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ROCK CLIMBING
It is not quite easy to define rock climbing,
but it is not difficult too. Anyone who claims to be a rock
climber has his own version of the game. Rock climbing for
some is to challenge their spirits and explore new heights,
to give a fillip to their unbounded imaginations; for others,
it is a way telling the world that he/she has finally arrived.
For many of the professional rock climbers, it is not a sport.
Can you call a mission to moon a sport or pastime? If not,
then why should rock climbing be called a sports is the argument.
For them, rock climbing is an adventure of the greatest magnitude;
it is a fight against self, against the elements, and the
ultimate goal is to reach the summit and return back alive. |
Rock Climbing |
Rock climbing is a test of strength, concentration and coordination
as well as skill and technique. A climber learns from experience
that the mountain must not be taken for granted. It can be rough
and antagonistic to those who venture to come to grips with it.
Nevertheless, as a sport, climbing continues to offer a thrill and
challenge that is compulsive.
In India, rock climbing, as most other adventure sports, is a relatively
new sport. However, in a short span of time, it has become the most
popular adventure sport. Because of the good distribution of great
climbing rocks throughout India, coupled the element of excitement
involved, rock climbing has become the sport to participate in for
the young and the old alike.
TYPE
Rock climbing is a mountain-based adventure sports.
Modern rock climbers generally use three different styles of climbing:
free climbing, aid climbing and a combination of free and aid climbing.
There is yet another type of climbing called face climbing, which
involves climbing against the face of a rock.
Free climbing
A free climber depends totally on his skills, self-confidence, and
footwork to accomplish his target. He does not need the help of
any technical instrument except for safety.
Aid Climbing
Aid climbing involves the use of instrument to reach the summit.
Aid climbing was started when the need was felt to use equipments
for climbing rocks that were too difficult to climb without any
external help.
Free and Aid Climbing
Most of the modern climbing revolves around this method. Pre-placing
bolts and other protection is a part of this type of climbing process.
Basic free climbing techniques are the precondition to advance
climbing, and it is imperative for the beginners to have expertise
in both free as well as aid climbing techniques.
LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY
Free Climbing
Levels of difficulty in rock climbing have been graded by
professional climbers who have scaled some of the toughest rocks
in the world. When they climb a rock, which is relatively tougher
than a previous rock, they grade it at a higher point. This
is also to inform the next set of climbers about the difficulties
involved in this rock. However, it is to be noted that all the
grades are interweaving and, in most cases, do not apply for
everybody. Also, two rocks of same grade at different altitude
levels can have two different difficulty levels. Professionals
world over have also used different grading systems and sometimes
it become quite difficult to rationalize them. Therefore, there
are two types of grading systems in the USA: one shows 5.15
as the toughest grade rock while for the other it is X. |
Climbing |
Major grading systems in the world are UIAA (Union Internationale
des Associations d'Alpinisme), Germany; YDS (Yosemite Grading System),
United States; Alpine (Europe), and many nation-based climbing grades
like South African, French, Aussie, British, Saxon, Czech, Norwegian,
and Swedish. Most of the experts in India prefer UIAA grading which
starts at 1 for the easiest rocks to 11 for the toughest ones. Corresponding
grades of YDS are also widely used beginning from Grade 5.2 to 5.15.
As mentioned earlier, the grading systems are subjective and not
absolute: they keep changing with each new climb.
Aid Climbing
A different set of grading is accepted for aid climbing due to changes
in the methods of climbing and associated process.
A1: All placements are rock solid and easy.
A2: Most of the placements are rock solid and easy, but some of
them can prove to be difficult to place
A3: Many placements are difficult, but there is the occasional
bomber piece.
A4: There are several placements in a row that will hold nothing
more than body weight.
A5: 20 meters (60 ft) or more of body placements in a row.
This should be kept in mind that there can as much types interpretations
for this rating as much there are climbers.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Physical requirements for rock climbing can differ from person
to person. In fact, it is your state of mind that decides your physical
capabilities more than anything else. Increasing levels of difficulty
may require greater level of physical fitness and greater flexibility
in your body than under a lesser difficulty level. Nevertheless,
there are some minimum health requirements that must be met before
you set out for rock climbing. A few of these are: 1) you should
not be an expectant mother; 2) you should not have high blood pressure
or any heart problems; and 3) if you have permanent physical disabilities,
you will have to work harder.
NECESSARY EQUIPMENT
The major equipments that are required for climbing are ascenders
(devices that help in ascending, like jummars), climbing rope, helmets,
karabiner, chalk, chest harness, harness seat, nut, cliffhanger,
climbing shoes, tape slings, and friends.
You can find the equipments for rock climbing at most of the major
cities in India.
BEST TIME
Rock climbing can be undertaken throughout the year. India is a
vast country and different parts of the country have different climatic
conditions. Although you can practice rock climbing in most parts
of the country, the fact remains that the Himalayan region provides
the best rock-climbing challenges to the professional. The ideal
months to practice this sport in the Himalayas are from April to
June. In Delhi, however, the winter months are better than the rest
of the year because this is the time when you can combine rock climbing
with the pleasure of sightseeing. The weather in South India is
ideal for rock climbing throughout the year.
MAJOR DESTINATIONS
The best thing about this sport is the almost equal distribution
of rock climbing destinations in India. The availability of the
good climbing rocks not too far from the city gives greater access
and participation from the professionals as well as from the amateurs
alike. Given below are the names of some of the major destinations
for rock climbing in India to give you a better idea for the places
where you can engage in this game.
Southern India
Badami, a five-hour drive from Bangalore, is a good place for rock
climbing. Bangalore is in the center of a number of rock-climbing
destinations like Ramanagaram (the setting for the Hindi blockbuster
Sholay), Savandurga, Thuralli, Kabbal, Raogodhu, and others. Kambakkam
at a distance of around 100 km from Chennai provides good climbing
in many grades while Hampi in Karnataka has some of the best granite
rocks in India providing the climbers ample opportunities to test
their skills.
Eastern India
In a 300-km radius adjoining Calcutta, there are some good rock-climbing
destinations like Purulia, Matha Bura, Jai Chandi, and Susunia Hills.
The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute provides some courses in
Mountaineering at Gobu and Tenzing Norgay Rocks.
Western India
There are several good rock-climbing destinations near Mumbai like
Kanheri Caves in the Borivili National Park, Mumbra Boulders, and
Manori Rocks. In Gujarat, Pavagadh is a favorite rock-climbing destination.
In Rajasthan, the region around Mount Abu like State Mountaineering
Institute's training area, Golden Horn Spire, and Adhar Devi Slabs
are the best rock-climbing destinations.
Northern India
North India offers some of the best and toughest challenges in rock
climbing both for amateurs as well as for the professionals. The
might of Himalayan rocks have always been the inspiration for many
professional climbers. New Delhi and the region around it provide
some very good options in rock-climbing arena. Lado Sarai in Delhi,
Dhauj (55 km from Delhi), and Dam Dama Lake (around 65 km off Delhi)
are some of the best-known rock-climbing destinations in this part
of the country. In Himachal Pradesh, Manali and Dharamshala and
the adjoining region provide some of the toughest and most exciting
rock climbing options in the world. Professional climbers from all
over the world come here to negotiate the rocks and to find new
challenges.
Besides these, there are many artificial climbing walls in Delhi,
Calcutta, Mumbai, Bangalore, Darjeeling, Manali, Uttarkashi, Bikaner,
and at Mathura Road near Badarpur border in Haryana.
THE PROCESS
Once you have decided to go for rock climbing, the first thing
to do is to identify the level you can climb. If rock climbing is
a passion for you and you have already participated in this sport,
then you have nothing to worry-you just need to choose your destination.
However, for the amateurs, it is better to let some professional
teach you the basics. You also need to decide whether you want to
go for high- or low-altitude rock climbing. High-altitude rock climbing
may need more efforts than low-altitude rock climbing. An instructor
will teach you all about the nature of the rocks, the holds (like
foothold, toehold), ropes and rope knots, how to use different instruments,
and several other techniques. Remember that your first climbing
may end in a disaster and that you are not be the first person to
do this nor would you be the last. First, you will be required to
be roped with a climbing rope. There would be one belayer at the
top trying to give you as much safety as possible. Finding the first
hold and taking the first step up is the most important part of
the rock-climbing process. If you can do that in the first or second
instance, you have already won half the challenge. Try to look for
the climbing routes in the rock (route in a rock denotes a gradually
increasing series of holds that goes up to the summit). A professional
will look for challenging and more difficult routes, but for a beginner
it is good to follow the easier routes.
Do not extend your foot too high to go up. The thumb rule is to
find the foothold for your right leg and toehold for your right
hand in the beginning. Put pressure on your toehold and move your
body weight up. Try to find a new foothold for your left foot and
push up. Never stretch your leg too much and never put your body
weight on your back. The best way to go up is to be straight and
move up. As modern climbing revolve around sophisticated equipments,
giving you enough aid to cross even the toughest of rocks, you will
need to know how to use the nuts, jummars, and many more such gadgets.
When you reach the final hold, push up yourself by putting pressure
on your hands as you do on a parallel bar.
The process described above is just a briefing and gives you a
basic idea of what you are going to encounter. Strategies change
according to the nature of the rock though standard technicalities
remain the same.
RESOURCES
Institutes
The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute was established in 1954 at
Darjeeling. It was followed by the Western Institute of Mountaineering
(called Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports) at Manali.
A third institute, the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM),
was founded in 1965 at Uttarkashi and, sometimes later, the Jawahar
Institute of Mountaineering at Tringla Batote (Jammu and Kashmir).
These institutes are doing very useful work in opening up hitherto
unknown areas and giving scientific training in the theory and practice
of mountain climbing. All of these institutes have their own artificial
climbing walls and offer comprehensive training in rock climbing.
Indian Rock and Sport Climbing Federation is the apex body for
rock climbing in India.
Permits and Government Agencies
There is no restriction on rock climbing in India except for the
places included in the restricted area list. You can apply for permits
through the Indian Embassy/Consulate/High Commission in your country
or contact the offices of foreigners' regional registration offices
in the major cities of India. The district administration of the
concerned areas can also issue such permits.
PRECAUTIONS
1. Decide what type of rock do you want to negotiate. It will depend
on you skills, your status as a climber, and your physical fitness.
2. Consult the doctor to determine your physical condition and
take proper medical precautions as per the doctor's advice.
3. High-altitude sickness or high-altitude madness is a common
phenomenon among the trekkers and mountaineers. If you are participating
in the high-altitude rock climbing, make yourself aware of the symptoms
and methods to deal with this problem. Proper mountaineering guidelines,
high-altitude survival techniques, and first-aid techniques should
be known to most of the members.
