Climbing Information

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Climbing Information

Classes
Disciplines
Free Climbing
Aid Climbing
Climbing Gear Buying Advice

Classes

Hiking to serious climbing are graded on a class system, the following is a breakdown of these classes.

1^st class is walking.

2^nd class is hiking on trails.

3^rd class is scrambling on steep slopes. Hands and feet are used for balance.

4^th class is scrambling where you could be hurt in a fall. Some people will use a rope on 4^th class.

5^th Class is where you need ropes, protection equipment, and technique. 5^th Class climbing is divided into decimal grades 5.0 through currently 5.14d. Grades higher than 5.9 are given letter grades of a,b,c,or d to denote easier or harder, such as a 5.10a is easier than a 5.10d.

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Disciplines

There are numerous types of climbing, broken down into different disciplines.

Free Climbing

Free climbing is ascending using only the rock for upward progress, the rope and protection is only in case of a fall.

Traditional Climbing: Trad climbing is placing your own protection devices into weaknesses of the rock. Various devices such as nuts, hexcentrics, cams, and others are placed into cracks and crevices in the rock. Trad climbing has been considered the more noble of climbing. Taking your protection as the rock gives it to you is an exhilerating experience.

Sport Climbing: Sport climbing is ascending a set route following a line of bolts. Bolts are preplaced in the rock and clipped as one goes by. Most sport climbs are about strength and gymnastic ability. 99% of the worlds hardest routes are sport routes.

Aid Climbing

Aid climbing is using your equipment to ascend the rock. Protection pieces are placed in the rock and used to gain upward progress. Historically aid climbing was done by hammering pitons and other metal pieces into cracks in the rock. A new movement is afoot, many years of people hammering up routes has left us with scars on the popular routes. This new movement is known as clean aid, clean aid uses removable protection devices to allow progress up the rock. Clean aid does not leave piton scars which are a blight on many routes.

Aid climbing is rated on the strength of your placements.

A0 Placements at this grade are already there, this would include bolts and other bombproof fixed protection.

A1 These are placements that are easily set and very secure.

A2 If you are on A2 territory you will have to work a bit to set gear

A3 Once you get into the A3 realm you will find that the gear you set would only catch you on a short fall

A4 An A4 rating means the gear you set will not hold you if you fall. Hopefully better gear below you will stop your fall.

A5 This is the territory of the Hardman. Multiple body weight only placements in a row. If you fall you are going to do that for a while!

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