Free solo climbing

Free solo climbing, also known as free soloing, is a form of free climbing where the climber (the free soloist) foregoes ropes, harnesses and other protective gear while ascending and relies only on his or her physical strength, climbing ability, and psychological fortitude to avoid a fatal fall. Free solo climbing should not be confused with free climbing, in which gear is used for safety in case of a fall, but not to assist the climb. Less risky alternatives to free soloing include bouldering (climbing at heights low enough that a fall would typically be safe) and deep water soloing (climbing where falling would result in harmlessly falling into water).

Reasons for free soloing given by high-profile climbers include the simplicity and speed with which one can climb, a feeling of intense concentration required, and the adrenaline rush. The practice is mostly confined to routes familiar to the climber and whose difficulty lies well within the climber's abilities. However, inherent risks such as loose rocks or sudden change in weather are always present, and some high-profile climbers have been killed this way.


Yosemite climbing program manager and park ranger Mark Fincher said there has been only one confirmed death from free-soloing at the park, that of Derek Hersey, a high-profile free-soloist who died on Sentinel Rock in 1993. The challenge of free soloing single pitch routes is mainly the mental difficulty for the climber of staying focused on what he is doing. Free soloing should usually not be hard in a physical sense. This is not to say, however, that on longer routes unpredictable weather and rock conditions cannot create grave hazards for climbers. Hersey, though a master of solo climbing's physical and mental demands, is believed to have encountered rain during his fatal solo ascent of the 1000-meter Sentinel Rock.

Practitioners

The sport has produced a number of well-known practitioners, made famous by remarkable photos of a climber totally alone and unprotected on sheer cliffs. One of the most famous is Frenchman Alain Robert ("spiderman"), who has scaled dozens of skyscrapers around the world - a sport known as buildering - and many rock walls, without using any safety equipment.


Some of the driving forces in rock climbing and free soloing from 1900 to today: Paul Preuss, Henry Barber, John Bachar, Derek Hersey, Peter Croft, Alexander Huber, Dan Osman, Dean Potter, Alain Robert and Michael Reardon.

Safer alternatives

Free soloing on seacliffs, where a climber falling into deep water may avoid injury, is known as deep water soloing - however, this should only be carried out at very specific sites which have been properly ascertained to be safe for the purpose. Otherwise, free soloing on seacliffs is viewed as particularly dangerous due to the unique combination of hazards such as loose rock, tides, submerged boulders, and difficulty of rescue.


Remaining close to the ground (typically below 25 ft.) and using protective mats is known as bouldering and is another, safer alternative.

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