Climbings

Climbings refers to the activity and practice of climbing, including a range of disciplines that involve ascending vertical or overhanging terrain using hands and feet. In ordinary usage, the more common term is climbing or mountaineering, but climbings may be used in encyclopedic or comparative contexts to emphasize multiple forms of ascent.

Disciplines include rock climbing (bouldering, lead climbing, sport climbing), traditional (trad) climbing, big-wall and multi-pitch climbing, ice climbing, mixed climbing, and alpine or mountaineering routes. Each discipline has its own techniques, equipment, and risk profile. Competition formats such as speed, lead, and bouldering are overseen by sport climbing bodies, while mountaineering emphasizes route finding and self-reliance.

Equipment commonly includes a rope, harness, belay device, carabiners, protection devices (nuts, cams, pitons), climbing shoes, chalk, and a helmet. Protective gear and anchors vary by discipline: fixed bolts in sport climbing, removable protection in trad climbing, and portable ice screws for ice climbing. Training concentrates on strength, technique, flexibility, and mental preparation, with emphasis on safety and fall management.

Safety considerations include proper belaying, partner communication, risk assessment, and weather or rock quality evaluation. Ethical guidelines promote environmental stewardship, minimal impact, and respect for climbing closures and access agreements. Training can range from indoor routes to outdoor mountain routes, often progressing from beginner to advanced levels with certification systems in some regions.

Organizational bodies include the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), which governs competition climbing, and national associations. In mountaineering, the UIAA provides safety standards and ethics guidelines. Climbings culture spans outdoor recreation, sport, and adventure tourism, with notable climbing areas worldwide and a history dating to early mountaineering in the Himalayas, Alps, and Americas.