Man has always been known for being a thrill seeker. From surfing on the ocean waves, to the jumping off caverns with vines tied to one’s legs, mankind has always found a way of actively challenging himself, coursing through the many “obstacles” which Mother Nature has provided.

Rock Climbing would be one such activity, where the thrill of the climb is more valuable than reaching the top itself.

Rock Climbing in General

Generally speaking, rock climbing entails the act of climbing up rock formations. Depending on the skills and the nerves of climbers, rock climbing could prevail with or without safety equipment, again all depending on the rock climber’s choice.

Regardless if a climber did use equipment or not, the aspects of human strength, mental control and endurance play integral roles for rock climbers to accomplish their goals. The role of human strength is quite understandable as climbing is a physical activity in itself which requires strength. Overall mental control plays its important part as the “circuit breaker” which gives rock climbers the volition to pause and rest, or to keep on going. Physical endurance, just as how strength is viewed in the mix, also plays a crucial role for rock climbers getting up.

The origin of rock climbing is known to have started in the later portions of the nineteenth century, in Europe. Rock climbing is known to be quite important in Victorian heritage, as Mountaineering in the Alps was quite popular during that time, even considered to be a necessity among certain people.

From the Alpine necessity, rock climbing then evolved to the more athletic variety, allowing for the development and evolution of rock climbing equipment and rock climbers as well. Among its evolutions would be grading systems which defines difficulty levels, giving Nuevo rock climbers and professional rock climbers just what they are about to be dealing with in a rock climbing expedition.

Types of Rock Climbing

There are different types of rock climbing excursions, which could be generally categorized into two: the free climbing variety and the aid climbing variety.

In the free climbing variety, all a rock climber needs to have would be his or her physical being, which is utilized in getting up. His/her hands, his/her strength, mental and endurance capabilities, these are all that is needed in getting up. It is different from free-soloing though, as free-soloing is one which is more defined, where climbers climb without the safety precaution of a rope. In free climbing, safety gear may be used to ensure safety levels for rock climbers. Bottom line, getting up without the use of equipment is the point of free climbing.

With aid climbing, the use of devices and rock climbing equipment is actively applied into the mix, hence the “aid climbing” name. Holds, or other artificial devices, could be setup to facilitate a climbing excursion, giving climbers more edge in reaching the top.

Lead climbing would be another popular type of rock climbing activity. In lead climbing, a belayer remains on the ground base, holding a length of rope which a rock climber attaches to his body. As the climber scales up, the rope acts as a safety line, with the belayer acting as an anchor, there as a safety precaution for the climber.

Sport climbing is another popular type of rock climbing excursion, entailing the use of pre-placed holds or bolts, which are geared for protection features. Generally, the gymnastic areas of rock climbing is given more focus in sport climbing, as well as the time it takes for climbers to go from bottom to top. Adventure isn’t exactly the main highlight of sport climbing, unlike other types of rock climbing activities.

With all the different types of rock climbing excursions there are, getting to the top isn’t exactly the most important highlight. More weight is given to the process in which a rock climber gets to the top, fueling that sense of adventure in them with fulfilment.