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climbingguideOther Climbing Disciplines

What Lies Beyond Rock Climbing: A Map of Deep Water Soloing, Big Walls, Ice, Alpine and Free Soloing

The five disciplines differ in three ways: what stops a fall (water, yourself, a partner), what you climb on (rock, ice, snow) and how long you are committed (half a day to more than a week). Boulderers are closest to deep water soloing, provided they can swim; big walls need trad and multi-pitch skills; Taiwan has almost no natural ice. Of North America's 2024 climbing accidents, 71 were alpine, 52 trad and 35 sport — totals, not rates, so they cannot rank which is most dangerous.

#climbing#outdoor-climbing#deep-water-soloing#big-wall#ice-climbing#alpine-climbing#free-solo
climbingguideOther Climbing Disciplines

Free Soloing and Rope Soloing: Why Accidents Happen on Easy Routes, the Taipei 101 Livestream Debate, and the Risks of Climbing Alone on a Rope

The AAC says free solo accidents are "almost always fatal" and usually happen on popular moderate routes: in December 2024 two people died on two consecutive days in Colorado's Flatirons, on a 5.7 and a 5.4, and one of them had soloed his route many times. Honnold says no soloist has fallen while pushing their limit; the AAC says familiarity lowers focus. The two don't contradict each other: deaths tend to happen in easy, familiar places. Rope soloing carries its own risks: the top-rope solo accidents the AAC recorded share a single device, no backup knot and a climber in a hurry.

#climbing#free-solo#outdoor-climbing#top-rope#climbing-injury