Crack climbing

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Examples of crack climbing
Klettern im Steinbruch Rochlitz.jpg
Hand jamming
Piazen.jpg
Laybacking
Indian Creek Supercrack.jpg
Arm jamming
Pou Anaiak Totem Pole - panoramio - degar.jpg
Finger jamming

In rock climbing, a crack climb is a type of climbing route that follows a system of crack(s) or fissure(s) that the climber uses to ascend the route. The width of the crack dictates the techniques needed, and crack-climbs are further differentiated by the body parts that can be 'jammed' into them, such as finger cracks (the narrowest), hand/fist cracks, arm cracks, and body (also called chimney) cracks. Off-width cracks are some of the most awkward, being too wide for the hands or arms, but too narrow to accommodate the body. A top-to-bottom uniform-width crack is known as a splitter crack. [1] [2]

Contents

Crack climbing routes require a broad range of techniques, but most importantly emphasize the techniques of 'laybacking' and of 'jamming'. Laybacking requires the crack to be off-set (i.e. one side protrudes) or in a corner, to create the opposing forces needed for the technique. [1] 'Jamming' is where the climber physically "jams" a body-part(s) into the crack which they then pull on to gain upward momentum. [1] The type of rock has an important effect on the effectiveness of 'jamming', with the high-friction surface of granite being particularly suited to the technique. [1] The friction needed for 'jamming' can wear the climber's skin, requiring medical tape or specialist gloves for long crack routes. [3] [4]

Crack climbs are particularly suited to traditional climbing as the crack can accommodate the protection (e.g. Separate Reality ). [2] The invention of spring-loaded camming devices in the 1970s revolutionised the difficulty of cracks that could be attempted by traditional climbers, [2] and led to new grade milestones set on crack-routes such as The Phoenix in 1977, the world's first-ever 7c+  (5.13a), and Grand Illusion in 1979, the world's first-ever 8a  (5.13b). [5] [6] While the advent of bolted sport climbing routes in the 1980s diverted focus to the blanker face climbs, crack-climbs continued to feature prominently in the development of multi-pitch and big wall climbs, and most notably on the giant granite cracks on El Capitan and its famous routes such as The Nose . [7]

The early 2000s saw a resurgence in traditional climbing, placing crack-climbing back in focus. Swiss climber Didier Berthod 'greenpointed' the bolted crack line of Greenspit at 8b+  (5.14a), [8] [9] as did Canadian Sonnie Trotter on The Path, [10] and Austrian Beat Kammerlander  [ de ] on Prinzip Hoffnung . [11] In 2006, new traditional-grade milestones were set on crack-climbs by Trotter on Cobra Crack at 8c  (5.14b), [10] and by Scottish climber Dave MacLeod on Rhapsody at 8c+  (5.14c). [10] In 2008, American climber Beth Rodden freed the Yosemite crack-line of Meltdown at 8c+  (5.14c), becoming the first-ever women to climb a traditional route at that grade, which at the time was also the highest traditional grade climbed anywhere. [12] In 2011, British crack specialists, Pete Whittaker and Tom Randall, climbed the world's hardest off-width crack, Century Crack at 8b  (5.13d). [13] [14] In 2021, the same duo, climbed the world's longest roof climb, a 762-metre (2,500 ft) cement crack under the M5 in Devon, The Great Rift at 5.13  (7c+). [15] [16]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traditional climbing</span> Type of rock climbing

Traditional climbing is a type of free climbing in rock climbing where the lead climber places the protection equipment while ascending the route; when the lead climber has completed the route, the second climber then removes the protection equipment while climbing the route. Traditional climbing differs from sport climbing where the protection equipment is pre-drilled into the rock in the form of bolts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climbing route</span> Path to scale a mountain, rock, or ice wall

A climbing route is a path by which a climber reaches the top of a mountain, a rock face or an ice-covered obstacle. The details of a climbing route are recorded in a climbing guidebook and/or in an online climbing-route database. Details recorded will include elements such as the type of climbing route, the difficulty grade of the route–and beta on its crux(es)–and any risk or commitment grade, the length and number of pitches of the route, and the climbing equipment that is needed to complete the route.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glossary of climbing terms</span>

Glossary of climbing terms relates to rock climbing, mountaineering, and to ice climbing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport climbing</span> Type of rock climbing

Sport climbing is a type of free climbing in rock climbing where the lead climber clips into pre-drilled permanent bolts for their protection while ascending a route. Sport climbing differs from the riskier traditional climbing where the lead climber has to insert temporary protection equipment while ascending.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock climbing</span> Type of sport

Rock climbing is a climbing sports discipline that involves ascending routes consisting of natural rock in an outdoor environment, or on artificial resin climbing walls in a mostly indoor environment. Routes are chronicled in guidebooks, and on online databases, with the details of how to climb the route, and who made the first ascent and the coveted first free ascent. Climbers will try to ascend a route onsight, however, a climber can spend years projecting a route before they make a redpoint ascent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redpoint (climbing)</span> Type of free climbing

In rock climbing, a redpoint is the free-climb of a climbing route by lead climbing. The climber cannot use any artificial aid — such as their climbing protection — to hold their weight during the climb. If they fall, they cannot place any of their weight on the rope, and hangdoging is not allowed. The climber can have attempted or practised the route many times beforehand, such as by headpointing or by top roping.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of rock climbing</span> Key chronological milestones

In the history of rock climbing, the three main sub-disciplines – bouldering, single-pitch climbing, and big wall climbing – can trace their origins to late 19th-century Europe. Bouldering started in Fontainebleau, and was advanced by Pierre Allain in the 1930s, and John Gill in the 1950s. Big wall climbing started in the Dolomites, and was spread across the Alps in the 1930s by climbers such as Emilio Comici and Riccardo Cassin, and in the 1950s by Walter Bonatti, before reaching Yosemite where it was led in the 1950s to 1970s by climbers such as Royal Robbins. Single-pitch climbing started pre-1900 in both the Lake District and in Saxony, and by the late-1970s had spread widely with climbers such as Ron Fawcett (Britain), Bernd Arnold (Germany), Patrick Berhault (France), Ron Kauk and John Bachar (USA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Didier Berthod</span> Swiss rock climber and priest

Didier Berthod is a Swiss rock climber and priest. He specializes in traditional climbing, and crack climbing in particular.

Sonnie Trotter is a Canadian professional climber, known for his strength in many rock climbing disciplines – particularly traditional climbing – and contributing to hundreds of first free ascents around the world.

Peter Reginald James Harding was a British rock climber who was prominent in the development of traditional climbing in Britain during the period following World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prinzip Hoffnung</span> Traditional climbing route in Austria

Prinzip Hoffnung, is a 40-metre (130 ft) long traditional climbing route on a thin crack up a conglomerate rock slab on the "Bürs plate cliff" overlooking the village of Bürs in Vorarlberg, Austria. The route was greenpointed by Austrian climber Beat Kammerlander in 2009, and was one of the earliest traditional climbing routes to be graded at 5.14 R (American), 8b/+ (French), X/X+ (UIAA), or E9-E10 (British); it is still considered one of the hardest traditional climbing routes in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slab climbing</span> Type of rock climbing route

In rock climbing a slab climb is a type of climbing route where the rock face is 'off-angle' and not fully vertical. While the softer angle enables climbers to place more of their body weight on their feet, slab climbs maintain the challenge by having smaller holds. Some of the earliest forms of rock climbing were on large easy-angled slabs encountered by climbers while mountaineering, however, the introduction of advanced rubber-soled shoes enabled climbers to use the technique of 'smearing' to ascend steeper and blanker slabs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Face climbing</span> Type of rock climbing route

In rock climbing a face climb is a type of climbing route where the rock face is fully vertical, unlike in slab climbing, and is largely featureless, unlike in crack climbing. Face-climbing routes are typically sustained and exposed, and longer multi-pitch face-routes can become big wall climbing. Face-climbing became more common with the introduction of sport climbing in the 1980s, when French climbers began to fix permanent bolts into the rock for climbing protection — in contrast to traditional climbing — allowing them to ascend the blanker rock faces in places like the Verdon Gorge and Buoux in France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silence (climb)</span> Sport climbing route in Norway

Silence, is a 45-metre (148 ft) severely overhanging sport climbing route in the granite Hanshelleren Cave in Flatanger Municipality, Norway. When Czech climber Adam Ondra made the first free ascent on 3 September 2017, it became the first rock climb in the world to have a proposed climbing grade of 9c (5.15d), and it is an important route in rock climbing history. To complete the route, Ondra undertook specialist physical and mental training to overcome its severely overhanging terrain. As of December 2024, Silence remains unrepeated.

Pete Whittaker is a British professional rock climber. He is one half of the duo known as the Wide Boyz, along with his climbing partner Tom Randall. Whittaker came to notability from crack climbing, including the first ascent of the world's hardest off-width climb, the Century Crack.

Century Crack is a 120 ft (40m) long offwidth roof crack climb in the White Rim Sandstone, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, graded at 5.14b (8c). It is one of the hardest and longest offwidth crack climbs in the world. The first aid ascent of the route was done by Steve Bartlett in 2001, and the first free ascents were by crack specialists Pete Whittaker and Tom Randall, known as the Wide Boyz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cobra Crack</span> Traditional climbing route in Squamish, Canada

Cobra Crack is a 45-metre (148-foot) long traditional climbing route on a thin crack up an overhanging granite rock face on Stawamus Chief, in Squamish, British Columbia. The route was first ascended by Peter Croft and Tami Knight in 1981 as an aid climb. After it rebuffed many leading climbers, most notably Swiss climber Didier Berthod in 2005, the Canadian climber Sonnie Trotter made the first free ascent in 2006. With subsequent ascents, the consensus grade has settled at 5.14b (8c), which ranked the route as one of the hardest crack climbs in the world, and almost two decades later, it is still considered one of the world's hardest traditional climbing routes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Randall (climber)</span> British rock climber

Tom Randall is a British professional rock climber. Randall and his climbing partner Pete Whittaker, known as the Wide Boyz, are some of the best crack climbers in the world, known for their the first free ascent of Century Crack 5.14b (8c) in 2011. They also produce crack climbing media content, and equipment such as crack volumes for indoor crack climbing training.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbara Zangerl</span> Austrian rock climber

Barbara Zangerl is an Austrian rock climber who is widely considered as one of the best all-round female climbers in the world. At various stages in her career, she has climbed at, or just below, the highest climbing grades achieved by a female in every major rock climbing discipline, including bouldering, traditional climbing, sport climbing, multi-pitch climbing and big wall climbing.

<i>Rhapsody</i> (climb) Traditional climbing route in Dumbarton, Scotland

Rhapsody is a 35-metre (115 ft) long traditional climbing route up a thin crack on a slightly overhanging vertical basalt rock face on Dumbarton Rock, in Scotland. When Scottish climber Dave MacLeod made the first free ascent in 2006, it became Britain's first-ever E11-graded route, and at the grade of 5.14c (8c+), Rhapsody was the world's hardest traditional route. It set a grade milestone in traditional climbing that stood for over a decade until the ascent of Tribe at grade E11-12 5.14d (9a) in 2019 and of Bon Voyage at grade E12 5.14d (9a) in 2024.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Long, John; Gaines, Bob (August 2022). "Chapter 5. Crack Climbing". How to Rock Climb (6th ed.). Falcon Guides. pp. 85–121. ISBN   978-1493056262.
  2. 1 2 3 Whittaker, Pete (January 2020). Crack Climbing. Vertebrate Publishing. ISBN   978-1493056262.
  3. ↑ Whittaker, Pete (12 October 2021). "Pete Whittaker's Five Ultimate Rules for Crack Climbing". Climbing . Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  4. ↑ Pease, Ken (5 August 2022). "How to Crack Climb". Climbing . Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  5. ↑ Pardy, Aaron (2 February 2024). "10 Climbing Grade Milestones Since 1961". Gripped Magazine (Canada). Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  6. ↑ Oviglia, Maurizio (23 December 2012). "The evolution of free climbing". PlanetMountain.com. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  7. ↑ Bisharat, Andrew (6 October 2009). "Chapter 1: Ethics, Style, and Emergence of Sport Climbing". Sport Climbing: From Toprope to Redpoint, Techniques for Climbing Success. Mountaineers Books. ISBN   978-1594852701 . Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  8. ↑ "Watch Didier Berthod is Back / Interview with Swiss crack climbing legend". PlanetMountain. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  9. ↑ "Greenspit, the dream of a generation climbed in Valle Orco by Matteo della Bordella, Francesco Deiana". PlanetMountain. May 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 Lambert, Erik (31 August 2007). "Trotter Chops Bolts, Sends Marathon Crack Project". Alpinist . Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  11. ↑ "Prinzip Hoffnung, from Beat Kammerlander madness to new crack climbing classic" [es]. Desnivel (in Spanish). 10 March 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  12. ↑ "Jacopo Larcher repeats Beth Rodden's Meltdown in Yosemite". PlanetMountain. 26 November 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  13. ↑ Pardy, Aaron (6 November 2023). "Rare Repeat of World's Hardest Offwidth Crack". Gripped Magazine (Canada). Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  14. ↑ The Editors (11 November 2011). "Wide Boyz on Century Crack (5.14b), World's Hardest Offwidth". Climbing . Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  15. ↑ "Longest Roof Climb". Guinness World Records . 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2024. The longest continuous roof (horizontal) climb in the world is "The Great Rift", a 762-m-long crack-climb that has been graded as a 5.13. The route, which runs along the underside of an elevated section of the M5 motorway in Devon, was discovered and completed for the first time in November 2021 by British climbers Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker
  16. ↑ Clarke, Owen (8 December 2021). "Wide Boyz Tackle The Great Rift (5.13) Roof Crack Under 2,500-foot Cement Bridge". Climbing . Retrieved 8 October 2024.

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