Types of Rock Climbing

Just like there are different kinds of running (e.g., long distance, sprint, trail running), there are also different kinds of rock climbing. Here is a list of the most common kinds of rock climbing:

Traditional Rock Climbing

Traditional climbing centers around a climber using placed protection and gear outdoors on a route. The rock protection is then removed by a second climber that is following the first climber.

Sport Climbing

Sport climbing is a style of climbing that typically leverages pre=placed bolts as the main form of rock climbing gear and protection. Typically sport climbers can focus on technique or specific moves. You can go sport climbing in a rock climbing gym or outdoors at places such as Rumney in New Hampshire.

Big Wall Rock Climbing

Big wall climbers climb routes that typically take several days to complete. In addition to the long routes, there are additional techniques that are part of aid climbing, sack halunding that help support climbers on these longer routes, such as sleeping overnight on portlaedges.

Aid Climbing

Aid climbing is a type of climbing where climbers rely on their climbing gear not only to protect them from falls but also for ascent up the face. Pitons, nuts, and other protective devices can be pulled on or stood on the help climbers go up the face. Typically aid climbing occurs on routes where the route is too difficult to be climbed in the free sense.

Free Climbing

Free climbing leverages only hand and foot holds that are naturally occurring in the rock, and only use the gear, such as the rope and other protection, only as a backup. This is the opposite of aid climbing where climbers rely on the gear to help them ascend routes.

Free Solo climbing (Free soloing)

Free Solo climbers climb wiht out any gear, such as ropes or protection. However, falls during free solo climbs often can be fatal to the climber.

Bouldering

Bouldering is a type of solo rock climbing that is limited to shoerter heights that are reasonable safe to fall from. Most boulders are about 10ft-16ft tall (3m-5m). Climbers often bring bouldering pads to support their falls as they work on the bouldering “problem.”