred to as more dynamic (using greater force) or static (controlled movements) in their climbing style.
Ethics are values of a more general nature that are linked to the activity [13]
In sportsmanship, being a "good sport" is the highest honor; be honest, show respect for the opponent and the challenge – and not least take both success and adversity with dignified calm. Go for the ball and not the man.
When establishing new routes, the local ethics and customs should be considered. In Elbsandstein, bolts are OK if placed from below, by hand, not by cracks and not too close. At Gritstone, only removable protection is permissible. In the Alps, several styles live in parallel. The number of bolted routes has become so large that the UIAA is worried that the opportunity for naturally protected climbing will diminish. The UIAA uses both style and ethics in its argument, but the goal is to protect some areas that may be the arena for what they call "adventure climbing".
Site access[edit]
Cultural considerations[edit]
Some areas that are popular for climbing, for example in the United States and Australia, are also sacred places for indigenous peoples. Many such indigenous people would prefer that climbers not climb these sacred places and have made this information well known to climbers. A well-known example is the rock formation that Americans have named Devils Tower National Monument.[26] Native American cultural concerns also led to complete climbing closures at Cave Rock at Lake Tahoe,[27] Monument Valley, Shiprock and Canyon de Chelly.[28]
Climbing activities can sometimes encroach on rock art sites. The potential threat to these resources has led to climbing restrictions and closures in places like Hueco Tanks, Texas,[29] and portions of City of Rocks National Reserve, Idaho.
In Australia, the monolith Uluru (Ayers Rock) is sacred to local indigenous communities and climbing is banned.[30] Elsewhere in Australia, many formerly popular climbing routes in areas such as the Grampians and Arapiles have been closed or partially closed due to indigenous cultural concerns.
Indigenous peoples are not the only cultures that object to climbing on certain rock formations. Professional climber Dean Potter kicked off a major controversy when he ignored long-accepted convention to scale Delicate Arch in 2006, resulting in strict new climbing regulations in Arches National Park.[31]
Private property[edit]
Many significant rock outcrops exist on private land. Some people within the rock climbing community have been guilty of trespassing in many cases, often after land ownership transfers and previous access permission is withdrawn. In the U.S. the climbing community responded to access closures by forming the Access Fund. This is an "advocacy organization that keeps U.S. climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment. Five core programs support the mission on national and local levels: public policy, stewardship and conservation (including grants), grassroots activism, climber education and land acquisition."[32] In the U.K. the British Mountaineering Council represents climbers and their interest of public access to crags, cliffs and boulders. In Europe there are different rules in different countries regarding the rights of landowners and climbers.[33]