köysimäiset
Köysimäiset is a Finnish term that literally translates to "rope-like" and is primarily used in the context of alpine ski touring, mountaineering, and rope guide systems. The word is formed from köysi, meaning rope or cable, and the suffix –mäiset, which denotes resemblance or affiliation. In practice, the term describes a range of equipment and techniques that emulate the properties of a rope, allowing climbers to secure themselves or their gear efficiently on steep terrain.
The earliest documented use of köysimäiset appears in 1930s ski touring manuals from the Finnish Lapland region,
In the 1970s, the term entered the world of instructional literature, where it was used to describe
Modern mountaineering teams occasionally refer to köysimäiset when discussing "rope-guns" which spray a continuous line of